Despite its rather “boxy” appearance, Snowscooting is the rare winter sport that almost anyone can enjoy casually. Anyone experienced in skiing or snowboarding can surely remember the difficulty they had at the beginning. There are no such difficulties with Snowscooting. Instead of anchoring the feet in bindings, they are inserted under a foot strap and can be pulled out whenever necessary, including to dismount the board. Bicycle-like riding and maneuvering mean excellent stability, opening up nearly endless possibilities for enjoyment.
Free runs are the basic way to enjoy Snowscooting, across a spacious ski slope or a narrow, winding, wooded trail – gliding through long, speed-controlled, drifting turns; high-speed, curving turns; scooting in powdered snow – all as the rider desires. Depending on course conditions, BMX- and MTB-type bunny hops and “one-eighties” are also possible.
Aerials and jumps are spotlighted also in skiing and snowboarding. In Snowscooting, they are evolving year by year, incorporating BMX and motocross techniques. In a bunny hop – a BMX “ollie” – the rider can jump anytime, any place, taking advantage of the flexing and spring qualities of the boards. By mastering this technique, the rider can increase the variations available for Snowscooting enjoyment. Using combinations of techniques involving a kicker, even higher levels of skill can be developed.
There are two kinds of Snowscoot races – cross-country and Alpine – with the number of cross-country races growing more rapidly of late. In cross-country, four to six riders race to the finish line over a course of about a kilometer. With more contests being staged for various skill levels, beginners as well as experienced riders are finding increasing opportunities to take part.
