Here's a quick rundown of the skills possible to achieve on the Olympic halfpipe, along with a few other key things to know before snowboarders start flipping for medals.
Australian snowboarder Scotty James calls the process of perfecting his signature trick on the halfpipe akin to a right-handed person "trying to write a thesis with your left hand."That goes for pretty much any trick that might be good for a medal on the Olympic halfpipe. The women's final is Thursday and the men's final is Friday.
A look at that trick, along with a few other key things to know before they start flipping for medals on the halfpipe:This has been the game-changer in men's halfpipe this winter. The ironic part is that White started working on it in 2013 but abandoned it because he felt it was too dangerous and the risk wasn't worth the reward.
Hirano has landed the trick twice in competition this season, only to fall on his next jump. The halfpipe final is a three-run contest and only the best score counts. It's common for competitors to put down "safety runs" at the start -- a run with their `B-plus' material that can deliver a potentially meet-winning score -- then bring out the big guns at the end, only if they need them.
At the last Olympics, where James took the bronze medal, he was convinced the trick didn't get enough love from the judges. He said he's noticed this season that "switch," or backward, riding seems to be getting more credit.The number put in front of a spin is equal to the total number of degrees of rotation the rider puts in. It's a combination of head-over-heels flips and sideways twists.
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