OLYMPIC BIG AIR
OLYMPIC BIG AIR
Forget Halfpipe. Start By Replacing Freestyle Aerials
By Derek Taylor
With the Vancouver Olympics looming, it’s inevitable that we are going to hear about the possible addition of halfpipe skiing to the five-ring circus. While it seems almost a foregone conclusion that it will happen by 2018, if not 2014, I personally feel that would be a mistake. Not on the part of the Olympics; halfpipe skiing is certainly worthy of Olympic status. On the contrary, the International Ski Federation (FIS) and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) have not yet proven they are worthy stewards of halfpipe skiing.
For evidence, look no further than the current freestyle skiing lineup in the Olympics. Aerials and mogul—both once freewheeling, hot-dogging expressions of creativity—have become stagnant and un-evolving. Moguls only adapted 10 years ago because Jonny Moseley, the X Games, and the new freestyle movement essentially forced them to. And since inverted airs were made legal following the 2002 Olympics, the sport still hasn’t changed to the point where we are seeing anything that different in the bumps than what Moseley did in Salt Lake.
Moguls has been infiltrated and taken over by jocks; let’s face it: When, since Moseley, has moguls skiing had a champion who is a true ambassador of skiing? Jeremy Bloom is a football player and an underwear model, and Toby Dawson retired from skiing after winning bronze in 2006 in hopes of taking up golf. (In Dawson’s defense, he had much larger personal issues to deal with, such as finding his biological parents.) But at least it is still skiing. Freestyle aerials, quite simply, has become a sad bastardization of gymnastics put to snow.
Freestyle skiing was first recognized by FIS in 1979, and only given full-medal status in 1988. Considering the mass migration of athletes from traditional freestyle to the pipe in the late 90s, it’s apparent that it didn’t take long for FIS to ruin what Bob Burns, Wayne Wong, Eddie Lincoln, et al worked so hard to create. With that in mind, we should be very wary before we concede the pipe.
I can relate to freestyle skiers who want to see something that better represents our sport in the Olympics, however, and I do think there is a solution. Rather than give up control of yet another discipline, lobby the IOC to give us back one that they have already ruined. In short, replace freestyle aerials with big air.
Let’s take a quick look at both disciplines:
Participation:
Rather than looking at numbers, competition circuits, etc, let me ask this: When was the last time you were skiing at a resort and saw 70-degree aerial jump open for the public to hit?
In order to participate in traditional freestyle aerials, you need to join a team, attend a special school, or sign up for a camp at places such as the Utah Olympic Park. Yet the majority of ski areas have terrain parks where anyone can learn big air. As a discipline, it is much more accessible to the common skier.
Degree of difficulty
Aerialist might argue that their sport is more difficult. They are performing three flips and up to five rotations per trick. However, they are taking off forwards and landing forwards on all tricks. And the basics are still the same: setting and resetting rotations.
On the mathematics scale, aerials no longer has much of an advantage. Bobby Brown’s gold-medal winning tricks at the Winter X Games featured two inversions and four rotations. T.J. Schiller’s perfect score features two inversions and four and a half rotations.
Brown took off and landed backward, and Schiller landed backward, and their inversions off-axis.
Innovation
Eleven years ago, during the first Winter X Games ski big air, J.F. Cusson’s winning trick was a switch 720. In 1998, Eric Bergoust won the Olympic gold with a quad-twisting triple.
We already discussed the 2010 Winter X Games big air. The winning trick in this year’s Olympics might feature one more rotation than Bergoust had 12 years ago.
One is “Skiing” the other is “Aerials.”
When Eric Bergoust was invited to Powder’s first Superpark, the crew essentially had to build an aerial jump for him. He wasn’t comfortable hitting the tables tops and hips the other skiers were sessioning.
Come to think of it, when in the last 15 years have you seen a ski aerialist actually skiing? Not performing their aerial stunts, but slashing turns and getting face shots? Johnny Moseley, Candide Thovex, J.F. Cusson, Tanner Hall, Simon Dumont—all have had film parts where they are actually skiing. The way most people ski, albeit better.
Aerialists? Their skis aren’t made to ski, they don’t dress like skiers, they don’t use poles. I think the last aerialist to be an actual skier was Trace Worthington.
