Designs for winter windsurfing. Various options for winter windsurfing. Design of a sailing ski Windsurfing on snow

Text by Alexey Levin

At this time, many people sit at home, but not real wind lovers. What should windsurfers do when bodies of water become covered with ice? Go to warmer climes? Throw the sail on the shelf? Well, no, we’ve finally waited for the season: it’s starting winter windsurfing!

As soon as boards with sails became common on the water, athletes in the northern countries, without saying a word, mastered the same sail for training and racing in the winter. General principle the same: there is a flexible hinge on the projectile, a sail with a double “wishbon” boom is attached to it. The athlete holds the boom, controlling the sail, as well as steering the projectile with his feet. While maintaining balance, the rider heels into the wind, tilting the sail towards himself, as they say, “hanging” by his hands. A trapezoid is always used: a strong hook on a powerful belt, which is used to cling to special loops on the boom, making it easier to sail.

Although the main principle is similar to that in summer, the surface in winter is fundamentally different! The first winter windsurfers had to rack their brains about what to actually glide on? This work is still in full swing. It is hardly worth listing all the developments, and this is impossible, because every master, every racer considers it his duty to create something of his own, well, at least to improve what came before him. And it’s not just about an inquisitive mind and a thirst for invention. This is required by the surface underfoot, its diversity and changeability. On one tack, in addition to smooth snow, you may encounter bumpy crust and bumpy ice. So you have to select both the “shells” and the riding style.

Quite quickly, winter windsurfing took shape as a free class, in which, according to the rules, the equipment can be anything, but the sail must be from windsurfing.

Many years Russian athletes successfully perform in this class on sailing skis, winning at the highest international level. True, after 2000, when Anatoly Sarafannikov from Tyumen once again became the world champion, for a number of reasons there was a certain calm

IN last years our racers began performing on wide sailing sleighs of domestic design, once again storming international heights. And in 2011, in Finland, Andrei Khargovsky from Arkhangelsk became the world champion. At the World Championships in 2013, in a bitter struggle, he again proved that Russia’s leadership in winter windsurfing is not only not accidental, but undeniable.

These achievements were the result of many years of serious work, because winter windsurfing began to develop here in 1976, and all-Union championships began to be held in 1983. And now an epoch-making event is just around the corner: the next world championship - in February 2014 - has been decided to be held in Russia! This decision is a worldwide recognition of the merits of both our athletes and the organizers of the competition.

Equipment

There are currently three main types of projectiles for winter windsurfing: monoski, “double-ski”(double-ski sled ) and iceboard(skating board). The rest of the equipment can be considered training or amateur.

All types of projectiles belong to the “sailing sled” class, so any projectiles can participate in any class competition; the choice is up to the athlete. However, racers, with rare exceptions, get used to one type of projectile and rarely change it.

Popular abroad iceboards and narrow sailing sleighs. In our country, racers have been winning on monoskis for a long time.

In recent years, Arkhangelsk athletes have developed a special sled - a double-skied sled of large width. This wide one "double-stick" It goes well on both hard surfaces and loose snow. Thanks to the width of the support, it became possible to set larger sails and cope with strong gusts without losing speed. The last Russian and world championships were won on this apparatus.

Sails for iceboards And "double-stick" do not have any special winter specifics. For racing, exactly the same sails are used as in the summer, taking into account the type of competition and wind conditions. For modern "double sticks" They use high-tech cruise sails of up to 10 square meters or more. On iceboards, As a rule, sails are set in a small area. For monoskis where the stand is special, athletes sew special “winter” sails or remake summer sails.

Peculiarities

In our country, and in other northern countries, the winds are stronger in winter than in summer. And calm happens less often. Therefore, the competitions are more dynamic and the speeds are higher than in the summer in the same region. The competitions look very impressive; they are easy to watch for both spectators and journalists, who are in the thick of the action.

The sliding surface in winter is hard, but very diverse: from crispy crust to snow porridge, from drain ice to deep virgin soil. Respectively, great importance acquire the secrets of sliding. This won’t scare experienced skiers, but the rest quickly gain experience. After all, without it you won’t win, and sometimes you won’t even go. As in any skiing, winter windsurfers use various lubricants and complex methods of applying them: in several layers, at different intervals, for specific weather conditions. True, the recommended ointments do not always “go” strictly according to the instructions, so each team has its own preparation kitchen in its arsenal, and each athlete has his own personal know-how. As for iceboards, sharpening skates is of similar importance.

High speeds on hard surfaces impose serious safety requirements. The wind at competitions is often very strong, and falls and blockages occur. Therefore, a durable helmet, goggles, and knee pads are required. Sometimes additional protection for the back and elbows is used. Of course, protection from frost is also required. In general, the usual equipment for a winter surfer is ski equipment.

For a summer windsurfer, the almost complete absence of lateral drift on ice and snow is unusual. This means that you can go quite sharply into the wind without losing speed. On the ice, as you accelerate, the apparent wind grows, allowing you to go even faster. This is the so-called “buoy effect”, when the projectile for a long time flies almost against the wind. On snow, this effect is also felt, although not so clearly.

Due to the fact that the lateral drift is minimal, you can tilt the sail without the risk of breaking the projectile into a skid. In a good wind, winter windsurfers fly above the surface, barely touching the snow...

It should be noted that with the advent of the wide Arkhangelsk “double-skid”, the control and guidance technique became closer to summer windsurfing. Athletes place their feet far behind the hinge, which was the exception on the monoski.

Competitions

In the “sailing sleigh” class, classic for sailing racing on middle distance- course-flight. The race is carried out upwind and then downwind, taking about half an hour, with breaks, in several stages. The marathon race is held over a distance of 40-60 km and lasts at least two hours, so such a test requires endurance and experience in working with the wind. The super-marathon in Monchegorsk, on Lake Imandra, stands out separately, where athletes cover a distance of one hundred kilometers only according to the general course. This is where you can test your strength! The marathon has been held since 1998. The fastest windsurfer completed the distance in 2 hours 45 minutes, and many do not have enough daylight.

