Snowboarding has been a part of the Olympics since 1998. It has been around as a sport since the 1960s. It grew in popularity in the 1980s. But what is it? Is it skateboarding on snow? Skiing on a surfboard?
There are six snowboard events on the programme of the Olympic Winter Games: men’s halfpipe, ladies’ halfpipe, men’s parallel giant slalom and ladies’ parallel giant slalom, men’s snowboard cross and ladies’ snowboard cross. Snowboard cross is making its debut at the 2006 Turin Olympics.
The halfpipe is similar to skateboarding. There is a half-cylinder shaped course, and competitors perform acrobatic feats while going down the course. Speed is unimportant. It’s all about form and difficulty of the tricks performed.
Parallel giant slalom pits one snowboarder against a competitor in a head to head race down the mountain. After qulifying rounds, a group of 16 participates in a tournament, racing two at a time, until there is a winner.
Snowboard cross is a little like motorcross on snowboards. There is a challenging course, including jumps and obstacles. Groups of four race at the same time, with the top two finishers going on to the next round.
I can see how snowboarding is a challenging sport. But I still don’t know if I buy it as an Olympics sport. If inline skaters have to become ice speed skaters to participate in the Olympics, maybe snowboarders should become skiers. This is probably a sure sign that I’m getting old— you know you’re getting older when you start wanting things to stay the same and longing for the “good old days”.
For more on snowboarding, plus a video (kids, don’t try these stunts at home), visit the U.S. snowboard team’s site.
