Why is there no Super-G in snowboarding?

[JustSomeDude]

I figure safety is the #1 reason... trucking downhill at 60+ mph with your feet locked on to a single board has "quadriplegic" written all over it. All speculation aside, are there any websites that provide a real explanation as to why Giant Slalom is the cutoff for snowboarding alpine events?

[Generic]

So what you said plus:

You also just don't get clean lines on a snowboard because it's wider


So you can't make carve turns super elegantly on such a steep downhill with slolomn gates

That's from the GF who used to board for the Duke team.

[JustSomeDude]

But I don't see anyone making "clean lines" or "turns super elegantly" in the skiing Super-G. Those guys skid all over the damn place. But maybe that's the point... perhaps downhill snowboarding is supposed to be more... uh... artsy?

[Wrider]

They're all over the place, but keep in mind they're on two edges, and a boarder only has one, so they'd be even less in control.

[mdub]

Maybe in the next 4 yrs.

[Generic]

Maybe in the next 4 yrs.

Possibly, but Super G on boards doesn't even exist outside of the Olympics, it would take a lot of work to get it started and organized in time for the next Olympics.

[~Barn~]

Forget gate racing. If they're going to incorporate "boarding" into it, just give them Downhill.

[Kim-n-Dean]

Forget gate racing. If they're going to incorporate "boarding" into it, just give them Downhill.

Hey dude, forget your phone again? Call me if you see this before 2:00p.m.

[kawasakirob]

Because racing from gate to gate is for fairy skiiers. Any self respecting snowboarder knows that.

[asp_125]

Next Olympics, they need a "Chinese Downhill".

[~Barn~]

Hey dude, forget your phone again? Call me if you see this before 2:00p.m.

Ha! I did actually. I hope it's in my car somewhere!

[Matty]

The first actual competitions in snowboarding were slalom racing. Jake Burton, figured it be more welcomed amongst the skiers. However, Tom Sims saw snowboarding in a different direction which lead to half pipe competitions instead. The first one i believe was over at Ski Cooper. Fast forward 10 years Boarder Cross events started taking place. And another 10 years later (present day) skiers are copying all the snowboard events!!!

[sag]

i honestly dont think the course would be possible on a board. way too icy and boards need way more slip? angle if you will to turn than skis. my two cents but im not nearly as experienced on skis as i am on a board

[mopoet178]

Lifetime alpine boarder, hard-booter here. I haven't competed yet but it's on the list. I'm just a pleasure carver for now and love that deep carve sensation. Track days have nothing on linking 4G turns down a good icy corduroy groomed black diamond. I believe it is entirely possible to do downhill on a snowboard, but...

1) Downhill skis have a sidecut radius of around 45 meters. I've never come across a snowboard with more than about 20m sidecut. So the technology development hasn't been aimed at super high speed performance.
2) Those speeds are scary. To eject from a deep carve at 60+ mph is almost surely a day ender for me, maybe not for world class athletes. Crashes/errors are far less graceful and recoverable on a board.
3) Two edges on the ice is always safer/faster than one edge. Same way the fastest cars will always be faster/safer than the fastest bikes. Single track riding is just higher stakes. But they're not competing against skiers, I know...
4) I think it would just be a crash fest. They are snowboarders after all.

It was fun watching those ditches grow across women's and men's combined pgs. After like 80 passes down each track, the final competitors had do put down their best lap on the worst course on some tired legs. Very impressive, much respect.

[Matty]

Mens Olympic snowboarding dual slalom is on nbc right meow!

[~Barn~]

UFC 170 is on right now (meow). If anybody wants to come check it out, I'll be buying the PPV. Two Olympic medalists going at it tonight in Ronda Rousey and Sara McMann, and I hope McMann roughs her up. Alexis Davis and Jessica Eye just finished.

Full fight card.