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abjectwoe
May, 2025

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Jibbing in slopestyle

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BigmoneyMatt
Posts: 1545 - Karma: 1,215
Why even bother having rails in the slopestyle course? It seems like the judges just disregard any small bobbles in the rail section.

Nick goepper's rail run was technical but not smooth, and he bobbled on the first rail on his best jumps run. His rail section didn't seem very inspired or creative either, just robot NPC rail route.

Evan on the other hand had a silky smooth rail run, followed by a amazing jump section with a grab change on the second jump.

Man, rail jams are so much better then slopestyle now. Fuck X-games fuck the olympics, I'm just gunna start watching rail jams only cause these slopestyle and big air contests are just pretty shitty now.
4 years ago
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hud4raptors
Posts: 91 - Karma: 844
totally agree with you brother, evan had a banger run, and while its great to see nick on the top step, and i believe he deserved a podium after the way andri, colby and others were skiing, abm had an awesome run, and i was frustrated to see that he di not earn a medal, the judging this year was the worst i've seen.
4 years ago
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eheath
Posts: 61949 - Karma: 126,666
xgames course was pretty bad this year IMO, rails were underwhelming, the double side hit isn't the right thing especially at the end of the course.
4 years ago
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a_pla5tic_bag
Posts: 9244 - Karma: 5,689
Maybe they should just have big air and a rail jam separate and scrap slopestyle altogether.
4 years ago
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katrina
Posts: 2395 - Karma: 15,195
It's coming full circle, Slopestyle is becoming aerials. Maybe they can put rails in aerials courses.
4 years ago
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Skigullgavin
Posts: 20 - Karma: 150
I liked the way they had the rails set up a lot better last year and they actually contributed to the score too!
4 years ago
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Pizzarolls
Posts: 63 - Karma: 672
I really want to see a seperate rail jam with lesser known riders kinda like steel city show down. I just want to see more creativity brought to the table. They should also throw in some swerve boys in the pipe lol.
4 years ago
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katrina
Posts: 2395 - Karma: 15,195
BigDaddy69I really want to see a seperate rail jam with lesser known riders kinda like steel city show down. I just want to see more creativity brought to the table. They should also throw in some swerve boys in the pipe lol.

100 percent in favor of swerve modified pipe
4 years ago
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Pizzarolls
Posts: 63 - Karma: 672
katrina100 percent in favor of swerve modified pipe


Would be so fire to watch, but the judges would prolly not be fans
4 years ago
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Pizzarolls
Posts: 63 - Karma: 672
Also who tf really are the judges like do they even rip themselves lol
4 years ago
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katrina
Posts: 2395 - Karma: 15,195
BigDaddy69Would be so fire to watch, but the judges would prolly not be fans


I wouldn't be so sure about that. I don't think the judges are the ones driving the sport in the direction it's been going.
4 years ago
4 0
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asparagus
Posts: 2500 - Karma: 28,453
The dew tour did this thing one year where the rail and jump lines were on separate courses and both accounted for half your score. IMO that was one of the best slope events format wise that I’ve seen, other than last years Burton US open where they judged each feature individually. The separation makes for waaaay crazier jump and rail runs, also the judges aren’t under as much pressure to evaluate an entire course.
4 years ago
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eheath
Posts: 61949 - Karma: 126,666
asparagusfriendThe dew tour did this thing one year where the rail and jump lines were on separate courses and both accounted for half your score. IMO that was one of the best slope events format wise that I’ve seen, other than last years Burton US open where they judged each feature individually. The separation makes for waaaay crazier jump and rail runs, also the judges aren’t under as much pressure to evaluate an entire course.


I disagree, I think you guys are forgetting about past slopestyle courses and how good they were, don't let this year cloud your memory.
4 years ago
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katrina
Posts: 2395 - Karma: 15,195
eheathI disagree, I think you guys are forgetting about past slopestyle courses and how good they were, don't let this year cloud your memory.


That's true, this is a weird year and that was a less than ideal course. Especially considering the speed issues.
4 years ago
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SkiBum.
Posts: 3609 - Karma: 3,977
That slope course was sub par. Standard for SPT.

Russia Olympic slope course was still one of the best ever.
4 years ago
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eheath
Posts: 61949 - Karma: 126,666
SkiBum.Russia Olympic slope course was still one of the best ever.

