Where to Ski And Snowboard - Olympic slopestyle course revealed

Olympic slopestyle course revealed

22nd August 2013, by Abi Butcher

Britain's James 'Woodsy' Woods is the world number one slopestyle skier

Details of the first ever Olympic slopestyle course have been released by the International Ski Federation (FIS).

The course, for the 2014 Sochi Olympic Winter Games (7-23 February 2014), will be 635m long and feature three jumps that get progressively bigger. It will be situated on the Rosa Khutor ski area and stage a total of 20 freestyle skiing and snowboarding competitions.

The goal of the event is to perform the most difficult jumps while getting the biggest air — and performing different tricks rather than the same one repeatedly.

A variety of jib features (rails and boxes etc) and jumps (tables and big-airs etc) are integrated into ski and snowboard slopestyle, and athletes can pick from two or more lines. The course for Sochi 2014 has been designed by FIS technical advisor for slopestyle, Anders Forsell.

“It has been a long process to get to this point,” said Joseph Fitzgerald, FIS freestyle skiing coordinator. “Everyone is committed to providing the best possible course for the Olympic debut — it is going to be a great introduction for this event that goes back to the basic roots of freestyle skiing.”

Great Britain has great medal prospects in slopestyle. Snowboarder Jenny Jones has just won her first medal at a World Cup event — a silver at the first leg of the World Cup in New Zealand.

Britain’s James “Woodsy” Woods is the world number one freestyle skier and competes in New Zealand later this week.