If the surface allows, the championships include “slalom” - speed competitions. The race is held in the gulfwind, as well as downwind and upwind, with high-speed turns every 50-200 m. The track is specially prepared, cleaned and even filled, like a skating rink. The race is carried out on special iceboards, which are required to have the same turning radius in order to avoid collisions when going around signs.

Since the surface is hard, you can not only slide on it, but also run. You are allowed to push off with your feet - this is a common way for monoskiers to accelerate. This is possible for other equipment, although on ice it is too slippery for jogging, and on a wide “double-stick” it is difficult precisely because of its width. Sailing (“pumping”) is not prohibited, but is used to a limited extent in racing because it is not very effective.

Organization

Many athletes come from summer windsurfing to winter windsurfing to be able to train all year round with the same equipment and without expensive trips to training camps in distant countries. This is, for example, what Polish athletes do, recognized leaders of the RS-X Olympic class.

Currently, sailing schools from Monchegorsk, Konakov, St. Petersburg and Arkhangelsk use winter windsurfing in their work as an addition to summer species. In addition to increasing the level of training, this, which is very important, helps to keep novice athletes interested in sailing all year round.

In our country, winter windsurfing is managed by the Winter Windsurfing Association, created in 1987. It is headed by Murmansk resident Vyacheslav Maltsev.

Since 1991 Russian team takes part in world championships, which have been held since 1980 and are organized by the international ice and snow sailing association WISSA. The championships took place in different countries: Canada, Estonia, Latvia, Finland, USA, even Italy. And in 2014, the World Championship will be held for the first time in Russia, not far from Moscow, on Lake Pleshcheyevo. Which is symbolic - in the very place where the Russian sailing fleet was born. Well, how can we not remember: “All the flags will come to visit us”!

“For me, the main thing in winter is not gliding, not the delight of victories, but freedom! In the summer, the lack of wind, onlookers on the beach, the coastline, and you never know what the obstacles are. your skis, someone's sails, kite lines, tents, flags, skating rinks, jumps, snowdrifts, snowmobiles, dog sleds. Forbidden signs disappear somewhere, fences sink in the snow. Tacks become longer, courses become sharper, routes stretch beyond the horizon .Old friends meet, a self-assembled tablecloth appears right on the ice, new acquaintances are made, knots are untied, phones are lost and found.The race begins...The surrounding hills, drawn into the whirlwind of the wind, expand the space, and do not compress it, as in the summer.In the frosty darkness "Everything that is unnecessary in this world disappears. Three remain: you, the wind and the sail. Maybe that's why many of us are just waiting for winter?"

Reference
A close relative of winter windsurfing is the winter kite, also called snowkiting. It happens that winter windsurfers switch to kites. There are also those who perform alternately in both classes, although this is difficult, since each class has its own specifics, and the competition is too great. The free wing is also popular abroad - freesail (“skimbat”, “kitewing”). This is a movement on skis or skates with a symmetrical sail, similar to a wing. The athlete holds the wing suspended and attaches it only to the hook on the belt. The athlete’s agility becomes of great importance here. The sail area is small - up to 4-5 sq.m., however, in strong winds, athletes reach high speeds, while making spectacular turns and jumps. Both snowkiting and freesail are included in the program of all major competitions, along with winter windsurfing.

Reference
* On last championship World Finn Oskari Pääkkönen accelerated to 63 km/h.
* The official sailing ski speed record in our country is 69.5 km/h, set in 1987 by an athlete from Moscow, Johan Gross.
* Maximum speed In an unofficial race, Jeffrey Brown from the USA showed 97 km/h at a distance of 500 m on ice.

Reference
Website of the Russian Winter Windsurfing Association - http://rwwa.ru/

Windsurfing

This article will talk about the sport of windsurfing. This phenomenon came to the CIS countries relatively recently, but is already enjoying great success among Russian sports fans. Mainly for those who have already done simple surfing.

general description

So, windsurfing is a type of sailing sport. It is based on the ability to control a light, small board on the water surface. A sail is installed on the board, which is a vertically located wing. The lift of a wing directly affects the driving force. To make your windsurfing more durable, Kevlar mesh is sometimes used to make the wing. Also, sails are made from polyester film, polyester fabric (for example, nylon, dacron, dacron) or mylar. The shape of the sail is usually triangular. The sides of the sail are called luffs. On the luff of any windsurfing sail there is a mast pocket into which the mast is threaded. The rigid plates that run perpendicular to the mast are called battens. They are needed in order to give the sail a special rigidity and shape.

At the lower corner of the sail (tack corner) there is a fastening, which is a sewn-in ring, grommet or block of rollers. If your windsurf has only one ring or only one eyelet on the sail, then you will also need to install a hook with rollers with which you can move the sail along the mast. Also, the roller system can be located at the base of the mast, in the so-called “glass”. A rope (guy) passes through these rollers to form a pulley, which makes windsurfing much easier to control the sail. The angle furthest from the mast is called the back or clew angle. Using a rope (guy), this angle is fastened to the boom. If the boom covers the sail on both sides, it is called a Wishbone.

Windsurfing has a top that is located on the top corner of the sail. The top may have a stop for fastening the top of the mast or a belt with a stopper (varitop). In racing sails, the top usually contains a built-in bearing, which is needed to make the sail more easily furled along the mast. Sails, which are usually installed on windsurfing, are fundamentally divided into persistent (camber) and simple. Camber ones have in their design armor, on which from one to five plastic stops (cambers) are installed. They help maintain the shape of the sail. Camber sails have much better traction, but they are heavier and more complex than conventional ones. For windsurfing used for racing, they prefer to use camber sails. Such sails traditionally have a much larger area than conventional ones. On average, the sail area ranges from 1 sq.m (for children) to 13 sq.m. m.