This is what I'm saying, I'm not necessarily blaming SPT but budget limitations we're pretty obvious this year.
4 years ago
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FruitBootPro
Posts: 3176 - Karma: 14,528
Dude I've been saying that the rail section in slopestyle is boring af. If you look at x games freeski competitions we have:

-Big air: a huge jump
-Superpipe: ~5 huge jumps taking off and landing vertically
-Slopestyle: 3 rail hits (which are often super uninteresting) and 3 huge jumps


X Games is clearly too focused on air tricks. We desperately need to get rid of "slopestyle" and just have a rail jam where riders get a ton of tries through the course so they have actual incentive to try rail tricks that are actually fucked.
4 years ago
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katrina
Posts: 2395 - Karma: 15,195
FruitBootProDude I've been saying that the rail section in slopestyle is boring af. If you look at x games freeski competitions we have:

-Big air: a huge jump
-Superpipe: ~5 huge jumps taking off and landing vertically
-Slopestyle: 3 rail hits (which are often super uninteresting) and 3 huge jumps


X Games is clearly too focused on air tricks. We desperately need to get rid of "slopestyle" and just have a rail jam where riders get a ton of tries through the course so they have actual incentive to try rail tricks that are actually fucked.


Don't forget that they have real street. Missed opportunity not showcasing those athletes during the rest of the games this year but I suppose that's another 2 weeks for editing and filming for athletes.
4 years ago
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Ginger_Drew
Posts: 649 - Karma: 2,528
FruitBootProDude I've been saying that the rail section in slopestyle is boring af. If you look at x games freeski competitions we have:

-Big air: a huge jump
-Superpipe: ~5 huge jumps taking off and landing vertically
-Slopestyle: 3 rail hits (which are often super uninteresting) and 3 huge jumps


X Games is clearly too focused on air tricks. We desperately need to get rid of "slopestyle" and just have a rail jam where riders get a ton of tries through the course so they have actual incentive to try rail tricks that are actually fucked.


Midwest rope tow kids agree
4 years ago
14 0
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FruitBootPro
Posts: 3176 - Karma: 14,528
katrinaDon't forget that they have real street. Missed opportunity not showcasing those athletes during the rest of the games this year but I suppose that's another 2 weeks for editing and filming for athletes.


Real street isn't enough to make up for it. It's 5 minutes total of watching people hit rails, whereas a rail jam is like 30+ minutes of hot laps
4 years ago
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weastcoat
Posts: 6504 - Karma: 75,410
Wack judging and uninteresting skiing by half of the competitors is why I don’t watch x games
4 years ago
6 0
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Pipe_Munky
Posts: 10888 - Karma: 2,185
Remember, it's about the show. What's super tech and gnarly to us isn't the same to the general public.

FruitBootProDude I've been saying that the rail section in slopestyle is boring af. If you look at x games freeski competitions we have:

-Big air: a huge jump
-Superpipe: ~5 huge jumps taking off and landing vertically
-Slopestyle: 3 rail hits (which are often super uninteresting) and 3 huge jumps


X Games is clearly too focused on air tricks. We desperately need to get rid of "slopestyle" and just have a rail jam where riders get a ton of tries through the course so they have actual incentive to try rail tricks that are actually fucked.
4 years ago
6 0
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skierman
Posts: 8600 - Karma: 9,518
weastcoastWack judging and uninteresting skiing by half of the competitors is why I don’t watch x games


LOL you're missing out. Kids are so fucking spoiled nowadays.
4 years ago
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SkiBum.
Posts: 3609 - Karma: 3,977
Find Charles Beckensale on IG if you want to see the best park builder in the world. He did a lot of freelance stuff over the years and different builds at many top tier resorts world wide. Don’t think he’s done much recent with Covid. But his stuff is what the X games courses should be.
4 years ago
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eheath
Posts: 61949 - Karma: 126,666
weastcoastWack judging and uninteresting skiing by half of the competitors is why I don’t watch x games


You're just missing out on a great show, should check it out dude.
4 years ago
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katrina
Posts: 2395 - Karma: 15,195
eheathYou're just missing out on a great show, should check it out dude.


Yep, you have to at least watch it. How can you critique something you don't even watch?
4 years ago
6 1
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hud4raptors
Posts: 91 - Karma: 844
SkiBum.That slope course was sub par. Standard for SPT.

Russia Olympic slope course was still one of the best ever.


totally that russian doll tap feature was super dope
4 years ago
7 0
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ReturnToMonkey
Posts: 6448 - Karma: 70,207
BigDaddy69I really want to see a seperate rail jam with lesser known riders kinda like steel city show down. I just want to see more creativity brought to the table. They should also throw in some swerve boys in the pipe lol.


I think x-games is so stale because it's always the same athletes, for the most part. If it was almost an entire new field every year, such as real ski, it would be far more interesting
4 years ago
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theabortionator
Posts: 52609 - Karma: 174,418
Fuck a beat I'll go a capella, fuck X games, fuck the olympics, I'll call out the judges from my cellar. And fuck this slope comp, I don't want to win I'm outtie, now tell these judges something they don't know about skis.


