There are many ways to go about this snow season, but most are looking forward to the opportunity to go skiing or snowboarding. While some enjoy both activities, there is a long known rivalry between skiers and snowboarders that gets renewed each year as the two clash on the slopes.
Experienced skier freshman Chloe Westhoff shared her encounters with snowboarders that led to her dislike of them.
“I feel like snowboarders are more reckless and out of control… when I was six, a snowboarder ran me over and did not say anything, and snowboarded off,” Westhoff said.
While Westhoff has had rough experience with them in the past, she also added that she does not disapprove of all snowboarders and even suggest she is interesting in attempting the sport.
“I have wanted to try, but I would never fully switch…I personally do not hate all snowboarders just the reckless ones and I think that most people feel that way too,” Westhoff said.
Sophomore Aidan Burnside also enjoys skiing, and he had more to say on the typical negative stereotypes of the average snowboarder in terms of how they display themselves on the slopes.
“They are definitely wearing the jersey of a basketball player they do not know but thought the jersey looked cool or setting up their GoPro’s to see them go side to side,” Burnside said.
When skiing, Burnside finds that snowboarders are usually obnoxious and difficult to maneuver around.
“Snowboarders can be found cutting around and in front of you at perfect pace to be a pain to avoid,” Burnside said.
On the other hand, Burnside also recognized why snowboarders may be disapproving of skiers. He suggests that skiers have a reputation for being out of control and moving too fast for themselves.
“Skiers are usually flying down fast when they shouldn’t be and have no awareness of their surroundings,” Burnside said.
Sophomore Lui Shipper, a long time skateboarder, found that snowboarding was very similar and came naturally to him, but still believes that it is far more challenging than skiing.
“Snowboarding, in my opinion, is superior to skiing because I feel that snowboarding requires a higher level of skill. The two independent moving legs, a stabilizing stick in each arm, and the fact that you’re facing forward when you ski is very natural for the human body making it easier. Whereas in snowboarding, both legs are strapped to a board, the only thing keeping upright is your legs, and your body is forced to turn sideways in relation to the slope. It is very unnatural which makes mastering it more rewarding,” Shipper said.
Shipper shared an instance of an unfortunate experience he had with a skier while on a trip with his friends. Although he did not suggest anything negative of skiers, his experiences reflect what Burnside said of the typical skier.
“I fortunately have not had many bad experiences with a snowboarder or skier but I have a friend who had a bad experience with a skier while I was with him. A group of friends and I went on a ski/snowboarding trip once and on this trip, my friend got torpedoed by a skier while skiing down a slope,” Shipper said.
Senior Briggs Coyle used to ski, but switched over to snowboarding as he found it more challenging. He felt like it was too easy, and spoke of why he made the switch.
“I was too good at skiing, I was bored with skiing…with skiing, you are just gliding down, it’s not that great, it’s like roller skating on snow, so I switched to snowboarding for some new experiences…with snowboarding, you just surf the powder, it’s phenomenal,” Coyle said.
All four students interviewed suggested that their disliking may sprout from inexperience and not being familiar with the other sport. Most of the time the hatred is found as the two crash into each other on their way down the mountain and create long lasting memories. As the winter season approaches, skiers and snowboarders make their way to the slopes, more collisions are bound to occur and the rivalry will be carried on as the two sides go head to head for another year.
