Britannica
Sources used in this answer
What kinds of obstacles do riders encounter in slopestyle?
Created from Britannica articles
using AI.
AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
snowboarding
Snowboarder Torah Bright of Australia competing at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia.
In slopestyle snowboarding, riders navigate a course featuring a variety of obstacles designed to showcase their creativity and technical skill. These obstacles generally fall into two categories:
- Jumps: Courses typically include one to three large snow jumps. These are engineered with matching takeoff and landing angles to provide riders with significant airtime while facilitating safer landings.1
- Jib-style obstacles: These features are designed to mimic urban landscapes often associated with skateboarding. Common examples include:1
- Rails and handrails: Metal bars used for sliding maneuvers.234
- Ledges and boxes: Surfaces such as concrete ledges or boxes that riders slide across.34
- Stair-sets: Structures that replicate urban staircases.1
- Other features: Depending on the course design, riders may also encounter benches, walls, rocks, or logs.4
Judges evaluate the riders' performance on these obstacles based on difficulty, execution, and overall style.1