It is the area of ​​the windsurfing sail that is its main characteristic.

Windsurfing is unthinkable without special equipment. Such equipment includes:

trapezoidal loops (attached to a boom to which trapezoidal circles are attached); the trapezoid itself (represents wide belt or a vest that has a special hook that serves to reduce the load on the arms while windsurfing), which can be seated, waist and upper; wetsuit (made of neoprene material that retains heat while in the water); life jacket (increases the athlete’s buoyancy ability). When purchasing windsurfing equipment, you need to choose the best option that suits your needs.

Currently, there are a huge number of brands producing such equipment. Therefore, the choice can be quite difficult.

Windsurf board

Essentially, it is a sailing ship without a rudder. The board should be streamlined, approximately 2-4.7 meters in length. You can make such a board yourself. There is nothing complicated about this if you read the instructions on the Internet in advance. A windsurfing board is made from buoyant material. You need to control the board by tilting the mast with the sail, and if you move by planing, then the board needs to be tilted from side to side. The board can move regardless of the strength and direction of the wind. When controlling the board, you need to balance all the time, and control the spar when changing course. Note that the windsurfing board reacts both to the position of the athlete’s torso and to the position of its top. In order to learn how to maneuver on the water as quickly as possible, you first need to study the dynamic characteristics of your board. Unfold the board carefully, but at the same time confidently.

The windsurfing board has its own history. It is believed that the ancient tribes of Polynesia first began to swim on a board, and that it was thanks to them that surfing appeared on the Hawaiian Islands, and by the time Captain Cook appeared there in 1778, it was already widespread. However, by the 1880s it gradually began to fade away. In those times

The best "windsurfing board" was called "olo" and reached 14-18 feet (4.2-5.5 meters) in length and weighed about 150 feet (68 kg). It was made from wili-wili wood, which is a rather rare Hawaiian variety of balsa wood, distinguished by its lightness. Lower rank boards were made from the heavier Koa wood. The “windsurfing” board, as various sources say, was owned by the Hawaiian Prince David Kawonanaokoa himself. He rode it in 1885.

Boards in the form in which we are accustomed to seeing them today began to appear in the 1960s in the USA. Then they started trying to attach a sail to the board. At first, the designs looked awkward and bulky. The windsurfing board was patented by two people from Southern California - sailor Jim Drake and surfer Hoyle Schweitzer. However, Newman and Naomi Darby are considered to be the first inventors of the sailboard. In 1965, Newman Darby published his layout in the August issue of Popular Science magazine. However, the surfboard invented by Darby was not very popular, although he even organized a company called Darby Industries, which was supposed to produce such boards.

But the windsurfing board of Jim Drake and Hoyle Schweitzer, on the contrary, was a success. They even managed to commercialize the production of such boards thanks to a Seattle merchant who decided to start selling their products. The first boards they made were called Baja Boards. In 1973, Schweitzer introduced a new windsurfing board, more technically improved. By this time, he had separated from Drake and opened his own board production. He bought the rights to the invention he patented in 1968 from Drake, but in the United States he was unable to find anyone interested in mass production of windsurfing equipment, and moved to Europe, where he achieved much greater commercial success than Jim Drake.

Winter windsurfing.

You can ride a board not only on water, but also on smooth, clean ice (this is called an “iceboard”), dense or loose snow, as well as snow mounds. This sport is quite well developed throughout the world, and championships are held in it. Winter windsurfing differs from water surfing in that you only have to control the sail, which you tilt in the direction you want. True, the wind needs to blow strongly enough (remember that the board can move through water at any wind speed). Races run in light wind conditions will usually be disqualified.

In other words, winter windsurfing directly depends on weather conditions. It is, of course, a shame for competition participants when they have to leave, not because you are a bad athlete, but because the wind was blowing too weakly.

Designs for this sport can be very diverse. Traditionally, winter windsurfing is a skate or ski device. Skate devices can be four-skate and three-skate.

Four-skate devices are made like a skateboard, they use the same suspensions, only instead of wheels they have small skates attached. If you use this type of winter windsurfing, then you better make the board longer than a regular skateboard. The suspension itself should be tightened to the limit so that the board does not turn so sharply, but goes faster. Vibration can be dampened by lengthening the skates, as well as by any other means, but this may result in a buoy effect. Three-skate winter windsurfing has recently begun to be used in racing much more often than before. Only one pair of skates needs to be set to “parallel”, which gives three skates an advantage over four skates. So, at the World Championships in 1997, three skate apparatuses won.

Winter windsurfing may involve the use of not only skates, but also skis as support. Two ski designs are mainly used. They are in particular demand in Finland. We can say that such a design has been brought to perfection there. They have an advantage when skiing on dense snow.

Winter windsurfing can be three skis. In my opinion, this design is not very reliable, since the skis can move apart and the device itself can slow down a lot. Carved turns on three ski structures can only be performed with a platform located behind the skis. However, some Finnish athletes perform them using three-ski winter windsurfing. In general, we can say that riding three skis can cause conflicting sensations in an athlete.

There are even monoski machines. This is a Russian-Estonian invention. The design of such devices is quite simple. An athlete who uses mono-ski winter windsurfing can very soon easily become a virtuoso at world competitions, since mono-skiing is still rarely practiced. The advantages of this design include fairly fast gliding on completely different snow surfaces. It can move even in very light winds. The winter windsurfing monoski design is also very cheap to manufacture and easy to transport. However, it requires relatively high control techniques and the level of training of the athlete. Especially on slippery surfaces and in strong winds. Monoskis are divided into jumping and edge skis.

Where can you buy windsurfing?

