- 1. Squalling
- 2. Naturban
- 3. Snowscoot
- 4. Drytooling
- 5. Snow kayaking
Are you already fed up with skiing and snowboarding? Do you want something new? Here are some unusual winter sports you can try now. True, some of them will become a real test for those who have poor physical fitness!
1. Squalling
A shell called squall was invented by two French ski instructors - Patrick Balman and Manuel Jam. This is a board to which both legs are attached, reminiscent of a monoski or a tapered snowboard. The squall differs from both of these shells in the fastening scheme and the direction of movement. If the snowboarder is standing perpendicular to him, and on the monoski the legs are strengthened next to each other, the feet are placed one after the other with their toes in the direction of the track. Therefore, it is more difficult to ride squall than snowboarding or alpine skiing, but experienced riders call it an incomparable pleasure. There are only a few companies producing squalls, and there are not so many of their owners. Therefore, this sport has a distinct culture and hobby clubs where you can agree to try the board. Squalling is relatively popular in its homeland, in France (ski resorts Avoriaz, Valmorel and others), Muscovites can ride a squall in the ski resorts Snezh.com or Kant.
2. Naturban
This is nothing more than a natural sledging from the mountain. Perhaps practical Germans came up with this word so that respectable adults would not hesitate to indulge in their favorite children's entertainment. International championships are held on Naturban, but the Olympic Committee refused to include it in the program of the Olympic Games. Officials motivated this by the fact that this sport is not very popular outside of Europe. There is nothing to be done, lovers of natural gas will have to go to Italy or Austria - this is where most of the certified tracks are located. According to the rules of naturban, they are not allowed to change the relief or the use of chemical additives to the snow. In Russia, there are special routes for naturbans on the Sparrow Hills in Moscow, in the Rosa Khutor resort near Sochi.
by the way
Whatever equipment winter sports enthusiasts use, they face the same risk: too warm weather. Agree, it is very disappointing to fly on vacation and find out that there is no snow, and the rental offices and lifts are closed. Now some insurance companies, for example INTOUCH, offer policies for this case. With such insurance, you can receive reimbursement of equipment costs, ski passes and even compensation in case of theft of skis or snowboards: travel.in-touch.ru/winter.php.
3. Snowscoot
This projectile is a hybrid of a ski and a scooter or bicycle. In some way, he reminds of snow-scooters familiar to every inhabitant of central Russia from childhood, only with a high steering wheel in front and one ski in the back. Ride the snowscoot while standing. It would seem a trifling matter. However, experienced riders warn: oddly enough, the snow scooter is one of the most traumatic shells. It is not so easy to slide your feet and control your hands while descending at the same time. However, the snowshoe is gaining popularity because it doesn't require leg attachments, which means you don't have to buy a ton of expensive accessories for personal use only. Attention: not all ski slopes and lifts are allowed with it, so before arrival it is better to call and inquire about the rules for a specific base. In Russia, snowcoats are actively skated on Sheregesh, in the vicinity of Irkutsk, Yekaterinburg and practically in all other cities where alpine skiing is developed.
4. Drytooling
This type of climbing uses special sharp tools such as crampons or a sharpened ice-fifi hook. Theoretically, it is assumed that with them you can move on ice. In practice, many traverse mixed routes, where ice surfaces alternate with rock ones. Some traditional rock climbers dislike drytools for breaking rocks with their tools. Such rock climbing can be practiced both in the wild and in the hall, on specially equipped walls. Drytooling is popular with rock climbers in Scotland and North America. In Russia, drytools can be found near Krasnoyarsk, on the famous Pillars rocks, or in the Crimea (Bakhchisarai).
5. Snow kayaking
A few years ago, an idea dawned on someone: smooth and slippery plastic kayaks can move not only on water, but also on snow! She was enthusiastically picked up by a whole army of fans of this water sport. Snow kayaking is somewhat reminiscent of bobsleigh, only it does not need a special trail, and the direction, like in water, is set by an oar. You can ski almost anywhere there are slopes covered with at least an 8-centimeter layer of snow. Snow kayaking is especially popular in Austria, the USA, Poland and Bulgaria, but there are tracks in Russia that are not alien to this sport. For example, Sheregesh, accustomed to any quirks of riders!
