Poll: How good are you?

[Neil Gendzwill]

Personally I don't know another boarder, aside from my son, that stays in the bumps 90% of the time (though I know there's a few others)

[Waves hand] Maybe not 90%, but I certainly spend a lot of time in them and like them. Basically, there is hardly ever anybody on the hill doing what I do, so it's pretty hard to compare.

[bumpyride]

[Waves hand] Maybe not 90%, but I certainly spend a lot of time in them and like them. Basically, there is hardly ever anybody on the hill doing what I do, so it's pretty hard to compare.

I know there's a couple of you out there, and someday we'll maybe meet. Actually this was a cry out for help.

[Civ]

damn, missed the last option...that`s me

[Mellow Yellow]

You want to see no other carvers on the hill... come down to NC... think there are 3-4 of us....

[Gossamer]

When I'm alone I kick ass, wish I could get some of those turns on film. For when I get old and want to look back.

[monodude]

if I was any better I'd be a set of twins. By the way there isn't any conceit in my family........................................

I GOT IT ALL :lol:

There isn't any other Skwal riders around here so I guess I'm the best.

All joking aside, I'd say average, at best. Especially when riding with the LCI, those guys ROCK, and leave me in the dust.

Don

Feed the addiction...

[Erik J]

ok who are the Master Freecarver's?

seriously...we're up to 6 Master Freecarvers now.

[kinpa]

ok, so I'm one of those people who can say "I should be better than I am!" As long as I've been doing this, I should be MUCH better. Oh well. For me my problem is MENTAL! And reading about injuries, of course, doesn't help things to much. BUT, I suppose I'm going ok for a 38 year old mother of two. I guess I could say I'm one of the best on my hill, but at a small mountain, I don't think that's saying much.

BTW, my 7 year old daughter who started on a board last year using her ski boots finally talked me into get her soft boots and bindings. She was on them for all of about half of two beginner hill runs (doesn't go up very far on the rope tow) and now realizes that it's much harder to get the board on edge in soft boots! HAHAHAHAA (we'll see where the big ole $50 investment for the boots and bindings ends up!)

Kathy

[Steve Prokopiw]

...that does not mean I think I am a master carver.I would have to find a new sport if I was because I would then be 'bored with the board' as it were.I love always trying to get better and hate having to consider my age and responsibilities when I expand my limits on the board.I look forward to getting schooled by someone I have taught and there may well be a couple of those on the horizon.I just haven't met them yet,hehehe;)

[Jon Dahl]

No, REALLY!

In the bumps, I have had two good days, and a LOT of iffy/bad ones. Bumpyride, thanks for the embarasment/education. I occasionally see a softbooter carve well, pretty rare. Local hill? Towards the top of the heap, if not on top most days, skiers and boarders. At SES '04, I had Sean Martin complement my riding, so it isn't too bad. In that class of riders, I'd say above the middle of the pack, certainly not the top. More freeride/slack-back country these days, so I was better then carving, better now back there. OK trade-off, I think.

[BlueB]

This tread is certainly a joke, but it made me think of a way to evaluate a rider...

Don't quite know if we are talking snowboarding in general soft and hard, or carving only, or all the things one can do on hardboots. I'll assume the later.

Other thing is the refference point - hard to compare except with the other riders on the mountain. I'll take that's where it is...

And last, the scale. 1 to 5 should be simple enough, 5 been the best merk.

So, ME, in my very biased opinion, with few thoughts:

Carve - I know only few people that are better. Look really good on hero and sometimes keep it together on ice. Ride more with finesse then power, but aggressive. Can ride using most of the techniques and styles. Steeps don't intimidate me. - 5

Slarve - Getting better. I can keep it within my boards length width on blues, less stylish on blacks. - 4

Bumps - Love them when soft, hate when frozen. No other hardbooter (ok, maybe one) ventures in them willingly and very few soft riders. I outride many skiers, but I lack complete fluency. - 4

Pow - Kill the large and medium radius carve/surf like style, could be better in short radius. However, no one can really keep up in steep and deep, even in chopped. - 5

Trees - Simply suck. To chickenish. Focus on trees instead of gapps. Don't venture there very often - 1

Jump - Don't jump often, mostly in fresh. Only straight air. However, stable in air, solid landing, good distance. - 3

Teach - Can do entire CASI begginer and intermediate program on h/boots. CASI and many years of formal and informal ski and sailing teaching, trained me to detect and correct the mistakes. - 5

Total score: 27 points / 7 disciplines = 3.86

I guess that puts me into "One of the best on my hill" category, but bearly.