Currently, there are many different companies producing sports boards and sails. They are sold both on the Internet and in regular sports stores, such as “Povolzhye Sport”, “Sportmaster”, “Sportlandia” and many others. There you can freely buy windsurfing, both water and winter. However, before making a purchase, I recommend that you read as much literature as possible about this sport. You can easily find it on the Internet. Carefully study all kinds of designs and equipment, since without this it will be quite difficult for you to decide which windsurfing you want to buy. To get started, just go shopping, ask the price, inspect the designs and equipment, and, if necessary, consult with sales consultants. I am sure that they will answer all your questions in sufficient detail and help you in choosing products.

If you decide to buy windsurfing in an online store, then let me recommend you several sites. First of all, I wanted to mention the online store “Windschool!”, since it is a direct dealer of the popular sports company SST, which produces sails, boards and sports equipment.

In this online store you can directly buy windsurfing, as well as trapezoids, spars, sails, boards, covers, trapeze sheets, launch sheets, hinge protection and boom protection, leg loops and rack covers, sail stuffers, as well as fliers. In the online store “Windschool!” leading brands are represented.

Here you can buy windsurfing from companies such as NAUTIX, DAKINE, GS SPORT GROUP, POINT-7, TAKOON, JP, TABOU, EWA MARINE and many others.

The second place is occupied by the online store “funwind”. Basically, they offer products for kitesurfing, skimboards, mountainboards, and snowboards. But you can also buy windsurfing, as well as masts, sails, fins, sheets, protectors, mast glasses, starting sheets, extensions, hinges, covers, materiel (including used ones) for it. We always have in stock such related products as screws, screws, nuts, ropes, dactron, glue, waterproof cases, trunk covers.

If you decide to buy windsurfing in the funwind online store, then you will need to fill out a special order form, in which you must indicate your name, telephone number, postal code, preferred delivery service from the proposed list and the desired payment method. You may provide any additional information.

It is also possible to buy windsurfing secondhand through advertisements in newspapers or Internet sites. In this case, do not forget to ask how long the product offered by the seller was in use. Check the condition of the product. If it is a sail, see if it is torn. The board itself must strictly comply with its standard sizes. If you are going to buy a windsurfing that has already been used, then check the strength of the attachment of the sail to the board, and the board itself, for cracks. Inspect the mast carefully. There may be signs of fractures or welding on it. Move the sail along the mast, it should slide easily and freely. Test the strength of the rope. In general, I would not recommend buying a windsurfing for you secondhand, since it will be much more difficult to customize it for you than a new one bought online or offline. sports store. But, of course, it’s up to you to decide.

Windsurfing video.

If you are planning to join any of the water or winter species sports, then first I would advise you to watch the corresponding videos on the Internet. There are quite a lot of them on well-known video sites such as YouTube and the like. But it’s better to look at the “windsurfing video” section on sites dedicated directly to this sport. Let's look at the most interesting of them. There is quite a lot of sports video material on the “infocafe” website. There are sections dedicated to water, mountain, and air sports, and there is also a separate section “on land”. There are videos of both educational and general nature. But we are interested in the “windsurfing video” section. It is this section that will be discussed further. Like other sections, it contains a fairly large number of videos.

The content of these videos is very different. Some of them are purely informational, others talk about specific elements and subtleties of controlling a board or sail. Also, the “windsurfing video” section of the “infocafe” website contains videos from which you can learn the secrets of speed when riding on water and other secrets professional athletes. For beginners in this area of ​​the sport, it will be useful to watch the roles “how to start moving.” For those who already have some experience in this, I recommend the video “passing the surf”, which can also be found in the “windsurfing video” section of the “infocafe” website. A very interesting video showing the process of setting world records, videos of high-speed races. From the training video, you can highlight a video on how to apply salt to the board so that it slips less.

The next site that I would like to talk about is called “anywater”. It, like the above-mentioned site, has a “windsurfing video” section. This section includes eleven of the most popular videos about this sport. Among them: a video demonstrating the benefits of tau-in surfing by the well-known Dani Bruch; video showing the most favorable places for water sports.

Also in the “windsurfing video” section of the “anywater” website there is a video about how an athlete miscalculated his speed and crashed into the pier. Of particular note is Peter Svensson's Minds Wide Open, which claims to be the best in its category. The geography of the places shown in the film is quite extensive. You can watch the film in the “windsurfing video” section of the “anywater” website.

Well, there’s one more site that I would recommend both to those involved in water sports and to those simply interested. This is the site "pashasurf". The site contains a list of educational textbooks and videos. The only negative is that the “windsurfing video” section of the site is mainly on English language. For example, in this section there is a table divided into two columns - “what to watch” and “area of ​​study”. So, only the column names are written in Russian. But I think this is not so important. The main idea can be understood. Moreover, in general terms the description of the educational films recommended in the “windsurfing video” section is given in Russian. There are not many links to videos, there is more of a simple DVD review. On the site you can also find a list of books that you should read if you are going to start playing water sports.

Windsurfing photo

If you don't study water sports, but you like to watch what others are doing or just keep abreast of all the events in this area, you probably also look at photos in addition to videos. It is for lovers of such photographs that I will list several sites that have a “windsurfing photos” section.

First of all, this is the “windsurf” site. The photo section here is simply huge!!! More than 100 pages with photo albums!!! There is an album with photographs of surf stations (“Malina” by Dolzhanka), the most common venues for competitions (again, Dolzhanka). In the “windsurf photos” section of the “windsurf” website you can find some very funny photos. For example, one of these photos shows how, while athletes were skating, a huge catfish jumped out of the water and almost ate them alive.

