What is a halfpipe in winter sports

In recent decades, a number of new sports, including winter ones, have appeared. Many people even have no idea what a halfpipe is, and there are already competitions on it at world-class games of the highest level.

General information

Despite the fact that halfpipe is a sport, the name was given to him by a special engineering device. Halfpipe is a U-shaped half-pipe, along which athletes move from one side to the other, while performing dizzying tricks in the air. Moreover, the higher the acceleration speed, the higher the person can jump. Such a structure was originally used only by skateboarders, but over time it was improved to such an extent that it became suitable for skiers, not only snowboarders, but also skiers. To understand what a halfpipe is, you need to disassemble its device in detail.

Halfpipe device

Snowboarders perform on this device a few tricks that are very similar to what skateboarders do, but only on Halfpipe, made from pure snow. Initially, as a U-shaped half pipe, natural depressions (ravines) or special trenches were most often used. Over time, they turned into modern buildings. Advanced technology Halfpipe developed after the invention of pipe dragon, which is a special mechanism for the care of the entire structure. Thanks to him, it became possible to make a practically perfect form mechanically (without using manual labor).

What is the halfpipe for today? The "new birth" of this structure gave the invention of a huge structure. Superpipe differs from its ancestor in size and new standards in sports. For the first time such a structure was used at the Olympics in Salt Lake City (2002).

What is a halfpipe by physical parameters

The wall of the halfpipe is called the section of construction with an incline downward. It is thanks to this part of the structure that the athlete flies in the air. At the 2002 Olympics , the halfpipe walls were 4.5 m high. The transition is the section where the athlete moves from the base to the wall. The edge is called the upper edge of the structure, where the wall ends. Vertical refers to the perpendicular to the plane part of the wall. It is located between the edge of the halfpipe and the transition. Flat areas on each side of the structure, on which you can walk - the platform.

Tricks on the halfpipe

The athlete, who finds himself in the halfpipe, starts moving back and forth on the structure. This is the beginning of skiing called "dropping". Then follow the "hits". When they are executed, a person flies into the air. To date, the main trick in this sport is the so-called "grab". In the process of its execution, the athlete takes off into the air and takes hold of the board with his hand. Snowboarders do such a trick for stability in the air and stylish. In this sport there are direct jumps (a turn in 180˚) and rotation (a person turns in the air for 360 or more degrees). Most often these jumps are called in degrees, but often they are called by the first digits (360˚ = 3; 540˚ = 5; 720˚ = 7; 900˚ = 9). The supercomplex rotation on 1080˚ refers to ten to eighty.

There are many more specific names for tricks and actions on the halfpipe in order to learn them, it is necessary to do this beautiful, but rather dangerous sport. During the judging, the quality of performing direct jumps, rotations, their amplitude and overall impression of performance is noted.

Halfpipe for skiers

In addition to snowboarders, skiers can also perform on this design. The technique of performing tricks in this case is somewhat different from riding on the board. A ski halfpipe is a competition where its participants start one by one from the edge of the structure. Using the speed that they gain on the slopes, skiers soar over the edge of the halfpipe and perform various acrobatic stunts in the air . The purpose of such competitions is the ideal form of performing complex figures. This discipline is assessed by the following criteria: complexity, amplitude, variability.