Snowboarding is a competitive and recreational winter sport that has participants travel down a snow-covered mountain, often at high speeds. Snowboarding combines aspects of skateboarding, surfing and snow skiing. It was introduced at ski resorts and mountains in the 1960s and '70s. It later became a competitive endeavor that worked its way to an Olympic sport in 1998.
Freestyle
Freestyle snowboarding is an often spectacular display of skill and athleticism that involves jumps, leaps and flying through the air. Freestyle snowboarders use man-made equipment such as ramps, the quarter-pipe and the half-pipe to perform their leaps and get air while going down a course. Snowboarders use a board with extra flex when performing freestyle moves so they can reach heights of 20 feet or more while moving down the course.
Freecarve
A freecarve event is a snowboarding race involving more than two competitors. This involves a twisting, turning course that requires balance, coordination, weight shift, courage and strategy. A freecarve race requires competitors to make moves on the course so they can pass the opposition at the correct moments in order to have a chance to win.
Freeriding
This is the most common form of recreational snowboarding. Beginners will engage in freeriding when they get on their board and head down the mountain. When you freeride, you go down the mountain in a diagonal manner, from one side of the mountain to the other. Freeriders slow down as they get to one side of the hill so they can turn in the opposite direction to continue their run.
Jibbing
When snowboarders are jibbing, they are riding their snowboards on something other than snow. This can be a rail, a concrete or metal bench, ledges or rocks. Jibbers grind their snowboard over these obstacles and often produce spectacular rides and even more spectacular crashes.
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