4 years ago
9 0
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P-wurps
Posts: 215 - Karma: 1,207
I think xgames should take a page from the dew tour slopestyle, can't remember if dew tour does it every year but their slopestyle course was always different i.e. 2 jibs, 1 jump, couple more jibs and another jump or two. I think the 3 jibs & 3 jumps layout for xgames is getting pretty stale.

**This post was edited on Feb 2nd 2021 at 10:41:59am
4 years ago
5 0
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theabortionator
Posts: 52609 - Karma: 174,418
P-wurpsI think xgames should take a page from the dew tour slopestyle, can't remember if dew tour does it every year but their slopestyle course was always different i.e. 2 jibs, 1 jump, couple more jibs and another jump or two. I think the 3 jibs & 3 jumps layout for xgames is getting pretty stale.

**This post was edited on Feb 2nd 2021 at 10:41:59am


I don't think it's necessarily stale but I really liked the dew tour format.


There were plenty of years where people maiked it in on the rails and did cool jump tricks and won. It seemed like the rails didn't matter. I think they have more impact now.

X games was interesting this year with the forced transition hits on the jumpline. Pretty much every major contest has used them, some use them every year in some form. The first i remember them in a big comp was the US open in 2015 with a takeoff that had 2 qp'd sides.

Idk it was bold and some of the events everyone struggled with them, but I think it might be good to help push people to learn how to ride them better since they're a thing. I thought the rail sections have looked pretty fun at x in recent times.

I guess it's all personal opinion but to me it seems like things have gotten better than a time where I felt like the rails really didnt matter at all.
4 years ago
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ASAPCarter
Posts: 936 - Karma: 10,600
hud4raptorstotally that russian doll tap feature was super dope


Bruh I remember being like 12 and watching that shit was gnarly, like it’s a big reason I got into park and started paying attention to henrik
4 years ago
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Chubz.
Posts: 13918 - Karma: 25,673
eheathYou're just missing out on a great show, should check it out dude.


It’s the same as any other slope comp or big air comp that’s been held in the last 2 years. Comp skiing is extremely bland right now.
4 years ago
2 0
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eheath
Posts: 61949 - Karma: 126,666
Chubz.It’s the same as any other slope comp or big air comp that’s been held in the last 2 years. Comp skiing is extremely bland right now.


I'm gonna go ahead and disagree with you, but thats fine this is a pretty subjective topic. I think we're hitting new heights in slopestyle, I think you're just jaded.
4 years ago
1 1
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SSteezle
Posts: 9458 - Karma: 2,357
I think it'd be awesome if every slope run ended with a huge quarter pipe hit.
4 years ago
4 1
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theabortionator
Posts: 52609 - Karma: 174,418
SourSteezleI think it'd be awesome if every slope run ended with a huge quarter pipe hit.


Fuck, somebody please bring back the big 1/4 pipe. Fuck. When pipes were everywhere, pipe riding was firing, and everybody was sending it billy fucillo off those monster quarters. What a time to be a live.

I will sign this petition.
4 years ago
6 0
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The.Fish
Posts: 2269 - Karma: 4,997
I said this in another thread, but xgames needs to have a rail event with just some super challenging and long rails so riders can actually do some real rail tricks, not just 4 on disasters like most do now a days.

I am not usually one to defend goepper because his style is almost non existent, but his best run had no bobbles. The only questionable part of his run was the first donkey dick, but he still landed perfectly clean on the snow. He did pretzels on every single rail feature (4 pretz 2, sw on pretz 4, and switch 2 pretz 4). That is extremely technical and not one other skier was doing that. Evan still should have won because of the style and perfection of his run, but goepper definitely deserved a podium spot. https://www.instagram.com/p/CKzh9RqgjJ3/
4 years ago
3 1
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BigmoneyMatt
Posts: 1545 - Karma: 1,215
The.FishI said this in another thread, but xgames needs to have a rail event with just some super challenging and long rails so riders can actually do some real rail tricks, not just 4 on disasters like most do now a days.

I am not usually one to defend goepper because his style is almost non existent, but his best run had no bobbles. The only questionable part of his run was the first donkey dick, but he still landed perfectly clean on the snow. He did pretzels on every single rail feature (4 pretz 2, sw on pretz 4, and switch 2 pretz 4). That is extremely technical and not one other skier was doing that. Evan still should have won because of the style and perfection of his run, but goepper definitely deserved a podium spot. https://www.instagram.com/p/CKzh9RqgjJ3/


When I watch this first place doesn't come to my mind especially after watching evans, the difference is clear as day.
TBH though, what Ahall was trying to do on the tiny rails I respected much more. I don't like nick because it seems like he doesnt even like skiing he just likes winning comps.

**This post was edited on Feb 5th 2021 at 8:11:25pm
4 years ago
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