Many albums on the “windsurf” website do not have specific names; in this case, the name of the photo album in the “windsurf photos” section simply indicates the name of the user who sent the corresponding photos. If you are interested in the process of repairing structures, then we offer you a photo album called “repairing sails.” If you want to see the process sports competitions, take a look at the album “Pleshcheyevo May 12” in the “windsurfing photo” section of the site

"windsurf". There are several such albums on the site and some of them are simply called “Plescheyka”. If you are interested in the places where it is theoretically possible to ride, I recommend an album called “Holy Lake from the St. Andrew’s settlements”, which is contained in the same “windsurfing photos” section of the “windsurf” website

The photographs taken during the thunderstorm are very impressive. Oddly enough, in the photo we can see several people happily riding despite the strong wind and rain. These photographs were taken during the Baltic Cup competition. There are a lot of photographs in the “windsurfing photos” section of the “windsurf” website that capture various moments recreation for athletes. For example, how they smoke a hookah or cook kebabs. Those who are interested in individual aspects of controlling sports structures have the opportunity to watch the processes of getting on the water and acceleration frame-by-frame in the “windsurfing photo” section of the “windsurf” website. There are also photo albums of individual sports teams(for example, the “Vodnik” team). In addition to photographs of the competition participants themselves, on the site you can find photographs of ordinary spectators.

The “windsurfing photos” section of the “windsurf” website contains photographs taken in winter. There are especially many photographs of such a “winter” design as the “Estonian double-skid”. It is worth mentioning separately about the photo album with the interesting and seemingly unrelated title “Cow”. But it turns out that this is just the name of the device, photographs of which are posted in the “windsurfing photos” section of the “windsurf” website. But despite such a strange name, we can see in the photographs that even the most complex sports tricks can be performed on this design. For example, turning through a fordak. The double skids are presented in two angles – from above and from the side.

Therefore, photographs of double skis are contained in the “windsurfing photos” section in two separate albums.

Now there is an interesting trend of expanding interest from fanboarding to other extreme species sports, for example kitesurfing, wakeboarding, snowboarding. The reasons for this phenomenon are not the topic of this article. Interest has increased not only in these, I would say, bright views sport, but also to winter windsurfing, which had been rather closed up to this time. Articles on this topic were published not only in "Boats and Yachts" but also in "Vertical World", and now even in "Men's health".

Unlike such types, where equipment can be bought in a store without problems, but for money, in winter windsurfing you either have to assemble a snow apparatus yourself from existing skis, or completely design and order the manufacture of iron in the case of an ice apparatus. Moreover, there is a complete lack of information in this area. If the information does exist, then it looks like “...this is cooler than anything that was invented before - buy it from us...”. So, I will not discuss designs such as "snakes", "skimbats" and "snowfers" here.

General review.

According to the rules of WISSA (Ice and Snow Sail Association), two types of projectiles are raced: sleds - sleds and kites - devices with a free sail. There are no more inventory restrictions. To the kiters’ proposal to create separate rules for kite racing, the president of this association, William Tuthill, replied that this was welcome, but the text of the rules should fit on an A4 page! This attitude to the rules has its drawbacks, but it allows you to compare often completely incompatible projectiles at the same distance.

Of course, it often happens that the outcome wrestling It is not the skill of the athlete or even the build quality of his equipment that influences, but the weather conditions. You can, of course, be offended if at the next competition the type of road is completely unsuitable for your device, and, despite the time and money spent, you have to leave them, but everyone is on an equal footing and plays this lottery. The same applies to free skating on these implements: narrowly directed designs such as skate ones can often turn out to be completely unsuitable in “unsuitable” conditions, and universal ones can be inferior to them in driving performance in some cases. For example, the Polish team (skating apparatus) left the World Championships in Estonia when snow fell there, and vice versa, the French, competing on two-ski designs, left with pure ice in Poland.

Constructions.

Let me make a reservation right away - we will only talk about “sleighs” - kites are a separate topic.

Jibe on the iceboard

Skating devices.

4-skate - repeat the principle of a skateboard: the same pendants, only skates are installed instead of wheels. It is advisable to make the board longer than that of a skateboard, and tighten the suspension to the limit, then the board will not turn so sharply and go faster.

This idea can be further improved, for example by making the skates longer or somehow dampening the vibration. But, in my opinion, this projectile has a fundamental difference from funboarding, which insidiously manifests itself with increasing skill and speed. It is caused by the buoy effect that occurs at speed and inevitably turns active gybe turns into tacks. When entering a turn at a speed exceeding the speed of the wind and maintaining an arc without losing this speed, which is completely normal on smooth ice, the wind line intersects not with the wind, but against it! You can perfectly do a “360” with a sail lying along the surface, you can do this maneuver twice in a row, but to do a “duck” or a regular “gibe”, you must first brake

3-skate skates (popularly nicknamed “cockroaches”) - have grown over several years of use in racing from a design with a fixed skate in front, made of a tube, to devices with a steering principle approaching that of a skateboard.

These designs are more speed oriented and more stable.

Here, only one pair of skates needs to be precisely set “to parallelism” - this greatly affects the speed. At the World Championships in 1997. The first two places were taken by the guys from Canada, performing on three skates. There was crooked and rough ice and strong winds. No one expected such an advantage for skates in these conditions.

The Canadians had devices that I really liked. The device consists of a fairly light T-shaped frame made of aluminum profile with a 10mm platform attached on top. plywood. The basic idea is that the platform is cut crosswise at the rear; it turns out that its front half is attached only to the longitudinal beam and when you step on its side parts, it bends elastically. This movement is used to control the front skate. Two cables are attached to the fixed platform on both sides, and through blocks installed on the edge of the movable platform they are stretched crosswise to the steering skate. On straight courses, the athlete stands on one of the side skates - on the hard part of the rink, and on turns - he presses on one of the sides.

Ski equipment.

Double-ski designs are used mainly in Finland - many athletes have been racing them there for a long time, and their design has become, in my opinion, perfect. In dense and uneven snow and strong winds, “double-skids” have a clear advantage over other designs.

