>tips from olympian ross powers

Check back often for new tips from Okemo's Snowboard Ambassador Ross Powers

Tip #3 - How-to's for the pipe and boarder cross

Halfpipe: When riding the halfpipe you want to focus on holding a good line from when you drop in, across the flat bottom to when you take off the wall. You want to edge enough to hold your line across the flat bottom and up the wall without digging it in too much which will make you loose your speed. The line you take across the pipe should have your board pointed down the pipe some so you can have speed between walls. At the top of the wall you want to let the wall of the pipe send you up and out of the pipe. If the wall has a lot of vert you want to let the wall send you up and out with no ollie. If the wall is under vert you want to ollie some when your taking off so you come back into the pipe. Remember to bend at your knees and not your waist while riding the pipe. Also if you are spinning remember to keep your head turned while throwing your arms, if you stop your head you'll spot your rotation. If your just learning to ride the halfpipe you should check out the banked walls in Hot Dog Hill.

Boardercross: When riding boardercross you want to take your riding from all over the mountain and put it into riding the different features like the jumps, bank turns and rollers. In boardercross you want to stay low and keep you board on the ground and flat based as much as possible. When going over rollers bring your knees up as high as need be so you can go over them fast without flying off them. On the jumps you want to take off and clear the jump with going as low as you can to the ground. On the bank turns try and take lines were you are carrying good speed out of them by not digging your edge in too much and taking a line which will set you up nice for the next feature. In boardercross you want to find speed where ever you can like pumping the rollers, pushing down the landing of a jump or jumping over features that might slow you down.

Tip #2 - On riding various types of terrain

Firm Snow: When the snow conditions are firm I like to ride a stiffer board with sharp edges. I'd say sharpe edges are the biggest tip to riding firm snow. Firm snow also equals fast conditions so I'd say start out with some close linked turns before you let it rip. This will be a good way to test out your edges as well. A stiffer board will help you hold an edge and carve your turns easier.
 
Groomers: Okemo groomers are awesome thanks to their grooming team. I like riding groomers to really get some good turns/carves in. Groomers are a great place to really get a feeling for your equipment and work on your riding. It's also a good place for learning or working on your switch riding.
 
Bumps: When I ride bumps I like a board I can maneuver easy which is a smaller softer board for me. While riding bumps or snow that's been pushed into mounds you really want to stay low and keep your knees bent to adsorb them. Remember to bend at your knees and not your waist. I like to make little gap jumps out of the bumps and try different lines. My favorite time to ride bumps is in the spring when they are really soft or when they are formed from a lot of powder.
 
Carving: Carving a snowboard feels really good. For carving I like to ride my boardercross board which is a little longer than my freeride board. It also has a good wax and sharp edges for going fast and being able to rail your turns. On my boardercross board I ride angles like 21 degrees in the front and 9 in the back. Once you get down carving well you can load up your board and catch some air from turn to turn while landing on your edges.
 
Steeps: While riding steeps you want to link small turns and get a feel for it, definitely in the trees. If your on a open trail or in powder you can let it run a little more. If it's really steep or your trying to get to a part of the run you can side slip or traverse on one of your edges. Riding the steeps with some fresh pow is the best because it's easier to carry speed to be able to do the big pow slashes.

Tip #1 - Preseason Prep

Every season I can't wait for the snow to fall, and for the lifts to run. With this anticipation brings some early season questions to my mind.

Will I remember how to ride? I know that I will be able to physically turn and stop, but in the back of my mind there is always some doubt as to how well I will accomplish the things I take for granted.

One way I have found to relieve my angst is to have my gear checked over by the repair shop. For some reason when I finish the last run of the season and put away my board, I never remember to put it in tip-top shape for next year. Perhaps I am to excited to get to the golf clubs and bike.

I find that sometimes my gear I put way last season is now in need of some attention. I always take my stuff to the repair shop for a base tune and wax as well as to make sure that my snowboard bindings are in good working condition.

I find that the first few days are much easier once I have my gear in the best possible shape I can.

Keep checking out the web site for more tips from Ross.  And, join him this season for a 3-day intensive riding and training camp at Okemo!