It's easy to understand why freestyle's three disciplines, aerials, moguls and ski cross once seemed to be the domain of thrill-seekers and daredevils.
Aerial competitors ski down a steep run, launch themselves 15 metres in the air, spin, flip and twist around, drop back to earth, land gracefully and ski on. In moguls, skiers race down a steeply pitched run studded with teeth-rattling, bumps, ski off a jump, do some mid-air tricks, land, continue down the course, jump again, land, and ski on. Ski cross is an intense race to the finish where four competitors duke it out down the hill over jumps, turns and bumpy ridges for that number one spot.
Freestyle skiing is no longer only for rebels. Since its debut as an official Olympic sport 14 years ago, it has become an immensely popular sport and an Olympic favourite.
Part of freestyle's appeal lies in the general growth in extreme sports. Some of the fascination lies in the carnival-like atmosphere that surrounds competitions, where music blasts from loudspeakers.
"There's a flamboyance about it," says Anna Fraser-Sproule, who competed in the aerials event at the 1988 Games in Calgary, where it was introduced as a demonstration sport.
As for the competitors, they're as much performers as they are athletes. "They're the type of people who are drawn to gymnastics…maybe the circus," according to Fraser-Sproule, who downplays the sport's dangerous reputation. "I guess you're a daredevil to certain extent, but you can't be a huge risk-taker because you get hurt."
Aerials: The Basics
As mentioned, in the aerials competition skiers launch themselves into the air where they perform twists and flips. They're judged on their takeoff form, the height and length of their jumps, the jump's execution and landing.
The competition starts with a two-jump elimination round. The top athletes must perform two jumps in the final and the highest combined score from the two jumps wins.
Competitors start by building up speed on what's called the takeoff slope. As they approach the "kicker" - the ramp that launches them into the air - they bend their knees to adjust from skiing downhill to uphill.
Going up the ramp, they keep their body straight and perfectly perpendicular to the ramp. As they're about to takeoff they lift both arms above their head and begin to lean backwards, which will send them into a summersault. They control their twists by moving their arms.
The takeoff slope is pitched at about 23 degrees and although it's about 50 metres long, skiers will begin their descent at different points, depending on the ideal speed they need to reach to perform certain tricks.
In-run speed is crucial and aerialists develop an instinctive feel for their speed as they approach the ramp. They also learn how to adjust to factors that could affect that speed, such as fresh snow or wind.
"They have timing guns on the in-run, and you know exactly at what speed you need to be going to hit a good triple (summersault), which is 62 kilometres per hour," says Fraser-Sproule.
"If you're coming in and all the sudden you drop to 58 km/h (because of head winds), that could be nightmare material. Or if you get a tail wind and you're hitting the kicker at 66 km/h, you're flying way past your triple because you got more height."
Because of the potential dangers caused by weather, officials are careful to monitor conditions and will limit the degree of difficulty of what tricks can be performed in certain conditions.
The kickers can be as high as four metres and can have takeoff angles as steep as 70 degrees. Competitors can choose between kickers, depending on what's appropriate for their planned trick. The kickers are made out of snow, carefully sculpted by FIS officials.
The landing slope is more steeply pitched than the takeoff slope -- around 37 degrees - and is covered with wood chips so that skiers can more accurately judge the distance to the ground.
Before a skier can perform a certain trick, they must be certified, performing it first into a pool. On competition day, they must also inform officials what tricks they intend to perform.
The marks
Each jump is scored by seven judges who grade three basic components: Air, Form and Landing. The maximum score is 30.0 and then multiplied by the trick's pre-determined degree of difficulty.
Air makes up 20 per cent of the total mark and is based on the takeoff and jump's height and distance. Form comprises 50 per cent of the total and is based on how well the trick is executed. The landing makes up the final 30 per cent and is based on how smoothly it is done - whether the athlete loses balance or falls or if the skier's back touches the ground.
Five judges cover the air and form, giving each competitor a maximum of seven points. The highest and lowest marks are thrown out, giving the competitor a score out of 21.0.
Two judges evaluate the landing, each giving it a maximum of 3.0 points. Their two scores are averaged and then multiplied by three, for a maximum of 9.0 points.
The equipment
Skis: Aerials' skis are relatively short and light making them easier to control during the tricks. The tips and tails are more flexible than regular skis. The boots are the regular alpine skiing type. All competitors must wear a helmet.
Training
Aerialists don't need snow to practice. Many spend their summers jumping off plastic ramps into specially built freestyle pools. It's in the pool that they practice new jumps without having to worry about injuring themselves on solid ground. Aerialists also spend time on trampolines to create new moves and perfect their form.
Moguls: The Basics
The best moguls competitors combine strong skiing technique with speed and acrobatic ability. The goal is to negotiate their way down a course as fast as possible, trying to find the most direct line down. They also have to perform two tricks on the way. World Cup courses are studded with moguls up to 1.20m tall and spaced three metres apart. Each course has two kickers, generally located about one-third and two-thirds of the way down.
