Abstract des Autors

Snowboarding can trace its roots back to the 1920s in France but snowboarding as we know it today got started in the U.S. in the mid-'60s. Today the U.S. has half of the world's 8 million riders and 25% of all those at ski areas in the U.S. are snowboarders. The first halfpipe was ridden on a snowboard in 1979, and the first halfpipe event was held in California in 1983. This American contest was followed by the first European competition in 1985. Initially worldwide competition was scattered among various tours and sponsors around the globe. The first World Cup season, which resembled Alpine skiing, began in 1994 under the patronage of the International Ski Federation (FIS). Under the FIS's auspices, this fast growing sport wasted no time getting approval from the International Olympic Committee to include halfpipe competition in the 1998 Winter Olympics. The halfpipe is just that, half of a pipe, or more specifically, a snow through 100 to 120 meters long by 13 to 17 meters wide built on a 15- to 20ø gradient. The walls are between 3 and 4 meters high and terminate in a vertical section. Competitors do tricks in the air off the vertical walls of the halpipe. Tricks are a combination of flips, twists, board grabs, and hand plants on the apex of the wall. For example, during a 720 McTwist the snowboarder approaches the wall riding forward, becomes airborne, rotates 720ø or two full twists in a backside direction while doing a front flip, and lands riding backward. Another trick is the Phillips 66, in which the athlete approaches the halfpipe wall riding backward, plants the rear hand on the lip of the wall while doing a front flip, and lands in the transition riding forward. The individual competition is scored by five judges based on air, rotations, amplitude, landings, and technical merit. Scores are based on the score from two runs combined to determine the winner. Halfpipe competition is primarily a skill sport that utilizes the anaerobic energy system. Since it takes a lot of halfpipe riding to be competitive, the athlete must make many hiking ascents to be able to practice the sport. The halfpipe competitor undertakes aerobic, strength, and power training when not training on snow. This dryland training is aimed at achieving a well-balanced skeletal muscular system, helping the athlete make the most of on-snow training so he or she can be truly competitive. Verf.-Referat