Everything you need to know about... Slopestyle
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Your support makes all the difference.What is it?
A freestyle competition on snow. Formally classified as a sub-division of skiing, competitors call on snowboarding techniques to pull off outlandish tricks on bumps, jumps and rails without killing themselves. It is a staple of the Winter X Games.
Where does it happen?
Amateur competitors are beginning to colonise dry practice slopes from Surrey to Slovenia but the showcase event, the X Games, takes place in Aspen, Colorado, in the United States of America.How do you win?
Judges reward big risk-takers. Winning tricks need to be that elusive thing: super-gnarly. Expect to see slides, deep carve turns, big air off-axis spins like the McTwist (obviously) and stomps.
How terrible is Britain at it?
Bizarrely, not very. Last week Jenny Jones, a 28-year-old from Bristol, became the first British woman to win a gold at the X Games. Already a world-class snowboarder at the Winter Olympics, she pulled off what geeks call a huge frontside seven manoeuvre in terrible conditions.
How dangerous is it?
Combine skateboarding (bruises, cuts) with skiing (fractures, comas) and you get somewhere near the mark.
Who are the biggest stars?
American Shaun White is unchallenged. He has won Slopestyle at the X Games for the last eight years running.
How can I watch it?
Events are shown on American ESPN, (which satellite users in Britain can access). News and videos can be found at slopestyleonline.com
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