 Poster: A snowHead
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I've just been watching Xavier de le Rue's 'This is my winter' and I find it sad that he has to take such risks to entertain us.
I used to enjoy watching videos of skiers making beautiful short zig-zags through untracked powder - now it seems to be cool to take the straightest, fastest line down the mountain.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Little red button top left of tv remote - switch it off and just imagine your beautiful short zig zags 
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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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jellylegs, snowboarders, they can't do nice zig zag.
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| jellylegs wrote: |
| Its sad that he has to take such risks to entertain us. Taking the straightest, fastest line down the mountain. |
I wouldn't get your jeans too crumpled in your ski boots about it, I have a sneaky sense that he would be exploring big mountains at speed whether it entertained you or not! 
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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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jellylegs, I suspect he does it more for his own entertainment than yours.
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its just Lazy Skiing & everyone is Lazy nowadays.
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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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Snow Hound, thats one of the best ski vids Ive seen. Cheers for posting - cant believed he ski'd up tree branches!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| jellylegs wrote: |
I've just been watching Xavier de le Rue's 'This is my winter' and I find it sad that he has to take such risks to entertain us.
I used to enjoy watching videos of skiers making beautiful short zig-zags through untracked powder - now it seems to be cool to take the straightest, fastest line down the mountain. |
I suppose it counters the endless stream of jib-related stuff. People like Dan Brisse (snowboarder) are doing some great, wacky urban rising but I'm a bit sick of seeing another set of stairs being done by every Tom, Dick and Harry.
Mind you, I wish I could show even a tenth of that dexterity!!! 
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Specialman, yeah a lot of it is starting to look like 80s skate vids.
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You know it makes sense.
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Yeah sorry jellylegs, but I'd much rather watch Xavier et al riding the mountain than some synchronised homp-homp nonsense (all apologies to HompHomp) done to the strains of Jean Michel Jarre. Having read some interviews with Xavier (good one in Whitelines last month) he, as do most other big mountain riders, don't come over as deathwishers, but people who spend hours researching their lines to mitigate their risk, so they can do the thing they love.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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awesome clip snowhound thanks for sharing... and the snow looks amazing!
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Poster: A snowHead
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| Quote: |
are doing some great, wacky urban rising
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I've said for years that you can't beat a bit of urban rising 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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In answer to the thread title, i think the answer is no, it's becoming more graceful and flowing. The larger faster more sweeping turns better complement the flow of the terrain. Skiers (and moreso boarders) now seem to interpret and interact with the mountains contours in a more meaningful way, rather than regimented, endless, pointless turns.
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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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As the late, great Shane McConkey said 'turning is for when poo-poo gets in your way'. I can't imagine anything more dull than movies every year of the same short turns, where is the challenge or excitement in that?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| jellylegs wrote: |
I've just been watching Xavier de le Rue's 'This is my winter' and I find it sad that he has to take such risks to entertain us.
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...and why do people jump out of planes, climb 20m rockfaces without ropes, race motorbikes, see how close they can there b*ll*cks to a candle without burning any hair (er...just me then?)?
People like to take risks, it gives 'em a buzz!
If you don't then don't do it.
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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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| Lizzard wrote: |
| jellylegs, I suspect he does it more for his own entertainment than yours. |
I agree. These sort of movies don't entertain me at all. I can appreciate the skill and courage/stupidity? of the riders but once you've seen one you've seen them all.
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| Tiger2 wrote: |
| Lizzard wrote: |
| jellylegs, I suspect he does it more for his own entertainment than yours. |
I agree. These sort of movies don't entertain me at all. I can appreciate the skill and courage/stupidity? of the riders but once you've seen one you've seen them all. |
I can't belive I'm taking the bait but surely it's the complete opposite?
I have seen people come domn powder fields doing zig zags, I've seen double backflips with a twist in. What I have not seen is Xavier de le Rue coming down a face in Chamonix that no-one has ever rode before (and in Chamonix that is rare!)!?!
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manicpb It isn't a troll. Let me explain
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I have seen people come domn powder fields doing zig zags
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and so have I. Doing it, looking back up the hill and seeing the s-marks is a great feeling - if they are yours. Seeing someone else doing it makes you feel respect, jealous, whatever, but its still a bit dull.
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I've seen double backflips with a twist in
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Yep, and the tricks these people can do just get more and more amazing but is 3 flips any more entertaining than 2? Are you just waiting for someone to do 4? Again, respect for the skill and bottle involved but other than "cor - look at that" you wouldn't want to watch more than a couple of minutes of it.
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What I have not seen is Xavier de le Rue coming down a face in Chamonix that no-one has ever rode before
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It doesn't matter who they are - Xavier de la Rue or Santa - it's just a name/person/fantasy figure, not one of your mates (apologies to M. Rue's mates) and while I can see a fascination for some people wanting "firsts" this is merely a derivation of the 2 flips/3 flips argument.
I accept that the fact that there are hundreds of ski "movies" showing loads of this stuff means that my view is not necessarily a popular one. The OP was "has skiing got ugly?" - my answer is that it was inevitable given that there are people like manicpb who want to see higher/steeper/more flips than they've seen before.
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Tiger2, well yeah people like progression in all sorts of sports. It's just being nerdy about the particular area you are into be it big mountain skiing, extreme skiing, park skiing or the more normal Olympic disciplines.
Although watching skiing is like you say pretty subjective.
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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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Tiger2, put like that I get what your saying. I thought you were saying the same old movies should be put out over the newer movies pushing the limits! Just for the record I'm now a little board of the trick after trick, powder line after powder line movies (although still sit down to watch them if they are free off a mag or ripped of the 'net) but do enjoy the mountaineering/extreme line kinda movies that seem to becoming more common.
Just one more comment to the OP before I leave it (think I've put my argument forward enough), is when Edward Whimper kept attempting to climb the Matterhorn people followed his progress with amazement. Now a lot of his previous climbs of other summits was to map the areas no man had been before, the Matterhorn was a personal achievment to be the first person on the summit. Was it stupid to risk his life (and lose two companions on the way down on his final attempt)? Either way his name has gone down in history as opening the Alps up for tourism and as one of the Pioneers of mountaineering, however he was simply doing something he loved and found fulfilment out of.
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I must not bite I must not bite "sigh" deep breaths Doc, deep breaths..........
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| Quote: |
Just one more comment to the OP before I leave it (think I've put my argument forward enough), is when Edward Whimper kept attempting to climb the Matterhorn people followed his progress with amazement. Now a lot of his previous climbs of other summits was to map the areas no man had been before, the Matterhorn was a personal achievment to be the first person on the summit. Was it stupid to risk his life (and lose two companions on the way down on his final attempt)? Either way his name has gone down in history as opening the Alps up for tourism and as one of the Pioneers of mountaineering, however he was simply doing something he loved and found fulfilment out of.
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Fair comment.
Don't get me wrong, I think Xaviers video is beautifully shot, but it still seems such a waste of good powder when you hardly bother turning in it!
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FAQ
wait till they have knees like the rest of us , I am sure there will be loads of zig zags 