Dvuhlyzhka

The design of the projectile is very simple: two long (240 cm) edge skis are fastened by a narrow platform, and glide over the snow with their outer edges. The angle of inclination is adjusted with screws or turnbuckles - (it varies depending on the hardness of the road and is approximately 30 degrees). The term “double-skied” is not literal, since often instead of a plywood platform, a short jump ski is placed between the skis, and the result is a “three-skied” ski.

My feelings about this projectile are very contradictory. On the one hand, skis placed on the snow with different edges should, due to their tightness, tend to move apart in different directions and the entire apparatus should slow down strongly. But when I tried skis borrowed from the Finns, I was surprised at how easy it was to glide. Carved turns are only possible on machines with a platform located behind the skis, but the Finnish three-ski version still seems more effective to me.

Trekhlyzhka

2001 insert. Last winter's World Championships showed that Finns can indeed ride fast on double skis. Juha Manerma won this competition in fairly light wind conditions.

Monoskis. This is a Russian invention, more precisely an Estonian one, as they claim, but still a Soviet invention, it doesn’t change things. The monoski has a very simple design, and besides, it has long been a monotype for racing. This has greatly raised the level of training of our athletes, and at world competitions they have long been considered virtuosos.

Monoski

The strong and weak sides this projectile. The monoski has a very high quality of glide on very different types of snow, which means it starts to move in very light winds, is very cheap to manufacture, and is easy to transport and carry. But: it requires very good control technique, especially in strong winds and on difficult surfaces.

Here are the latest technical solutions used in monoskis: a quick-release platform that allows you to change skis right at the start; longitudinally sliding outer supports to improve ski performance on uneven surfaces; depreciation of the mast joint to reduce the transfer of shock loads to the edge of the ski; polyurethane mast hinge.

For monoskis, two types of skis are usually used - for snow - jumping 250cm, for ice and snow - long (220cm) edge. Many athletes even sew special sails for racing, which differ from summer sails mainly in the shape of the plan - the normal position of the sail while running on a monoski is greatly shifted forward.

FAQ

Can film sails be used in winter?

Film sails (like coal masts) can be used in winter without fear. Much more dangerous for sails is ultraviolet radiation, and for masts - local heating and impacts. For geeks it’s the other way around. Thermoplastic forgings of branded booms become fragile already at -10 degrees.

28.03.2018 06:40:00

Winter is in full swing, the water is securely frozen, the fields are covered with a blanket of snow. This is the favorite time for winter windsurfers: any open space becomes a huge stadium, any surface can be a track for training and competitions. Sails rush swiftly over the white veil, as if in summer over water... In the drifting snow, sometimes you can’t even discern what the athletes are standing on, what equipment is used for winter windsurfing, how does it all work together?

Nowadays, in addition to many options for hobbyists, there are three main types of shells for racing. This is a sled on two long skis - a “double-ski”, then a “mono-ski” - a single ski with a sail, and an iceboard - a board on skates. All three types are classified as “sailing sleds”. Any equipment can participate in all class competitions, at the athlete’s choice. However, riders, with rare exceptions, get used to one type and rarely change their preference. It just so happens (mainly due to the climate) that iceboards and narrow sailing sleds are popular abroad. In our country, racers have long won on monoskis. In recent years, Arkhangelsk athletes have developed and introduced into racing practice a special sled - two-skied, but of considerable width, about a meter. This wide “double-skid” goes well both on hard surfaces and on loose snow. Thanks to the increased support area, it became possible to set larger sails and cope with strong gusts without losing speed. At the recent Russian and world championships, this particular projectile was in the forefront.

In addition to racing equipment, there are many options for amateurs, and among them the most interesting is the “snow board”. The projectile is also popular for amateur racing; it also took part in the latest championship.

Monoski, or more precisely, the sailing ski is exclusively our equipment, domestic. Few people outside the USSR used the monoski in its classic look. The projectile appears simple in appearance - a small platform is mounted on a long, wide ski on several supports distributed along the center line. The platform, as a rule, rises above the ski by 8-12 cm. The ski is taken as long and wide as possible. Skis with a length of over 240 cm and a width of 10 cm are well suited for ski jumping. Despite the fact that such skis do not have steel edges, the projectile moves well even on dense crust. Sometimes small skates are placed on the sides of a jump ski for stability on icy areas. For bare ice, take a downhill ski (Speedski), 230 centimeters or more long, with sharp steel edges. A windsurfing joint is installed on the platform, approximately above the geometric center of the ski or slightly in front.

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They try to make the supports of the platform in such a way as to provide freedom for the flexible ski, which as a result “licks” the microrelief, changes the deflection as pressure is applied and thus works as efficiently as possible. The sailing ski was invented in Tallinn back in the mid-1970s by Tallinn yachtsman Yuri Pliznik (“KiYa” No. 75, 1978). In the Soviet Union it was a monotype for racing for a long time. The sail for a monoski was limited to 7.5 m2 in racing - a larger sail on a monoski is difficult to control. The projectile is often launched from a running start, since it is quite difficult to stay on a relatively narrow support while standing still and at low speed. On the tack, the athlete moves in a special stance - one leg in front of the mast, the other slightly behind - tilting both the sail and the monoski towards himself. As you slide, the edging angle is intuitively selected, optimal for of this coverage, wind force, course and speed. The rider thus balances “on the brink”, achieving maximum performance. A monoski in suitable conditions, due to its efficiency, even with a small sail, is quite capable of outperforming other projectiles carrying larger areas. The projectile is capable of carrying sails of more than seven and a half “squares”, but the comfortable sail range on a monoski is small.

When the wind increases, it becomes more difficult to guide a narrow ski in gusts, breakdowns and falls begin, and you have to take a smaller sail into the race, which affects the result. When there is sufficient wind, the ski can also move on loose snow - due to the openwork of the supports and the high platform, as if floating up from acceleration. The projectile can also be used on ice if the ski is equipped with edges or skates. Turning on a monoski is not easy. Dashing tacks without resting your foot on the snow are only accessible to masters, but in winter this has only a spectacular meaning. Deploying a projectile quickly is often more effective, although this also requires practice.

