A New Olympic Event

Within the discipline of Snowboarding at the Olympics, a new event debuts today: snowboard cross.

The format of the race is similar to many BMX bicycle races. Snowboarders have to take to a course that is lined with jumps, bumps, and turns. Competitors race to be the first to reach the finish line. Instead of competing against each other at first, snowboarders compete against the clock. The top thirty-two with the fastest times make it on to the next round. The riders then start to compete in groups of four. The top two in each group get through to the next round until there are just four left to compete in the final.

The course visibly looks quite interesting. It is marked with red gates, blue gates, and triangular flags which tell the competitors that they are entering an obstacle.

There are two different kinds of jumps: kickers and spines. Kickers are straight jumps and spines are angular jumps. There are also huge banked corner and moguls that the snowboarders must successfully steer through. The area to get into an obstacle is very narrow, which can lead to competitors crashing into each other. Elsewhere on the course, though, pushing and bumping among competitors is not allowed.

This sounds like an extremely fun and original event. I’m sure it will be quite enjoyable to watch. And tonight will mark the first time an individual will with a gold, silver, and bronze medal at the Olympics just for competing in it.