FREESTYLE SKIING

“Hot dog skiing” gained Olympic legitimacy when moguls became a medal sport in Albertville in 1992 and aerials in 1994 in Lillehammer. Spins, flips, twists and other aerial maneuvers are performed to fast-paced music in this crowd-pleasing event.

People to Watch

Anne Battelle (above) is 30 and did not even take up mogul skiing until after she had graduated from Middlebury College in Vermont, but she could be the U.S. sleeper after finishing eighth at Lillehammer. Why? Because all the pressure is going to be on U.S. favorite Donna Weinbrecht, the 1992 gold medalist, and Liz McIntyre, who won silver at Lillehammer.

Schedule

Men and women

Feb. 8: Moguls elimination

Feb. 11: Moguls final

Feb. 18: Aerials: Final

Freestyle Aerials

Aerial Course

Lizuma Kogan, Nagano

Elevation: 6,289 feet

Length: 475 feet

Width: 72-98 feet

Avg. gradient: 26 degrees

*

Kickers:

7 feet

10 feet

11.5 feet

Skiers launch from kickers of three heights. Competitors are judged on takeoff, form and landing.

Five “air” judges evaluate takeoff, height and distance, while two “landing” judges rank that part of the jump.

Each competitor performs two jumps in the final.

Skiers launch at 35 mph up to 50 feet in the air from ramps called kickers, performing acrobatic moves with flips, twists and leaps.

Typical Maneuver

Skier shown is executing one backward rotation with a single twist.

Mogul Maneuvers

Daffy

Spread eagle

Kosak

Mogul Course

Lizuma Kogan, Nagano

Length: 820 feet

Competitors skiing the bumping mogul course are evaluated on turns, aerial maneuvers and speed. Skiers make small, fast turns in the trough between bumps. Knees are kept bent to absorb impact, poles are planted quickly, lightly touching tops of bumps. Upper body movement should be minimal.

Larger moguls are located in two areas, about one- third-and one-half of the way down the course, for skiers to use as ramps for performing airborne maneuvers. Skiers encounter about 75 moguls 2-4-feet high in a run that lasts about 30 seconds.

Skis

Both mogul and aerial skis are shorter than other alpine skis, for maneuverability rather than speed.

Source: Nagano Olympic Organizing Committee, U.S. Ski and Snowboard Assn.; “The Snowboard Book: A Guide fro All Boarders”; “Winter Olympics Made Simple”; Snow Country magazine; Transworld Snowboarding magazine; Researched by JULIE SHEER and CHRIS DUFRESNE / Los Angeles Times