In the 90s, our athletes won world championships more than once on monoskis. The Murmansk club has established the production of special sails for monoskis, with specific geometry.

Double stick, as the name suggests, it resembles a sleigh with two runners. The runners are most often used as jump skis, sometimes as downhill skis. The skis are equipped with a platform of a complex design, usually on four supports. The skis used are very long, 250-270 cm. The hinge on double-skis is placed slightly in front of the middle of the skis. The skis are initially aligned strictly parallel, with a noticeable inclination outward - as they say, “edged.” Thus, the skis constantly glide only on the outer edges. The design of the supports provides for the possibility of changing the edge of the skis, which allows you to adjust the projectile to different snow and ice conditions; other adjustments are also possible. There are two types of double-skirts: the narrow “Finnish” and the wide “Arkhangelsk”.

The Finnish double ski has been known since ancient times. Characteristic feature is a narrow area and closely spaced skis. The comfort of carrying the projectile is higher than that of a monoski, and the range of sails is also slightly wider. A narrow double-ski skis on both ice and snow, but in virgin snow it can get bogged down due to the low platform, rake up snow due to its complex design, and slide to one side due to the narrow spacing of the skis. It is possible to gybe on dense surfaces, both at speed and almost on the spot. Other turns can be done by stepping, but not as sharply as on a monoski. The equipment is suitable for both amateurs and competitive racers. There have been attempts to mass-produce narrow double-ski sleds, but currently they are not mass-produced.

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The wide double-skid began to be developed in Arkhangelsk in the mid-2000s. This is a development of the two-ski design, but a very radical one. Long skis carry a convex platform about a meter wide. Thanks to the special design of the supports, it is possible to adjust not only the edging, but also the parallelism of the skis and wheel alignment.

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The projectile resembles a water windsurfing board in its stance and manner of handling: the rider stands with both feet behind the mast, tilts the sail not only to the wind, but also back, standing closer to the edge of the wide platform. If you need to hold back the gust, it shifts the center of gravity of the body to the wind and back along the board: as windsurfers say, it “goes” to the stern. Thanks to the optimal placement of the wide skis, the projectile also moves well in deep snow, without falling through or heeling. A wide double ski allows you to move on loose snow even in light winds, for which the athlete stands closer to the center of the wide support area, moving the double ski as smoothly as possible. In this case, the edging, as a rule, is adjusted more accurately... High-speed jibes are possible on any surface, and beginner winter windsurfers can do it without much training. The projectile can carry large sails, 10 squares or more, not only with even draft, but also in difficult wind conditions. Even with a large sail, you can maintain gusts at speed and sail confidently in both light and strong winds. In style, the projectile is a winter analogue of the well-known “windsurfing formula” - a wide water board. In 2011, serious success was achieved on the wide two-skid track - the victory of our athletes in the World Championship after long break. Since then, the Arkhangelsk apparatus has taken prizes both at the world level and, of course, in Russia. The world's leading athletes are trying to copy the Arkhangelsk design, also making their own changes. Meanwhile, in Arkhangelsk, serial production of two-skids under the “MUST” brand has been established. An optimal design has been worked out: the convex platform rests on light, strong supports, also known as units that allow for quick assembly and disassembly of the projectile. All supports are unified, and this makes it possible to disassemble the projectile for transportation, quickly replace skis, and even change skis in a race.

The design is being improved and has not yet reached its “ceiling”. Recently, MUST manufacturers have added optional steel edges-skates, cutting metal strips along the outer, working edges of the skis. They increase the reliability of projectile guidance on ice, practically without adding weight to the structure. Also, domestic craftsmen have developed special skis, exclusively for winter windsurfing, where a thin edge is cut along the entire length of the skis initially, just like on branded alpine skis. The design of the platform for racing double-skis is also being improved: both abroad and here, “decks” are increasingly being made with a multi-layer structure, with a fair amount of carbon fibers. Such double skis are noticeably lighter with increased strength and optimal elasticity, which allows you to count on high results.

Iceboard traces its pedigree directly to the riverboat. The structure is similar: sharp movable skates are attached to a solid platform below. For racing, relatively long blades are used, 30 centimeters or more. The most popular scheme among amateurs and athletes with four movable skates is called a highboard. Implemented on a small oblong board. According to the principle of operation of the suspension, a highboard resembles a skateboard: the skates are parallel in pairs, and each pair can also rotate in horizontal plane. Changing the direction of movement is done by tilting the platform in the desired direction, which is simply achieved by pressing the feet on the edge of the board. Since at the same time the athlete must also tilt the sail, the motor skills of the movement are quite intricate. But the projectile turns out to be surprisingly maneuverable and at the same time fast. Highboards are used for both freestyle and slalom racing. Turns on a highboard can be made sharper than on water boards in the summer, and without the projectile falling off, they are precisely “cut” ones. Even on a small skating rink, skilled freestylers manage to draw dashing figure eights and graceful spirals, entertaining the audience.

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As a rule, small sails are installed on iceboards. In Europe, where there has been little snow in recent decades and clear ice is not uncommon, iceboards different types quite popular. In addition, mass production has been established - the Latvian highboard under the Hiberna brand is widely used both for competitions and for amateur skating.

In addition to the iceboard with an elastic suspension, a skating apparatus called a “three-skate” has long been known. It is closer to the iceboat in design, the rear pair of skates is mounted rigidly, the front skate is steered with a special lever. Other versions of iceboards are also known, for example, special projectiles for setting speed records. It was on an iceboard that the speed record was set in 2012 - Jeffrey Brown from the USA reached 97 km/h at a distance of 500m.