Skiers are supposed to keep their upper body pointed toward the finish line and their skis in constant contact with the snow - except at the jumps - absorbing the impact of the moguls with their knees and hips. To receive top marks they should move smoothly in and out of the jumps.
There are two different types of tricks, position and rotation. Positional tricks include the twister, spread-eagle and iron cross (See glossary). An example of a rotational jump includes the helicopter, which is an upright 360-degree spin.
Top-level competitors will combine various positions off a jump, performing a daffy-twist-spread for example, or combine a rotation with a position.
The marks
Competitors are scored by seven judges on three components: Turns (50 per cent of the total), Air (25 per cent) and Speed (25 per cent). The maximum score is 30.0.
Five of the judges focus on the turns, grading the competitors on control, aggressiveness, adherence to the fall line (an imaginary line that is the straightest route to the bottom), the way they handle and absorb the moguls, the way they carve (edge through turns), and the way they plant their poles.
Each judge grades on a scale of 5.0, the highest and lowest scores are dropped, leaving a maximum of 15.0.
The other two judges focus on the jumps, scoring on their execution and degree of difficulty. They grade on a scale of 7.5 and their two scores are averaged.
The final 7.5 points are based on speed and are awarded in relation to how competitor compares with the "pace time." The pace time is determined before the event begins. Four pace-setters ski the course. They're timed and scored. The time of the highest scorer becomes the standard and is given a hypothetical mark of 5.625. A competitor receives a speed score in relation to how much better or worse they are than the pace-setter.
The equipment
Moguls skis generally are shorter and lighter than alpine skis, making them easier to control. The tips and tails are more flexible than regular skis and they have a sidecut similar to slalom skis.
Poles are also shorter than average, allowing for more control. Competitors always have brightly coloured knee patches on their ski outfits. This makes it easier for judges to follow their turning technique.
Ski Cross: The Basics
The success of snowboard cross in the last two Olympics spawned a new addition for the Winter Games - ski cross. Similar to snowboarding, the mass start approach of ski cross, and the tendency for wipe-outs make for a thrilling race. The goal is simply: which ever athlete races down the hill and crosses the finish line first is declared the winner.
Skiers start the race in heats of four, furiously pushing out of the starting gate as the buzzer sounds. A good start is crucial as it gives the competitors an opportunity to gain momentum and speed early on. The initial 60m before the first turn allows skiers a chance to pass each other before anyone can gain a significant lead.
Courses are generally 900-1200m long, translating into an exciting 35-60 second race. The courses are designed with several ups and downs, banks, turns, rolls, jumps, spines and other freestyle features - all intended to test an athlete's skill and speed while capitalizing on the natural terrain of the mountain.
Along the way, competitors pass through brightly coloured gates that flank the length of the course. Both skies of the competitor must pass between the gates, which are a minimum of five metres apart. The gates help direct skiers down the run while drawing their attention to any upcoming jumps, rolls or changes in terrain. At times, a single standalone gate can be used to signal an upcoming turn to racers.
Contact with other skiers throughout a tight race is common, but competitors have to be careful not to block or interfere with others. Intentionally pushing or holding the arm or leg of a fellow competitor, or blocking a skier so they are unable to pass is grounds for immediate disqualification.
Ski cross athletes usually have an alpine skiing background and they understand the importance of endurance. The events have many qualifying rounds that begin with a timed qualifying run used to separate athletes into different heats. Each heat consists of four competitors, with the top two racers moving on to the next round.
This continues through the quarter-finals, semifinals, and final rounds, where a "big final" determines which athletes place first to fourth place, while a "small final" ranks skiers fifth to eighth.
Training
A few days before competition, skiers are required to inspect the course. Athletes slowly slide alongside or through the course inspecting the gates, and checking for the fastest path down the hill.
Training takes place the day before the race, generally lasting two hours. Athletes ski the length of the run getting a feel for the jumps and rolls, while mentally taking note of the dips and turns. Skiers are allotted upwards of three training runs, but they are required to attend at least one.
Equipment
Ski cross equipment has been specially designed and adapted for the rigorous sport. Skis are a mix between mogul and slalom; they're extremely reactive to jumps and rolls on uneven terrain, while also being able to carve corners quickly, maximizing acceleration out of turns.
Although there are no restrictions on the length or style of skis used in freestyle events, a competitors clothing has specific regulations. The founders of ski cross felt that an important principle of the event is that there be no race suits.
Organizers wanted to stay loyal to the idea that similar to other extreme sports, the skiers are "free-riders" not tied down to the conventional rules of traditional competition.
This being said, the FIS clearly states that ski cross racing suits have to be two pieces, and not made of any synthetic materials such as rubber, plastic, neoprene, leather, vinyl or any other material that would increase aerodynamics.
The suits also have to be loose fitting. When tested, the suits must have eight centimetres of room in the legs and six cm in the arms - a departure from the skin-tight lycra suits of alpine racing. Padding is also recommended in the event of a fall or collision with another skier.
