Crédit : Jess Vaananen, Perly, Louis Garnier.
A fusion of freeride and freestyle. The idea is to perform tricks on backcountry kickers, using natural elements such as trees, ledges, etc. Backcountry freestyle skis are wider than conventional skis.
Carving turns require great technique and the right support. Shaped skis help the skier perform these turns on the edge of their skis.
Skidding turns are like slipping turns, performed at low speed with a high degree of friction. These turns are usually done by beginners.
Sliding turns do not cut through the snow, but instead slide across the snow and turn back on themselves, giving significant friction and smooth acceleration.
A style of backcountry skiing, also called “randonée” or ski mountaineering, in which free-heel bindings and climbing skins are used for ascending the slopes, and fixed-heel, parallel turns are used in the descents.
Off-piste skiing or snowboarding.
Ski or snowboard discipline in which tricks are performed, usually in a snowpark.
Skiercross has really shaken up on-piste skiing! Inspired by motocross, skiercross comprises a series of obstacles and challenges tackled over a marked course with gates, with 4 skiers racing at the same time. The first to arrive is the winner... You can also race alone, against the clock!
Slopestyle is to freestyle what skiercross is to on-piste skiing: a blend of skiing styles. A slopestyle course includes all of the freestyle modules on one slope: quarters, tables, rails and a half-pipe! Skiers have to tackle a series of these obstacles as they descend the slope. More comprehensive than the big air, slopestyle is becoming THE freestyle competition format, along with the half-pipe.