Extreme Sports and Their Greatest Competitors

Extreme Sports and Their Greatest Competitors — page 9
ExTREME SPORTS AND THEIR GREATEST COMPETITORS For a number of years there were two major categories of freestyle in international competition aerials and moguls Aerials are somersaults twists and other tricks per formed in the air Upright aerials include jumps such as the spread eagle with arms and legs momentarily flung out to the side and the daffy with one ski extended forward the other backward Inverted aerials include stunts in which the skier s feet are higher than the head such as somersaults and flips Inverted stunts may reach heights of 50 feet 15 m In competition the run is scored based on form and technique takeoff and height achieved and landing Mogul skiing requires competitors to nav igate large bumps called moguls on the slope The run is judged on speed turn techniques and two required upright jumps In many of their breathtaking jumps skiers can't see the landing points until the final second or two The popularity of aerial and mogul events encouraged the development of other free style forms In ski cross four competitors race together down a challenging course of jumps banked turns and other features It became an Olympic event in 2010 Slopestyle and half pipe contests were added to the 14