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About Olympic Snowboarding - Half-pipe - Cross - Parallel Slalom

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Half-pipe - Cross - Parallel Slalom

Unlike in skiing, snowboard slalom involves racing head-to-head with a rival on parallel courses.

At first sight, the Snowboard Cross event is reminiscent of the Wacky Races, but competitors are not allowed to push or bump each other out of the way.

The half-pipe competition allows snowboarders to put on a real show.

Event guide: Snowboard half-pipe

The half-pipe has its origins in skateboarding

Named because of its shape, the half-pipe has its origins in skateboarding, where riders take off from a near-vertical wall and perform a variety of tricks in the air.

The idea is much the same on the snow, as boarders tackle a pipe carved into the slope.
Riders get two runs down the pipe to impress the judges.

Starting at the top, they drop down one of the walls and take off on the opposite side to attempt their first trick.

HALF-PIPE FACTS
Holders:
Men - Shaun White (US)
Women - Hannah Teter (US)

They repeat this about six to eight times, crossing over between the two walls to show off their skills as they work their way down the pipe.

The aim is to score points by carrying out different manoeuvres in the air, such as grabs, twists, flips and spins.

Loud music gets the crowd pumped up as the riders do their stuff.

The five judges can each award a maximum of 10 points.

One judge assesses the straight air tricks, one the tricks with rotations, one the height (or amplitude) of the tricks, and two give marks for overall impression based on the variety of tricks and the general flow.

Straight airs often involve grabbing the board in the air.

Snowboarding tricks guide
Rotations involve vertical flips, horizontal spins and twists, and the light twintip freestyle boards allow riders to land with either foot forward.

Judges deduct points for falls, contact with the snow, unstable body position, bad landings and slowing down.

The rider's best score of the two runs is counted, and the top 12 men and 12 women qualify for the final.

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Event guide: Snowboard cross

For the first two runs, riders compete on their own against the clock, and the top 32 go through. That is when it gets interesting, as the riders then race in groups of four, with the top two in each heat going through to the next round until just four are left to contest the final.

The course is marked by red and blue gates, and triangular flags mark the entrances to the obstacles. Jumps vary from straight (kickers) to those on an angle (spines), and there are also huge banked corners and even moguls to negotiate.

The optimum line into the obstacles is very narrow, and the jockeying for position can often lead to crashes.

The choice of board for snowboard cross varies. Some riders prefer the freestyle boards used in the halfpipe but use a slightly longer and stiffer model to generate more straight-line speed. They wear soft boots and soft bindings to give them freedom to adjust quickly to the obstacles on the course. Others favour the alpine boards used in the parallel slalom. These are less flexible and are worn with hard boots, but they can offer more speed on fast sections of the course.

cc licensed flickr photo shared by thelastminute

Event guide: Snowboard parallel slalom

The parallel slalom is one of the most gruelling events at the Games, as competitors have to make it through nine rounds to get to the final.

The event begins with a qualification stage, when riders race on their own against the clock and the top 16 go through to the knockout stage.

Head-to-head rounds involve two races, with the rivals swapping sides after the first race to make sure neither receives an unfair advantage.

The rider who wins both races makes it through to the next round, and the combined times are used to decide the winner if each rider wins one race.

The final two riders in the competition compete for gold and silver, and the beaten semi-finalists face off for bronze.

Like the slalom in skiing, competitors must zig-zag between red and blue gates.

These are shaped on an angle so competitors can lean into the turns.

Flags are placed 20-25m apart and the vertical drop of the course is between 120m and 200m.

Riders who crash, miss a gate or fail to finish the first heat are given their opponent's time plus 4% of the top qualifying time. If it happens in the second run, their opponent wins, regardless of the result of the first race.

If both riders crash in the second heat, the one who passes through the most gates is declared the winner.

Parallel slalom is all about carving, so hard boots and plate bindings are used with a rigid board which can cut through the snow and give a stable and faster ride.

To cut down on air resistance, riders lean into the turns and wear skin-tight suits.

Most wear knee-height shin guards as they often hit the gates as they pass them, and helmets protect the head.

Top Olympic snowboarders

1Olympic snowboarders of Canada

2Olympic snowboarders of Finland

3Olympic snowboarders of Germany

4Olympic snowboarders of Russia

5Olympic snowboarders of the United States

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About Olympic Snowboarding - Half-pipe - Cross - Parallel Slalom

Half-pipe - Cross - Parallel Slalom

Event guide: Snowboard half-pipe

The half-pipe has its origins in skateboarding

Snowboard and Bindings

Event guide: Snowboard cross

Event guide: Snowboard parallel slalom

Top Olympic snowboarders

2012 Camp Seven Roots

Snowboards

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