2006 Olympic Snowboard
Cross
Mens
Snowboard Cross Results >>
BARDONECCHIA,
Italy (Feb 16.) - For the first time in the history of the
Olympic Winter Games, snowboarding was introduced as an official event
with giant slalom and halfpipe featured at the Nagano Games in 1998.
Snowboarding was developed in the United States in the 1960s as people
across the country began to seek out new winter activities. Over the
next decade, different pioneers boosted the production of boards and
the overall interest in snowboarding. Surfers and skateboarders became
involved, and by 1980, snowboarding was a nationwide activity. Competition
was the next logical step. Competition and national and international
federation influence began in the 1980s. The United States held its
first national championships in 1982 and hosted the first World Championships
in 1983. In 1987, a four-stop World Cup tour was established, with two
stops in the United States and two in Europe. The International Snowboarding
Federation (ISF) was formed in 1990 and on request of the International
Ski Federation (FIS) National Ski Associations, many of which organised
ski and snowboard competitions, the FIS introduced Snowboarding as a
FIS discipline in 1994. This enabled snowboarding’s eligibility
for the Olympic Winter Games, and the discipline was added to the Olympic
programme as of the 1998 Games in Nagano (JPN).
Heres the schedule - Thursday, February 16
4:00
am - Men's Snowboard Cross Qualification Runs
8:00 am - Men's Snowboard Cross 1/8 Finals
8:18 am - Men's Snowboard Cross Quarterfinals
8:28 am - Men's Snowboard Cross Semifinals
8:34 am - Men's Snowboard Cross Finals
COMPETITION
There
are six snowboard events on the programme of the Olympic Winter Games:
men’s halfpipe, ladies’ halfpipe, men’s parallel giant
slalom and ladies’ parallel giant slalom, men’s snowboard
cross and ladies’ snowboard cross. Both halfpipe and giant slalom
events were staged at the 1998 Olympic Winter Games, where the sport of
snowboarding made its debut. The parallel giant slalom events appeared
on the Salt Lake City Olympic programme for the first time, replacing
the two giant slalom events that were contested in Nagano.
Halfpipe
The halfpipe competition takes place in a half-cylinder-shaped course
dug deep into the hill. Using speed gained on the slope, snowboarders
come up over the rim of the pipe and perform acrobatic aerial tricks.
The object of the halfpipe is to perform difficult tricks with perfect
form.
Alpine
- Parallel giant slalom
An exciting version of Alpine snowboarding, parallel giant slalom features
head-to-head matches on the mountain. After the qualification round, a
16-person tournament is established and competitors battle it out on two
side-by-side courses until there is a winner.
Snowboard
Cross
A challenging route including jumps and obstacles conveys a “Formula
One” atmosphere. The heats consist of four riders who start at the
same time, whereby the best two in the finish proceed to the next round.
Check out the results later today on Snowboarding.com
for complete
Olympic Snowboarding coverage..
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