Of course, the actual athletes are not to blame in this. The sport has gotten so specialized, it only caters to people pursing that specialty. The scoring and rules are so regimented, there is little room to expand the degree of difficulty or innovate. The blame falls squarely on the FIS.
There’s no guarantee that FIS won’t screw up big air the way they messed up aerials. But by replacing aerials with big air, they are at least hitting the reset button. And in 10 years, if they’ve managed to not screw the pooch this time, then we should trust them with halfpipe.
Reader Comments
 |
|
| Posted Tue Feb16, 2010, 4:52 PM — By AltaSkier23 |
| Great Article, Totally true- aerials is gymnastics on skis. |
|
|
|
| Posted Tue Feb16, 2010, 5:36 PM — By josh |
| great read and point DT...love it. |
|
|
|
| Posted Tue Feb16, 2010, 8:39 PM — By Tate |
| you're claiming that the guys in Xgames big air can actually ski? Never thought I'd hear you say that one... |
|
|
|
| Posted Tue Feb16, 2010, 9:55 PM — By Jason Levinthal |
| I totally agree with Derek but unfortunately the Olympics is not about showing a sport for what it is, it's about showing entertainment in the name of a sport. Kind of like the TV show wipe out. What you describe can be said for Boardercross, Luge, etc. etc. It's the Olympics bro! yeehaaa! Who doesn't love watching dem big ole flips and shit!!! I'm drinking a Coke while buying a Chevy at a drive through at McDonalds texting on my new AT&T phone. That's what matters. I'm lovin it! |
|
|
|
| Posted Tue Feb16, 2010, 10:17 PM — By tate |
| We should all be lucky that Snowblading never made it into the Olympics. |
|
|
|
| Posted Tue Feb16, 2010, 11:56 PM — By Vancouver |
| To start aerials is way harder. I have competed in both and aerials and park/pipe and bump comps. I agree that is gymnastics and that pipe/slope should be in the olympics. However to say that aerials not as hard....? Have you ever heard of Jeret Peterson (speedy) the hurricane is a full, triple full, full thats 5 spins with 3 flips. Id like to see Bobby Brown do that. And get your shit together man. they are doing cork 10's in the bumps. Bump skiers and downhill racers are the best skiers in the world. if you can ski moguls you can ski anything. Most big mountain skiers can rip the moguls. Get educated and learn how to ski bumps, try aerials then write about it. |
|
|
|
| Posted Wed Feb17, 2010, 6:36 AM — By Truth |
| you guys wrote an article about Dylan Ferguson who shreds hard |
|
|
|
| Posted Wed Feb17, 2010, 9:28 AM — By Rogge |
| Matt DePeters does both. He's competing in the aerials event in Vancouver for Team USA and shreds park and rails with CS Films. His approach to skiing is similar to most of our own; simply put, he enjoys it. Aerials is more structured than big air but so is learning to ski. We all began skiing wishing we could ski like someone else but have to break through the structure of the lesson to finally explore the options the mountains lay out for us. I really enjoyed this piece Derek. You've been on fire this season. |
|
|
|
| Posted Wed Feb17, 2010, 9:55 AM — By alkyy |
| ^ thanks Rogge i was just gunna say that. When he isnt in training Matt is skiing as hard as anyone else out there, he loves skiing as much as anyone and can shred harder then most of the park rats...And like someone else said they are doing cork 10s in the mouguls thats intense if you have ever stood next too a course you would know |
|
|
|
| Posted Wed Feb17, 2010, 9:57 AM — By Sam |
| I totally agree, but what about Dylan Ferguson? |
|
|
|
| Posted Wed Feb17, 2010, 11:33 AM — By Tim Grey |
| I was standing up and cheering out loud for Alexandre Bilodeau's recent Gold medal win in moguls. I haven't cheered that loud in front of the TV since the Calgary Flames went to the cup in '04. It was really exciting. I also find Gymnastics strangely addicting to watch about every 4 years and have nothing but respect for what those aerialists can do. |
|
|
|
| Posted Wed Feb17, 2010, 11:43 AM — By tate |
| Maybe "Speedy" could just throw a mute grab into the middle of the "hurricane" |
|
|
|
| Posted Thu Feb18, 2010, 5:48 PM — By burtfishmonger |
