Mogul skiing

Moguls (At Sugarbush, VT)

Mogul skiing is a type of freestyle skiing where skiers ski terrain characterized by a large number of different bumps, or moguls.

Moguls

Moguls are a series of bumps on a trail formed when skiers push the snow into mounds or piles as they execute short-radius turns. They can also be constructed (seeded) on a slope for freestyle skiing competitions or practice runs. Once formed, a naturally occurring mogul tends to grow as skiers follow similar paths around it, further deepening the surrounding grooves known as troughs. Since skiing tends to be a series of linked turns, moguls form together to create a bump field. At most ski resorts certain pistes (trails) are groomed infrequently or left completely ungroomed to allow moguls to develop. These mogul trails are generally relatively steep. Some trails cannot be groomed because they are too steep, too narrow, or they have obstacles that cannot be overcome by a snowcat. Such trails often form moguls. Mogul trails that can be groomed are usually groomed when the moguls get so big and the troughs so deep that the moguls become difficult to ski on or around. Some mogul fields are also groomed when they become too icy or too hardened to ski safely and enjoyably. Many times a section of a trail will be left ungroomed and allowed to bump up to prevent skiers from gaining too much speed and getting out of control.

Origin

The term mogul is probably of German dialect; akin to German dialect (Viennese) mugl, small hill.^[1]

Approach: Modern vs. Race

The general approach used by Olympians is to carry the body in the fall line as directly as possible carving tight, twisted turns off the front trough of the bump. This approach works exceptionally well when the mogul formation is uniform and speed is of utmost importance. This allows the skier the ability to use the mogul as a mechanism of speed control in order to keep as vertical a descent as possible. A more modern approach allows the skier to ride around the front trough and up onto the back crest of the mogul, retracting the lower body in the process. From this position the skier can then extend their lower section pumping off the back side of the mogul in which ever direction allows easy transfer to the next back side crest. This style avoids the troughs and ice patches keeping the skier in complete balance, torso over feet; centering each turn on a patch of fresh snow preceding the face of the bump. The turning mechanism becomes the extension and retraction of the legs rather than a twisting of the hips. This adds a certain degree of style and grace to the descent in a mogul field by allowing the skier to maintain a degree of kinetic energy due to turn shape and timing. This energy allows for powerful and precise turns in any condition field, uniform or random. Eliminating the interaction of extensive forces at the top of each mogul also provides a much easier transition of weight through the body, ultimately eliminating strain once practiced.

Competitive mogul skiing

The first freestyle competition involving mogul skiing occurred in 1971. Freestyle runs included mogul skiing, aerials, and acrobatic tricks. After a series of serious injuries related to inverted aerials, such tricks were banned from competition. This ban remained in place until recently. As mogul skiing gained popularity in its early days, the FIS created the Freestyle World Cup Circuit in 1980. Mogul events take place each year all over the world. Mogul skiing has been an official medal event in the Winter Olympics since 1992; it was a demonstration sport in 1988 in Calgary. The first World Championships were held in 1986, and are currently held in odd-numbered years.

During a competition run, contestants must navigate around the moguls and execute tricks. Some common tricks include: 360 X, twister, spread, Daffy, cork-720, backflip D-Spin, Helicopter, and Eggroll. The slope is very steep, usually between 24 and 32 degrees (most commonly 28 degrees), and about 656–886 feet (200–270 meters) in length.^[2] The jumps in a moguls competition are smaller than those in aerial competitions, and are often referred to as "kickers" for their steep take off (that "kicks" the athlete up into the air).

In dual mogul events to athletes are competing against each other for the highest score, the winner of each round advances.

Notable Olympic Mogul skiers

• Alexandre Bilodeau, Canada (Men's Gold 2010)
• Shannon Bahrke, USA (Women's Silver 2002, Women's Bronze 2010)
• Dale Begg-Smith, Australia (Men's Gold 2006, Men's Silver 2010)
• Jean-Luc Brassard, Canada (Men's Gold 1994)^[3]
• Toby Dawson, USA (Men's Bronze 2006)
• Edgar Grospiron, France (Men's Gold 1992, Bronze 1994)
• Jennifer Heil, Canada (Women's Gold 2006, Women's Silver 2010)
• Hannah Kearney, USA (Women's Gold 2010)
• Janne Lahtela, Finland (Men's Gold 2002, Silver 1998)
• Sandra Laoura, France (Women's Bronze 2006)
• Travis Mayer, USA (Men's Silver 2002)
• Jonny Moseley, USA (Men's Gold 1998)
• Mikko Ronkainen, Finland (Men's Silver 2006)
• Tae Satoya, Japan (Women's Gold 1998, Bronze 2002)
• Kari Traa, Norway (Women's Gold 2002, Silver 2006, Bronze 1998)
• Donna Weinbrecht, USA (Women's Gold 1992)

See also

• Alpine skiing
• Backcountry skiing
• Cross-country skiing
• Extreme skiing
• Freeskiing
• Freestyle skiing

References

1. ^ mogul (2) from Websters Online Dictionary
2. ^ http://www.fis-ski.com/data/document/07-mogul-spec-mog-final.pdf
3. ^ "RDS- Jean-Luc Brassard, ski acrobatique". http://www.rds.ca/pantheon/chroniques/205786.html. 

External links

• The Surprising Motion of Ski Moguls
• www.mogulskiing.net – Mogul skiing's online home. Technique guide, misconceptions debunked, tips from pros, photos, video, equipment reviews, mogul-specific ski area reviews, news, forums and discussion group, US Freestyle Team info, etc.
• Mogul Skiing Tutorials
• Ottawa Citizen: "Moguls glossary" – 2010 Winter Games