Slopestyle snowboarding captured the world when it made its debut as a Winter Olympic event in 2014. Photo / Getty
Slopestyle snowboarding captured the world when it made its debut as a Winter Olympic event in 2014. Photo / Getty
Slopestyle snowboarding has been described as the most accessible and practical sport in the Winter Olympics, showcasing action, style, and sheer athleticism.
Slopestyle made its second appearance at the Winter Olympics this year, after it proved an immediate hit with spectators and viewers across the world at its Sochi 2014debut.
A total of 26 athletes from each National Olympic Committee can participate in the event.
Qualification rounds consist of two runs per athlete. The top 12 qualified snowboarders then have two runs with the top eight riders advancing to the final.
A riders best run of three is then used to determine their final ranking.
However, the qualification round of the women's slopestyle event in PyeongChang was cancelled due to strong winds, which means all 26 athletes will be competing in today's final.
Impression alone contributes to a huge 40% of the overall score, while tricks and skill make up the remaining 60%.
What do they wear?
Like any snowboarder, slopestyle athletes wear tight fitting uniforms with boots, goggles and helmets.
Goggles are worn to improve visibility and protect riders' eyes from snow. The lenses are available in different tints, which suit particular weather and visibility conditions.
American snowboarder Shaun White is said to be the most dominant rider of his generation, and is widely credited for bringing the sport to its peak of popularity.
Rising star Redmond Gerard, who took slopestyle victory at this year's Winter Olympics, was not only the first American medalist, but the 17-year-old became the first Winter Olympic medalist born in the 2000's.
Gerard beat out Kiwi snowboarder Carlos Garcia Knight who finished fifth in the slopestyle final. The 20-year-old Kiwi first appreared on the international scene in 2015 were he won a silver medal in Slopestyle at the FIS Snowboard Junior World Championships.
Among the favourites for the women include American Jamie Anderson, who won gold at Sochi and back-to-back gold at the Winter X Games.
Goofy: Named after the Disney Character 'Goofy' who surfed in the 1930's, the term refers to riding right foot forward.
Frontside/backside: The term to describe the direction the rider spins off a jump or onto a jib feature.
Jib: This is the term referring to the action of jumping, sliding or riding on top of objects. The word 'jib' actually comes from the Joint Industry Board – whose initials were stamped on the wood and metal that they supplied to help build the first Slopestyle course.
Switch-stance: This is when a rider reverses their natural direction of travel, normally performed during a switch trick.
Common tricks include a variety of flips and jumps. Photo / Getty
Spin rotation: The riders calculated rotation which is measured in degrees.