| I agree that aerials are not a current face of skiing, although difficult, it is not an everyday skiing activity. Current big air and park skiing are much more technical and difficult. Moguls are a throw back to the seventies, male mogul skiers are doing a few newer tricks but women are doing old standard tricks, i feel that while watching this years womens olympic moguls they could have been showing footage from 1986,penciled out 360's with arms out and all, straight back flips, BORING, update it or get rid of it. Mogul skiers can not ski "anything" |
|
|
|
| Posted Thu Feb18, 2010, 5:52 PM — By FUck Aerials |
| There is no way aerials is harder, maybe just going in and doing it is, but after all the years of training that they have done, doing the same gay stuff on water ramps over, and over, i think it would be pretty hard to be bad at it. So fuck you aerialists go suck a dick! Also by the way, if bobby brown wanted to do a triple flip with 5 spins or whatever it is, i bet he could, and it wouldn't take him 5000 tries on water ramps to qualify it before doing it on snow |
|
|
|
| Posted Thu Feb18, 2010, 6:01 PM — By Alex |
| Man I think some of you guys don't get the point. He never talked about mogul skier not being good skiers. He just said that aerialist weren't actually "skiers". No poles, short "un-ski-able" skis. They are only gymnast with "skis" on. I have a lot a respect for those guys but i think the FIS shoul DEFFINETLY pay more attention to freestylers. The might be a little more "underground" but they still trained their HOLE LIFE for that and the sould have their spot on the olympics. |
|
|
|
| Posted Thu Feb18, 2010, 6:02 PM — By Masteezus |
| I do agree that aerialists are pretty nuts and they do some crazy stuff but as above mentioned, freestyle park/pipe is so incredibly technical that I don't see how it isn't in the olympics. There are so many things that one can do in freestyle while in aerials it's all just penciled spins with flips, never any change or progression really. Yes I know that there is progression but not nearly to the level of freestyle, at big air X 3 new tricks were thrown in just a few minutes, switch dub cork 14 (stomped with soo much steeze), switch dub misty 14, and dub cork 16, ridiculous. If Aerialists have a better argument as to why they're sport has so much more of a reason to be in the Olympics and stay, then please tell me. |
|
|
|
| Posted Thu Feb18, 2010, 6:07 PM — By Taylor |
| This is a great article that could push REAL freeskiing. And I'm sure if Bobby Brown had skis half the size of his body and no poles, he could do a triple flip with 5 spins or whatever it is. I'm tired of people pushing skiing thats not really skiing such as aerials. |
|
|
|
| Posted Thu Feb18, 2010, 6:53 PM — By sam pawlak |
| sooooooo true i can like feel the emotion your putting into this very well done props to ya |
|
|
|
| Posted Thu Feb18, 2010, 7:30 PM — By John Bravar |
| Interesting article. Though the author is simply wrong when he says "the sport still hasn’t changed to the point where we are seeing anything that different in the bumps than what Moseley did in Salt Lake". The fact is that the airs being done in moguls are incredibly more difficult and impressive than the uprights we saw in 2002. In fact, there wasn't one twister in Vancouver! I don't think even 6 years ago anyone would have predicted the complete eradication of the twister, so you cannot criticize moguls for not having evolved. It has evolved. Maybe not as freely and stylishly as some would like, but it has nonetheless evolved. If you are against pipe being in the Olympics, that's fine; everyone is entitled to their opinion. But you cannot impose your opinion on others to prevent them from pursuing their dreams of winning in an Olympic medal in skiing halfpipe. As for saying big air = skiing, but aerials != skiing, your logic does not add up. |
|
|
|
| Posted Thu Feb18, 2010, 10:43 PM — By Alex beauchesne |
| ^^ Not true.. Comming in a 80+ footer big air Backwards, at more than 40MPH And landing as fast, sometimes backwards too and making a double cork with 4 and a half rotations.. Now THAT'S skiing. Don't tell me the aerials people in 1990 tought that freestyle skiing was gonna evolve that much. Evolution is also needed in the O-Games. Just like in the summer games : I admit that a disc thrower is hell of an athlete, But the world isn't into those sports no more. |
|
|
|
| Posted Thu Feb18, 2010, 10:47 PM — By Alex beauchesne |
| Oh and I forgot about grabs too. Those guys make CRAZY tweaks in there grab and they grabs places you wouldn't even imagine 10 years ago.. |
|
|
|
| Posted Thu Feb18, 2010, 11:10 PM — By Geoff |
