 Poster: A snowHead
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Aerial freestylers train on trampolines and ... ramps into lakes or pools.
Here's a newbie's insight into what it's like to launch yourself down - and off - a ramp, landing with a splash. Ray Grass reports for Deseret News.
Having plucked up the cowardice (because I never flipped) to ski off a steep water ramp - back in the 1970s, into a lake above Kaprun, Austria - I can confirm what Ray Grass says:
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... From there it was off to the dressing room where wetsuits, helmets, skis and boots and the all-important lifejacket were fitted. From there the trail led to the ramp ... and the first reality check.
Looking down the ramp, with no quick exit either right or left, only off the end and into the water, is a lot different than the view from across the pool. Double black-diamond runs on snow seemed, to me, a little less intimidating. On steep runs you can always stop, survey the best exit and take it. Off a jump ramp there is no stopping, not with any safety, anyway. Once you commit, it's all air and water after that. |
Yes, even if you've no intention of flipping, it's flipping scary!
Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Thu 1-09-05 10:24; edited 1 time in total
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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F*^%k that!
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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PG, and WHAT, fer God's sake do you set your bindings at? Water is much 'grippier' than snow and ice. I've screwed up a few dives from a 10 metre board and I know just how hard water can be 
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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The famous Holmenkollen ski jump above Oslo (used for the 1952 Winter Olympics) has its landing flooded in summer for water jumps. The major ramp - photographed from the tower here - isn't used for that because the flat landing would be way too dangerous, but if you look at the left of the lake at 5 o'clock (click here for blow-up)
 there are three much smaller ramps for freestyle jumps.
This is a fabulous place to visit - one of the great shrines of skiing - especially because it has an interesting ski museum below it. The view across Oslo from the top of the tower is spectacular, too.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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What is the top material they use. Maybe I could build one?
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huckingfellers, there's all kinds of artificial ski matting made in Europe and Japan. Brand names to look up include Dendix, PermaSnow, Astro Gelande, Snowflex.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Id stear clear of that one on the right if you want to say in one piece so you can drown trying to paddle with skis on !
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I've dipped a toe in that lake in the summer and apart from trying to swim in skis, that lake will turn your plums to a walnut in a heartbeat
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