Halfpipe

A halfpipe ( English for " half-tube " ) is a constructed of concrete, wood, metal, or snow sports facility in the form of a bisected along the longitudinal axis tube. It is used in various sports, mainly skateboard, snowboard, stunt scooters and Aggressive Inline, as a basis for artistic maneuver in the snow now an Olympic sport. There are also half half-pipes, which are referred to as quarter pipes (English for "quarter pipe ").

Construction

The pavement of a halfpipe is originally from Transition, Vert, coping, and Table. Transition describes a half circle with a radius of about 3.5 to 3.7 meters, and leads to overlying vertical Vert. The Vert measures between 50 and 70 centimeters nowadays. Back to top of the Vert is coping, a protruding metal tube, is limited. The table comes on coping at the Vert and is the platform from which the athlete moves into the halfpipe.

When passing through the transition of a half-pipe athletes can increase the speed by load the sports equipment. This effect, similar to that on a swing, is called " pumping ". With high speed the athlete can drive up the Vert jump out vertically over the edge of the half pipe, ( for example, a rotation around the longitudinal axis ) to perform an artistic maneuvers in the air and land in accordance with the gravity again along the Verts. The maneuver is called a "trick." In halfpipe competitions judges rate (often called "Judges " ) the quality of tricks.

In modern halfpipes the transition is split into two halves and connected with a horizontal carriageway section of the Flat. Some halfpipes are provided with an extension, an elevated location that gives an extra boost when driving. A variant of the extension is the roll-in with a round transition between Table and Vert.

Skateboard

The basis for the assumed also in other sports halfpipe was ( and Z - Boys) discovered in the 70s by association Zephyr skateboard team in the form of empty swimming pool. Tony Alva is considered the first skateboarders, which left the edges of the pool, also a leap and back into managed and thus laid the foundations for today's halfpipe. Because of fast growing competitions but no swimming pool should not be reproduced, they were soon replaced by wooden ramps. Again, constant developments took place that led to the present form of the halfpipe.

A skateboarding widespread variant of the half pipe is the mini ramp, which is often mistakenly referred to as a half-pipe. Miniramps waive the Vert. Those structures are significantly smaller than right halfpipes, which start at an average of three meters with a height of about one to two meters. Miniramps can be driven by experienced skateboarders without pads ( protective equipment) and therefore enjoy great popularity.

Successful skaters in the halfpipe are or were Tony Hawk, Andy MacDonald, Mike McGill, Tony Alva, Sergie Ventura, Takeshi Yasutoko, Fabiola da Silva and Sandro Dias.

Snowboard

In the 80 years the snowboard movement was strongly influenced by the skateboard culture. Therefore, supporters formed mostly even the first versions of the half-pipe, which does not initially permitted many maneuvers. Only the strong development in the 90's led the industry to develop specific machines, which allow in a relatively short time completely symmetric structures. Modern competition half-pipes are manufactured with mounted snow groomers milling of snow and ice.

In contrast to the skateboard made ​​of snow snowboard halfpipes are for much longer and steep, so that the kinetic energy is obtained not only muscle strength, but also from the inclined plane. The size varies according to budget and landscape conditions. The decisive factor here is the length and height of the pipes defining the capabilities of the driver.

The constructed for the Olympic discipline " snowboard halfpipe " and for competitions of the International Ski Federation FIS halfpipes have prescribed in the competition regulations of the transition length of about six meters. This size also means a halfpipe super pipe. These designs allow for a ride several tricks in a row. The halfpipe the 2010 Winter Olympics was 160 meters long and 20 meters wide, the transition measure 6.70 meters and the slope was 18 degrees. Five to six tricks were shown per run.

Famous athletes in snowboard halfpipe are or were Håkonsen Terje, Craig Kelly, Shaun White, Gian Simmen, Hannah Teter, Torah Bright, Kelly Clark and Iouri Podladtchikov.

Other Sports

Halfpipes and Miniramps be used as a basis for artistic maneuver by Street boarders, inline skaters ( skaters Aggressive ), and Snake boarders, BMX riders, freestyle skiers and riders Heelys. In all these sports, there are also corresponding competitions for halfpipes / Miniramps.