The Snowboard Halfpipe Helps To Make Peace On The Slopes

One of the newest winter sports is snowboarding. Something that has been around only since the 1960's when two planks were tied together and sent down a snowy slope, snowboarding has become recognized even as an Olympic sport.

Another sign of the preeminence of the sport is that snowboarders have added one feature to the slopes on which they board: the snowboard halfpipe. Although the equipment has changed over the years as the sport has diverged further from its origins, and styles have diverged even further, the halfpipe is one part of the sport that is unlikely to change any time soon.

Snowboarding has its origins in both skateboarding and surfing. Although it owes a lot of its equipment to surfing, its moves and styles are owed to skateboarding. It also gains the snowboard halfpipe from the pools that skateboarders used to skate in. One of the advantages of the design is that it requires little pumping in order to maintain or increase speed. Also, the snow provides a natural cushion in case of spills.

The halfpipe is dug into the snow using a variety of methods, and there are two schools that teach Snowcat operators how to dig them out of the slope. The largest ones are 23-foot elliptical designs. A new one has to be dug each winter as the snow melts, and sometimes before each competition to ensure a smooth surface.

The halfpipe is an exaggerated cross-section of the standard pool, with a slightly wider bottom. There are four basic qualities to a halfpipe: the transition radius, height, width, and flatbottom. The transition radius is the amount of curve on the sides of the halfpipe, and the flatbottom is the distance between those sides. The flatbottom can be an issue as it slows down the boarder.

The main qualities are defined by the ratio between the transition radius and the height, which determine the tricks that can be done on the lip of the halfpipe. Shallower ones are usually for beginners, although experts also use them for some flips. Deeper ones are used for competitions, as deepness increases the difficulty of tricks.

The snowboard halfpipe is a vital part of snowboarding. It allows an area for snowboarders to compete or practice in that can be separate from the main slope. This means that those practicing tricks can be kept from those that are interested solely in speed, keeping the peace in the mountains. Although skiers and snowboarders still have some rivalry, that rivalry is friendlier than it used to be, no doubt due in part to the snowboarders having their own section of the mountain.

By: Russell Strider

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