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Photo Illustration by Peter Larkins |
Skiers versus snowboarders: a rivalry decreasing?
by Alison Fosbenner
Staff Writer
Could the rivalry between skiers and snowboarders be diminishing?
Winter weather, powdery snow and nearby slopes bring many skiers and snowboarders to Appalachian State University. But on the slopes they are, for the most part, divided.
To some, however, the rivalry between skiers and snowboarders is evaporating.
When snowboarding was first introduced, many skiers were weary about the idea of competition.
“When something new comes along, there is often distrust,” President of the French Swiss Ski College Jim A. Cottrell said. The French Swiss Ski College is an independent ski school operated at Appalachian Ski Mountain.
“I think that is where the animosity got started,” he said.
“People just like to think what they’re doing is better,” former racer for the ASU Alpine Ski Team Andrew M. Tau said. “Both sides have their attitude. They’re doing what they do for different reasons.”
Ted R. Chestnut, president of the co-rec snowboarding team, started skiing at the age of six and then switched to snowboarding at age 10. He feels the rivalry comes from pride.
“It’s just kids that grew up skiing don’t want to be told that they’re doing something that’s not as cool anymore,” Chestnut said.
Tension between the two can arise with beginners trying to learn.
“When you are learning to ski, it doesn’t really affect other skiers as much,” Tau said. “But when you’re learning to snowboard, it can affect the slopes. A lot of frustration from skiers comes when they see snowboarders scraping.”
Cottrell has 36 years of experience in the winter sport business. In 1969, he was a co-founder of the French Swiss Ski College. His first skiing experience happened six years prior when he took a physical education ski class.
He has tried snowboarding and prefers skiing, but considers himself a snowboarding advocate.
“I think [snowboarding] is one of the best things that has ever happened to the sport,” Cottrell said in relation to the shape of ski equipment. The more modern, shorter and more arc-shaped skis are slowly replacing long, straight skis.
Skiing and snowboarding both require a great amount of balance, strength, and most importantly, snow, but the countless differences outweigh similarities.
Tau, a sophomore technical photography major, started skiing at a young age. He recently lived the life of a ski bum and became a ski instructor in Lake Tahoe, Calif. Snowboarding never intrigued him.
“I don’t really like the idea of having both feet strapped on all the time,” he said.
“You’re a lot more mobile on skis, even if it’s flat you can still ski. On a snowboard, you’ve got to kick off your binding and hike it.”
Tau feels there is also a distinction in attitude.
“It’s a different reason to be on the mountain,” Tau said, contrasting the trick aspect of snowboards with the freestyle of skis.
From experience with many skiers and snowboarders, Cottrell has defined different personalities for first timers.
“Your aggressive, athletic, alpha-type migrate toward snowboarding,” he said. “And your more timid, average athletic ability migrate toward skiing.”
Cottrell pulled together the numbers of skiers and snowboarders of the past three years.
"Considering all the classes the ski college teaches at about 50 schools, including Appalachian State, he found that three years ago, 40 percent were taught snowboarding and 60 percent skiing. Two years ago, the numbers flip flopped to 55 percent snowboarding and 45 percent skiing. This year, 60 percent chose to learn snowboarding and 40 percent skiing.
Number-wise, among college students, interest seems to be evenly divided.
However, the French Swiss Ski College gives more public ski lessons.
After analyzing the percentages, Cottrell found a relationship in distance to the mountains and interest in skiing or snowboarding. The further away participants are from the mountains, the more skiing was of high interest.
The closer to the mountains, the higher percentage of snowboarders.
Cottrell said he feels that the rivalry between skiers and snowboarders is diminishing. Now that snowboarding has become more mainstream and those both young and old have tested it out, the animosity is decreasing, he said.
Likewise, Chestnut has grown out of skier bashing.
“I used to talk junk about skiers all the time, but not so much anymore,” Chestnut said.
There is more to both sports than bickering back and forth about which is superior.
“You’re out on the top of the mountain, you’ve got great views all around you and you’re breathing some clean air for once,” Chestnut said.
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