| Great article. I would be interested to know what guys like Matt DePeters or Dylan Ferguson think about your proposal. Watching a Big Air comp would be so much more entertaining. |
|
|
|
| Posted Fri Feb19, 2010, 12:55 AM — By chase. |
| Yes, i completely agree with this artical and it does have some solid points, the only thing that makes me think about it twice is look a snowboarding.. having it in the olympics hasn't really changed a thing beside having the public see what a good sport it is and maybe like an act of advertisment. but i dont know i doubt it will be soon before we have freestyle skiing in the olympics so who know what it will be like till then... |
|
|
|
| Posted Fri Feb19, 2010, 1:31 AM — By tha prophet |
| blah blah, go ski the mountain. you know the ones with rocks and snow and cliffs. |
|
|
|
| Posted Fri Feb19, 2010, 1:49 AM — By Owen |
| Big air and halfpipe is something the olympics desperately need. Kids just arent that stoked on figure skating and luge anymore. |
|
|
|
| Posted Fri Feb19, 2010, 1:49 AM — By hennie vj |
| a lot of people from the salt lake area can completely refute this argument by using one person as an example. dylan ferguson. he's the man. perhaps a reason you havent heard of any aerial skiers out on our "scene" is because they have been training their hearts out to be a part of these olympic games. a few parts in this post was a bit of a slap in the face towards fellow skiers, why cause that rift in the sport? were all still enjoying the outdoors with the same essence at heart. further, what do you say about park freestyle teams going to places such as the uop and lake placed waterramps and going off of the exact same jumps... in those outfits the last thing a person would think is that they are "skiing" |
|
|
|
| Posted Fri Feb19, 2010, 12:18 PM — By Charlie |
| I think aerials will die out on its own soon enough, i mean really, how many kids are getting into it now? A sport cant carry on without youth interest, i just cant see it appealing to kids without a major overhaul... As to whether pipe and big air should be included.... I think no, freestyle skiing has enough events like x games that publicise the sport, we dont need a novelty event every 4 years that will just cause stagnation like it has with most judged sports. And thats not the fault of he judging; there has to be strict rules so the medals can be awarded fairly. I dont think snowboarding halfpipe should be in it either... Great article though... |
|
|
|
| Posted Fri Feb19, 2010, 12:20 PM — By NBT |
| You are WAY off base. Why would you compare halfpipe skiing and aerials? That is a random unaffiliated comparison. The Olympics have not screwed up or limited Halfpipe snowboarding. Why would it be any different for skiing? Look no further than halfpipe snowboarding for your answer. WHY WOULD YOU NOT COMPARE IT TO HALFPIPE SNOWBOARDING? COMPARING IT TO AERIALS MAKES NO LOGICAL SENSE. |
|
|
|
| Posted Fri Feb19, 2010, 12:36 PM — By Wilsonnnaaaa |
| You see, if you knew how technical, and how much precision is put into even a single back full for example, you wouldn't say the things you do in the article. Yes steezy park shit is dope as hell, and it totally should be in the olympics, but you cant rule out another class because of this. Who cares what aerialists wear, i see park skiers out without poles all the time, isn't park skiing just another form of jumping creativly? why hate on the aerial side of things, i know almost 90 percent of the olympians jumping in the aerials, and some cant ski you are right, for example the russians are generally gymnasts that are literally thrown on skis, but ryan st. onge, dyllan, speedy, scottie, and even up-and-comers are great skiers, they just dont film thier pow skiing. I have seen all these guys throw down in the park, so get facts straight before putting up a national article. like i said, there is a LOT more to aerials, why would you want to take something so loved by the competators away? why not jus |
|
|
|
| Posted Fri Feb19, 2010, 1:14 PM — By GetItRight |
| Who the heck is Derek Taylor and who gave him the authority to write such an ill-thought out article? What a waste of time reading that. Some ok points, but terrible logic otherwise. |
|
|
|
| Posted Fri Feb19, 2010, 3:18 PM — By Trennon Paynter |
