THE HALFPIPE LINES OF THE 2022 MEN'S OLYMPIC SNOWBOARD FINALISTS: AN EXPLORATIVE ANALYSIS

Authors

Christian Merz, Research Group Snowboard, Department Team, Combat & Acrobatic Sports, Institute for Applied Training Science, Leipzig, GermanyFollow
Felix Friedl, Institute for Applied Training Science, LeipzigFollow
Matthias Thelen, German Sport University Cologne, Institute for biomechanics and orthopaedicsFollow
Tom Gorges, Institute for Applied Training Science LeipzigFollow

Category

Sports Performance & Elite Sports

Document Type

Paper

Abstract

The purpose of this exploratory study was to visualize and describe the halfpipe lines of the 2022 Men’s Olympic Snowboard finalists using an ultra-wideband positioning system. Riders choose the line to gain speed and prepare the take-off to perform tricks. From a bird's eye view the lines from riders' right wall to riders' left wall has a shape similar to a negative hyperbolic tangent. The return path – from the left wall to the right wall - resembles a hyperbolic tangent. On average the 92 lines cover 18.93 ± 2.33 m in x-direction. Thereby the mean riding from landing to flat center vs. flat center to take-off ratio on the x-axis is 65:35. This means that more distance is travelled down the halfpipe (x-direction) when riding from landing to flat center than when riding from flat center to take-off. Follow-up studies should identify the causes of the different lines and the dependence on the halfpipe shape and the snow conditions.

Recommended Citation

Merz, Christian; Friedl, Felix; Thelen, Matthias; and Gorges, Tom (2025) "THE HALFPIPE LINES OF THE 2022 MEN'S OLYMPIC SNOWBOARD FINALISTS: AN EXPLORATIVE ANALYSIS," ISBS Proceedings Archive: Vol. 43: Iss. 1, Article 58.
Available at: https://commons.nmu.edu/isbs/vol43/iss1/58