Snowboarding, which combines elements of surfing, skateboarding and skiing, originated in the United States in the 1960s.The exciting, brash sport gained international popularity over the next few decades, making its debut as an Olympic sport in 1998 at the Nagano Games,which featured both halfpipe and giant slalom events.The giant slalom was replaced four years later in Salt Lake with the exciting parallel giant slalom Snowboarding competition in Torino will consist of mens and womens halfpipe, parallel giant slalom and snowboard cross.The halfpipe is an acrobatic event held in a halfcylindershaped course dug into the hill.Using speed gained on the slope, snowboarders sail over the rim of the pipe and perform aerial maneuvers such as the Poptart and the McTwist.The object is to perform difficult maneuvers while maintaining perfect form In parallel giant slalom, two snowboarders race in headtohead competition on parallel courses of identical design. After a qualification round a 16person tournament is established in which competitors battle it out on the sidebyside courses until there is a winner.The snowboard cross is run over a technically challenging route, including jumps and obstacles you dont wanna bonk. This is a very exciting event consisting of rounds and heats, with four snowboarders racing in a pack down the same course.The first two finishers advance to the next round The event is fast and chock full of action, skill and contact. So get ready for some breathtaking sports moments, and some really rad new vocabulary, too.

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