Boardercross Set-ups?

[wavechaser]

...but may be a little small for your needs. Hard to get in the US. Rides like a shorter and wider Renntiger.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7203563650&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&rd=1

[NMU Alpine Boarder]

...but may be a little small for your needs. Hard to get in the US. Rides like a shorter and wider Renntiger.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7203563650&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&rd=1

Damn not having cash at the end of the semester

I'd be on that like a cop on a doughnut if this was a week later

[philfell]

Exactly...I've heard rumors of some US teamers solving this rule change with a hack saw and some epoxy.

I haven't heard what the rule is yet on what kind of radius constitues a rounded tail but you might want to get a longer board and add a saw and 5 min. epoxy to your race day wax kit :D

You can still use a true alpine or race board in a FIS sactioned race. None of the current US boardercross world cup athletes run hardboots in SBX events. Graham sometimes would like to, but Foley has some pretty good arguments on why he shouldn't so Graham listens and races on a softie set-up. Getting a longer board and taking a saw to it would totally screw up the geometry of the board and it would ride like ass. Don't be surprised if you see Grunner on a true race board in the Olympics (he'll probably be on a Virus even) Krassnag will probably be on one also. Whoever is telling you these rumors is full of ****.

[felix]

Yip, Krassnig races on 22cm wide Virus Raceboards using snow pro binders and Dee Luxe boots. Last year he was on a Tomahawk. Many Boardercrosser (like the F2 BX team) were forced by their sponsors to switch to soft boots. I can tell you that they didn't like it. I would say on the Worldcup its 50/50. Those on a soft setup however all race on custom built boards which are way stiffer than what you can get in the stores. Tomahawk is building quite a lot of soft boards for BX events.

BTW: Sigi Grabners seems to be building up a small team all using his own boards. This went so far that Karl Benjamin beat him in the last EC PGS in Haus on one of "his boards".

[philfell]

But neither was able to beat Tyler in the second day race at Haus!

[Bordy]

I just did a interveiw with Jasey Jay for hardbooter he thinks soft boots are a waist of time in BX. But then other softbooters beat him at WC events.....

Most of the guys and girls at Jeep run hard boots but it is more of a blended GS BX event.

[Neil Gendzwill]

I just did a interveiw with Jasey Jay for hardbooter he thinks soft boots are a waist of time in BX. But then other softbooters beat him at WC events.....

Why do they beat him? Is it a boot-independant thing like just getting the holeshot or getting tangled up with the other racers? Or is it the case that some courses are suited to the softies and others to the hard boots?

[NMU Alpine Boarder]

Since we are discussing the finer points of BX rules......

I was looking through Ebay earlier today, and came across some Slalom tops.... I know that wearing a GS suit is outlawed, but would wearing a slalom top be considered a "Race Suit"? I watch some of the SBX racers wearing stuff that just flaps away in the breeze.... I know it's splitting hairs, but I'm curious...

[philfell]

You can wear speed suits in any FIS event.

[Guest Ghostrider]

Not in USASA or USCSA. (603)

No "slippery materials"

The reason is the slideability factor. If you fall, the suits are too slippery and wont help enough to slow you down.

[Wisconsin Lover]

I did the Jabra X-Jams last year in Sugarbowl & there were 2 things that made this race different from other Boarder-X races I have done. 1) The coarse was about 1:30 in length & 2) There were a ton of roller/rhythem sections. Whatever you choose, bank on these 2 things to be common for this years course.

[SnowFarmer]

I hope I can at least add to all the comments. I raced the swatch series and Paul Mitchell. I ran the Gravity Games course in 99 and Chevy Grand Prix. Regionally I did very well in the pro class back when I raced.

Hard boot- Soft Boot. really depends on you. If you can suck up jump in hard boots that have you canted forward then its for you. My preference was really stiff boards. I raced both with Palmer and Option. Both have good and bad points, eventually I chose Option for personal preference. I’m a big guy. My boarder cross bindings are set at 35/5 degrees. Depending on the course, I am about half an inch off center. And I base my bindings off my shoulder width. I have 20 inch shoulders so I run 19 inches center to center. I run Burton bindings with aluminum discs from race bindings. The highbacks are rotated forward with the addition of a calf clip. I run a lot of forward lean. I have tried the Palmer plates didn’t care for them, but I have a small foot. However fellow racers do like them.

If you have no courses that you can try out, run your set up by the local board park and give it a shot. Remember most of BX is pre-jumping. Staying low. So if you can ollie your set up at least a foot to foot and a half you should be good.

Enjoy. I am happy to see the attraction to the sport return. I still coach a local pro here and have a good time with it. I would love to see the event return full force. Never did like slope style.

[SnowFarmer]

Hey Gord - I wanna say it's common knowledge that the Hole-Shot is by far to the advantage of every racer to win. Would you attribute that to board length in apposed to reaction time and pull out of the gate? Just looking to pick your brain a bit.

Cheers

-b-

Great point. Do you ever practice this? We used to set up a skateboard and two pipes and a makeshift falling gate. Sad to say being 40 years old, my reaction time is very poor. Out of the gate first is best. Remember, never give up on a race. Many times I had come off late there was a wad or crash to the side, I won the heat by being one of the survivors.

Have fun. it was my favorite discipline.