| Comparing what might happen to Halfpipe skiing, to what has happened to moguls and aerials is COMPLETELY misleading. It's halfpipe, it will be no different than what happened when FIS got snowboard halfpipe into the Olympics - The sport will continue to thrive, and progress, pro events will still comprise the majority of high profile competition, and the athletes will be given more opportunities. PS As far as the rest of that rant goes, I know some aerialists who are awesome skiers. |
|
|
|
| Posted Sat Feb20, 2010, 2:18 PM — By justaguy |
| The Olympics have lamified snowboard halfpipe already. Shaun White being paraded around in front the entire planet as the "best snowboarder in the world"? Please. If it weren't for the olympics and the money that goes with it, he'd be just another guy who can't keep up with Travis Rice. And there has already been talk after Kevin Pearce's accident of limiting the amount of air you can take. You watch, it'll get worse. Trennon, you're probably right. I heard MSP, TGR and Poor Boyz are lining up for the chance to film "Speedy." |
|
|
|
| Posted Sun Feb21, 2010, 2:48 AM — By Peter |
| You are 100% correct. There is no argument whatsoever- to be an arealist, one must be a good gymnast with decent air sense. Most arealists learn that on a trampoline or water ramp- not on snow. One might argue that you have to ski to be an arealist, but the sad fact is that the majority of areals competitors can go straight, and stop. Not much more. |
|
|
|
| Posted Sun Feb21, 2010, 6:27 PM — By FDM |
| http://www.powdermag.com/features/onlineexclusive/high-flying-catching-up-with-aerialist-dylan-ferguson/index1.html |
|
|
|
| Posted Mon Feb22, 2010, 5:02 PM — By Alex Vu |
| I believe that a real freeskier has versatility to ski all-terrain such as the ability so ski variable terrain, powder, steep slopes, and still be able to "jib". Skiers like Sammy Carlson, Mark Abma, Sean Pettit. and many others are the skiers that have true versatility. Im not saying that big air skiers do not know how to ski but they have to go out of the marked park and resort areas. Thats where the respect for skiing comes in. I hope that this sport is recognized in the 2014 Olympics so that peoples perception of skiing is opened and not narrowed to just racing moguls, and aerials. |
|
|
|
| Posted Tue Feb23, 2010, 2:52 AM — By mertz |
| well the problem is that before, even when people did freeski or go backcountry and do all these long ditance combos, they were really graded sports with a score or prize at the end of it. these aerialists do ski, maybe not all the time, but for you to say they don't or that it's not really skiing is only partially right. maybe they could call it something else, which they do, but they don't call it long track or short track skiing or gymnastics skiing. they all it aerials. i just saw the competion today and it was pretty awesome some of the jumps these guys are doing and the precision required for them not to eat it, because they're so high up in the air and have only a couple of seconds to get in a multitude of tricks. it's probably one of the most technically difficult events in the olympics. yeah it might be easier for those who transition from gymnasticts or jumping, or something else, but you can't say that's the case for the entire field of aerialists in the world. that' |
|
|
|
| Posted Tue Feb23, 2010, 6:10 AM — By mertz |
| also apparently almost 9000 people were watching aerials up at cypress. i agree with the olympics stifling innovation in all sports really, because i good case can be made for that, but aerials is only one part of winter sports or skiing. infact they should have aerials with just snowboards to contrast with the skiis, because guaranteed then maybe people will see what these guys are doing in a different light. |
|
|
|
| Posted Tue Feb23, 2010, 6:29 PM — By McLevin |
| Repeating what a few others have said before me... All you have to do is look at halfpipe snowboarding and all of the positive effects its inclusion with the Olympics had on the sport. Anything people might deem a negative result is very subjective in nature. Sure maybe Shaun White is being hailed as the "Greatest Snowboarder Ever" and maybe he's not deserving of it. But that's the international news media's doing, not the Olympic comity. A few people with an inferiority complex doesn't out weigh the benefit to the sport as a whole from the increased international interest. Furthermore It's not even going out on a limb to say that the Olympics and the hype they generate are fueling progression in halfpipe snowboarding. Shaun's run was hands down one of the best, if not the best snowboard halfpipe run I've ever seen... he even matched the amplitude of skiers down the whole pipe. What is clear is that it's most certainly not hindering it's progress, and |
