Snow skating
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Snowskating is riding on a flat skate deck on snow. Sometimes snowskates are attached to a ski and are called a "bideck" or "bilevel" snowdeck. Snowskating combines the elements of snowboarding and skateboarding to create a new experience which is most closely described as skateboarding on snow, or Snowskating.
[edit] History and Designs
The snowskate, according to skisk8.com, was first invented at a bonfire party at Stevens Pass, Washington when Steve Frink took an old skateboard deck and combined it with a broken ski, creating the bideck snowskate.[citation needed] Later, the snowboard manufacturer Burton produced the first bideck snowskate model. The bideck consists of a skateboard deck mounted by special trucks to a mini snowboard or ski (usually bi-directional). Premier Snowskates created a glass-filled nylon, single deck model around the same time. Today the single deck snowskate is generally more widespread for doing skateboard-based tricks. Starting in 2002, Premier began making single deck snowskates that used a plywood deck and p-tex base. The 2007 models use an HDPE bottom sheet or plastic with rubber foam for grip on the top. Bidecks generally have more control in terms of turning or carving, but require a good amount of balance if skateboard type tricks are to be attempted. Single decks have minimal directional control due to the channels that run underneath the snowskate from one end to the other. However, single decks are better suited for most tricks because of their wider contact patch with the ground. Homemade snowskates are also very popular, made from regular skate decks with the trucks and wheels removed.
When bideck users began flocking to ski resorts, there was debate whether or not snowskates should be allowed. Some resorts, seeing that they had ankle leashes and metal edges, allowed their use, while others did not allow them due to their lack of foot bindings. This problem is slowly being resolved as an increasing number of ski resorts set aside sections of their mountain designated for snowskate use only (commonly known as snowskate parks).
Copper Mountain Resort in Summit County Colorado had the first World Invitational, which Landon Parteneau won, landing several difficult tricks including a nollie flip lipslide and a heelflip front blunt heelflip out.
[edit] Companies
Many companies have become involved in snowskating. Some are independently owned and run, others are branches of pre-existing snowboarding/skateboarding companies. Some of the more dedicated snowskate companies include:
Gnu,Vans Shoes , Premier Ambition Snowskates and Clothing,Snowskate.ca, Varient3, Circuit Snowskates and Fuse.
