Freestyle skiing has always been an exiting sport for spectators and athletes alike. The sport developed during the 1970’s when young skiers, disillusioned by the constraints of traditional alpine ski racing, started competing in ‘Hot Dog’ competitions.
The sport rapidly grew into what we know today, as the Olympic sport of Mogul skiing. Olympic Freestyle skiing also encompassed the disciplines of ski ballet and aerials, the latter being where skiers performed inverted aerial manoeuvres off a vertical ramp. Today Moguls, Ariels and more recently, Skier Cross are Olympic sports and the word ‘Freestyle’ has become synonymous with highly skilled, professional athletes at the top of their game.
Events such as the Winter X Games now bring both freestyle skiing and snowboarding to a worldwide audience. The 15th Winter X Games have just taken place in Aspen, Colorado. The very best freestyle skiers and snowboarders from across the globe gather to compete at the highest level of the sport.
Photo: Freestyle tricks at The Snow Centre
For UK athletes, there are lots of opportunities to develop at a high level in Freestyle skiing and snowboarding. There are fantastic facilities in the UK where young and talented individuals can learn the skills required to compete in the various disciplines. It is possible to learn to ski or snowboard on real snow and master an endless variety of freestyle tricks at The Snow Centre, in Hemel Hempstead.
From 2 to 5 February, the World Ski Freestyle Championships will take place and 13 UK athletes are heading to Deer Valley to compete in Aerials, Ski Cross, Half-pipe, Moguls and Slope-style. This is probably the biggest UK team for any Skiing World Championships ever.
The International Olympic Committee executive board declared that, if the 2011 World Ski Freestyle Championships go well, it’s likely that ski half-pipe and snowboard slopestyle will make their debuts as Winter Olympic sports, at the 2014 Sochi Games.
UK snowboarder, Jenny Jones has won 2 X Games gold medals and recently a silver medal will be hoping for the inclusion of slopestyle into the Winter Olympic Games, in Sochi 2014. Simon Ashton, Chair of BSS Freestyle: “Both organisers and athletes are working hard to ensure there is no excuse for the International Olympic Committee not to rubber stamp the disciplines inclusion.”
The Snow Centre, in Hemel Hempstead, will be holding Rookie freestyle clinics on real snow for those interested in mastering some freestyle tricks.
Places are still available at The Snow Centre for the Definition Freestyle courses, this Friday 4th February. Freestyle coaching 1 day course £110.
All info on prices and bookings can be found on www.definitioncamps.com
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The International Olympic Committee executive board declared that, if the 2011 World Ski Freestyle Championships go well, it’s likely that ski half-pipe and snowboard slopestyle will make their debuts as Winter Olympic sports, at the 2014 Sochi Games.