snowboard in OLYMPIC

LEO

ABOUT

For the first time in the history of the Olympic Winter Games, snowboarding was introduced as an official event with giant slalom and halfpipe featured at the Nagano Games in 1998. Snowboarding was developed in the United States in the 1960s as people across the country began to seek out new winter activities. Over the next decade, different pioneers boosted the production of boards and the overall interest in snowboarding. Surfers and skateboarders became involved, and by 1980, snowboarding was a nationwide activity. Competition was the next logical step. Competition and national and international federation influence began in the 1980s. The United States held its first national championships in 1982 and hosted the first World Championships in 1983. In 1987, a four-stop World Cup tour was established, with two stops in the United States and two in Europe. The International Snowboarding Federation (ISF) was formed in 1990 and on request of the International Ski Federation (FIS) National Ski Associations, many of which organised ski and snowboard competitions, the FIS introduced Snowboarding as a FIS discipline in 1994. This enabled snowboarding’s eligibility for the Olympic Winter Games, and the discipline was added to the Olympic programme as of the 1998 Games in Nagano (JPN).


COMPETITION
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. Both halfpipe and giant slalom events were staged at the 1998 Olympic Winter Games, where the sport of snowboarding made its debut. The parallel giant slalom events appeared on the Salt Lake City Olympic programme for the first time, replacing the two giant slalom events that were contested in Nagano.


Halfpipe
The halfpipe competition takes place in a half-cylinder-shaped course dug deep into the hill. Using speed gained on the slope, snowboarders come up over the rim of the pipe and perform acrobatic aerial tricks. The object of the halfpipe is to perform difficult tricks with perfect form.


Alpine - Parallel giant slalom
An exciting version of Alpine snowboarding, parallel giant slalom features head-to-head matches on the mountain. After the qualification round, a 16-person tournament is established and competitors battle it out on two side-by-side courses until there is a winner.


Snowboard Cross
A challenging route including jumps and obstacles conveys a “Formula One” atmosphere. The heats consist of four riders who start at the same time, whereby the best two in the finish proceed to the next round.