|
|
|
| Posted Wed Feb24, 2010, 5:03 AM — By Rob M |
| I agree 100% about ditching aerials. Its not even close to real skiing, it should be dumped from the olympics. And while we are at it, ski jumping has the same exact problems. HIGHLY specialized and expensive facilities are required, the skiing skill involved is practically zero, the skis are so specialized for "flying" that you would never actually ski on them. Now that we've theoretically ditched aerials and jumping, we can add both big air and pipe. |
|
|
|
| Posted Wed Feb24, 2010, 3:18 PM — By montanaskier |
| i heard someone say that skiing is whatever i do with skis on my feet, and i agree with this fully. i dig powder, rails, jumps, trees... you name it, i love it. whether aerials is skiing or not skiing shouldn't be the debate. it's all about what we want to watch, what we want to represent our sport on the biggest stage. i'll also say i have great respect for the difficulty of aerials- just no desire to watch them. perhaps some jumpers have added a spin or half spin in the past few years, but to me it is stale. it all looks the same - a stiff armed gymnast in a blender who tries to land on skis. i believe it is time to move on to pipe, slope or big air. each of these disciplines are blowing up right now with great young talent from all over the globe leading the charge. fis has a history of failure and any inclusion of new and creative events should be approached carefully to say the least. i'd love to hear what shane mcconkey would have to say about this. he always had great insig |
|
|
|
| Posted Wed Feb24, 2010, 3:24 PM — By montanaskier |
| insight regarding the future of skiing. |
|
|
|
| Posted Wed Feb24, 2010, 3:28 PM — By aidan |
| The bottom line to this argument is that super pipe,big air and slopestyle skiing should all exist in the olympics |
|
|
|
| Posted Thu Feb25, 2010, 11:17 AM — By Jimbo |
| Amen. slopestyle, big air, and pipe IN, aerials OUT. Skiing events should represent skiing not gymnastics. |
|
|
|
| Posted Fri Feb26, 2010, 4:46 AM — By Lex |
| Well said. The commentators during the aerials were talking about some of the competitors being gymnasts entering the sport and having a coach just to teach them to ski, like it was the norm. |
|
|
|
| Posted Sat Feb27, 2010, 6:25 PM — By angus |
| am i the only person that thinks that almost every aerial trick looks the same? In my opinion a huge 180 off a massive kicker can look far better than the perfectly excuted aerials. Also there is no individualism in aerials each person is just recreating a trick that has been done many times. And in response to mogul skiers being better that freeskiers, when was the last time you saw a great mogul skier hit a a massive 16 kink rail ior wall ride??? |
|
|
|
| Posted Tue Mar 2, 2010, 2:14 PM — By Will |
| It seems to me that there is no need to infect freeskiing of any kind with the unoriginality of the olympics. Look, the olympics is one event. Does this community, in search of progression, really want to be represented at the most highly structured, media-phyllic of events, when trying to move away from that exact kind of structure and image defines who were are? I grew up racing, and dreaming of the olympics since i was little. But i had to move on, get away from that structure, there is so much more to skiing. I have respect for racing, superpipe, curling, hell, even aerials, but that itsnt the beat we roll to. They can have the olympics, we'll take our freedom. |
|
|
|
| Posted Wed Mar 3, 2010, 7:10 PM — By DJAK |
| Impressed with the quality of this discussion. It alone should warrant some consideration from whomever is tasked with such things. There's not much disagreement over the fact that Pipe or Big Air in the Olympics would increase stature of sport and athletes, while maybe losing a bit of control of the sports direction (maybe). I guess where the discussion really exists is in whether or not that is an agreeably positive outcome. Seems like the core might need to agree on that a little more, before any truly unified push can/should be made. |
|
+ Add Comment