-

[carvingchef]

I couldn't decide between "Right down the middle average" and "I suck" so I went with "I suck" to leave room for improvement

I guess if I had one of those new shape and new material board so talked about lately I would suck a lot better

[Bullwings]

I guess if I had one of those new shape and new material board so talked about lately I would suck a lot better

haha, awesome. I think i might have a new sig...

[big canuck]

So... Calgary has some pretty good riders.. I think I'm a decent rider but there are some slayers in my neck of the woods. I think I'm , just, above average, but when Mark Ballard's team (CSC) shows up, he has women that crush me (no offence meant ladies, just big props intended to some solid riding)

So.. I "think" I'm better than right down the middle average, "one of the best on hill" depends on the company of that day.

God I have fun though!!.

[Mellow Yellow]

Paulk is the best slow rider I know!

[tex1230]

Paulk is the best slow rider I know!

i THOUGHT HE WAS BECOMING A PROFESSIONAL XC SKIER

[philfell]

There should be a step between master freecarver and world cup/olympian. There is a big differance there. Actually there should be a few steps.

[Mike T]

There should be a step between master freecarver and world cup/olympian. There is a big differance there. Actually there should be a few steps.

There should probably be a step or two between middle average and one of the best on the hill too...

... but this poll is too subjective to be meaningful anyway as the categories are going to mean different things to different people.

BTW, I just noticed that I originally voted "Middle average" and it now says I voted "One of the best on my hill". Did this happen when the poll was modified? Anyhoo, just another reason to ignore the results!!!

[tex1230]

There should be a step between master freecarver and world cup/olympian. There is a big differance there. Actually there should be a few steps.

There should probably be a step or two between middle average and one of the best on the hill too...

... but this poll is too subjective to be meaningful anyway as the categories are going to mean different things to different people.

BTW, I just noticed that I originally voted "Middle average" and it now says I voted "One of the best on my hill". Did this happen when the poll was modified? Anyhoo, just another reason to ignore the results!!!

Jack changed it a little. there were actually fewer options originally. I'm just amused with the results - self-evaluation is so much fun.

[jpenn]

Yeah Bumpyride: let's hear it for riding moguls! There are a few of us out here who live for bumps - me and my son especially! Just had a bump comp at our mountain, and besides the 60-70 skiers, there were four riders! Nothing better than soft spring bumps! Had to put the alpine gear away, though...

Personally I don't know another boarder, aside from my son, that stays in the bumps 90% of the time (though I know there's a few others), I had to put in Olympic/World Cup because I'd be in my own "Special" Olympics. (Special not as mentally/ physically handicapped-if being 60 is not considered a handicap-way)

oh yeah, I'm a complete hacker in hardboots. Is that a category?

[Jack M]

BTW, I just noticed that I originally voted "Middle average" and it now says I voted "One of the best on my hill". Did this happen when the poll was modified? Anyhoo, just another reason to ignore the results!!!

My bad. When I changed the poll to pull Master Freecarver out of World Cup/Olympic, I moved everything else down one slot and inserted MF at the #2 slot. The system must store your vote as the index of the array. So uhh, you're welcome for the promotion! :)

[bumpyride]

Yeah Bumpyride: let's hear it for riding moguls! There are a few of us out here who live for bumps - me and my son especially! Just had a bump comp at our mountain, and besides the 60-70 skiers, there were four riders! Nothing better than soft spring bumps! Had to put the alpine gear away, though...

oh yeah, I'm a complete hacker in hardboots. Is that a category?

With your avatar in mind, I'll have to change my "Special Olympic" category.

Welcome to the small club with of gifted athletes.

[b0ardski]

1st line on skis 2nd line on board

any takers, you arrange the photogs

ps never met a bump I didn't like since I started using poles in '93

[NateW]

Does being the best on the hill count if there are no other carvers 99.99% of the time?

My thoughts exactly. :)

[crazyTKDsquirrel]

Jack changed it a little. there were actually fewer options originally.

According to the poll I don't suck anymore! woohoo! Now I'm average :)