Snow board arose as a logical development of the idea of ​​a summer monolithic, inflexible board, without any moving elements. Despite the apparent simplicity of the design, the creators had to rack their brains over both the shape of the board and its design. The loads on snow and ice are greater than on water; the surface is very treacherous and heterogeneous. For ice, for example, such a board needs sharply sharpened skates, and in order for the projectile to turn, a special shape of these skates is needed, as well as the tricky geometry of the entire bottom (the so-called “rocker”). Overseas, such a board is known as a snowfer. In our country, DSD has recently been mass-produced, a projectile developed by Samara athlete and inventor Dmitry Skobelev. The board moves well both on loose snow and crusty snow, making it possible to perform dashing gybes and even tacks. This projectile is closest in geometry and style to water boards. Beginner winter windsurfers, as practice shows, immediately get into the loops and hook up to the sail with a trapeze without fear. It is possible to install special skates that are sharper and higher than the standard ones - then the board can be cut confidently on the ice.

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This design is popular among amateurs, as well as in surf clubs for rental in winter and for training. Now a second, improved board is being produced, suitable for amateur racing, called “DSD Ultra”. Soon it is planned to create a new version that uses the latest technologies - carbon, special sliding surface and similar innovations. The board is mass-produced, based on domestic materials, and is available to almost everyone. Last season in Togliatti, DSD Ultra boards took part in the WISSA-2017 World Championship for the first time.

*previous article on this topic - “Winter windsurfing: from the past to the future”, KiYa No. 2 (254) for 2015.

Text of the article: Alexey Levin. Illustrations: Marina Turusinova, Svetlana Drobyshevskaya

The ancestors of modern winter kiting were surfing and skiing and sailing. Today this sport is successfully developing not only on water. Athletes ride on the surface of the earth with all kinds of obstacles on mountain boards, on a snowboard with a parachute in the snow. The sport allows extreme sports enthusiasts to control gusts of wind, receiving a lot of positive emotions with a powerful dose of adrenaline.

Skating under a canopy on a board, skiing or skating in the snow is not only a sport for extreme sports enthusiasts, but simply leisure. The main element of the kite is the wing - a parachute for which generates thrust intensity, creating lift. You can ride with the help of such a kite: on a frozen lake or river, a snow-covered field, or a ski slope.

You can try driving anywhere, and you don’t really need strong wind. When using a parachute-kite, when climbing a mountain hill and then descending on the wing, the amazing power and harmony of nature opens up before the rider. Having skis, a snowboard and a kite can turn a dull winter day into an adrenaline-filled adventure.

Story

For the first time, the method of riding on snow under the traction of a kite was turned into reality by a German paragliding athlete about fifty years ago. The freerider hooked himself to the parachute, successfully maneuvering under the canopy. A little later, skiers and ice skaters began to maneuver under the wing.

Developing, kite snowboarding has become professional looking, unique techniques and performance techniques were formed. Every year, in those places on the planet where there is an appropriate climate and platforms, competitions of various levels are held:

• free skiing on difficult trails;
• racing tournaments;
• flights;
• art - jumping aerial tricks;
• adventure simulation competitions.

The first snowboard club with kite appeared in Russia since the late nineties. Currently, a large number of kite centers are opening, where beginners learn how to glide under the wing. Similar schools They also provide rental of necessary equipment for flights.

Technique

For those wishing to master this art, it is advisable to start sliding on freshly fallen snow cover. Modern wing kites can move in any direction. However, the most natural skating is perpendicular to the air masses. Having learned to feel the air flow and control the wing, you can quite easily return to the exact point on the terrain from where you started. The distance the rider will cover will depend on his desire, experience, and endurance.

Education

Unlike water kite surfing, those who want to master it do not have to look for the right place for flying in warm regions. The climatic conditions and terrain of most of Russia allow skiing to be carried out in many regions of the country.

A good option if you want to learn the art of skiing and kiteboarding would be to contact special school. Classes in such centers are held under the supervision of experienced mentors who will help you avoid all mistakes. In such schools, there is no need to purchase the necessary equipment, since during the training all equipment is given to the beginning athlete absolutely free.

If you're trying on your own, there are a couple of tips to keep in mind:

1. Before you attach the sail straps to yourself, you need to learn how to ride a board, skis or skates well without secondary traction force. After practicing, you should at least a little master the technique of riding apparatus.
2. When you first launch and fly, you should take care of insurance by asking a friend for support. A rope will serve as a safety net.
3. For a test run, you need to choose an open area and light wind.

Wind rating

For beginner kiters, the ability to move with low thrust is of great importance. This is necessary to comply with safety requirements. You should beware of low clouds as this is the primary cause of cyclone winds. It will create strong turbulences, which are very dangerous not only for beginners.

To avoid a fatal mistake, the kiter must remember that when launching, building, tall trees must be located at least 90 meters below the wind. Having carefully read the parachute instructions, it is necessary to adhere to the exact coincidence of the strength of the current air flows with the specified optimal range in the passport.

A novice rider should buy a pocket anemometer that will determine wind speed. The athlete also needs to check the Internet for upcoming weather conditions. In case of unstable and very strong gusts, you should refuse to launch the canopy or change to a smaller sail.

Places for skiing

For adrenaline junkies who want to master a parachute for snowboarding or other sports equipment, there are safe platforms all over the world.

1. Thalgau. The most popular site for kiters, located in Austria. Good climatic conditions, stable wind and mentors will help you master gliding under the wing in a very short time.
2. Varanger. A playground for ace athletes in Norway, where strong gusts of wind allow the wing to be launched at breakneck speeds.
3. Pleshcheyevo. Russian platform for kite lovers, located near Pereyaslavl-Zalessky. It features smooth terrain with the necessary amount of snow for skiing.
4. Gearwood. A site in Alaska with wind blowing in all directions and the optimal amount of snow. A great place for professional freeriders to perform amazing tricks.
5. Ai-Petri. Snowy Crimean point, suitable for snowboarding.

Restrictions

Anyone can engage in this sport, even those without special training. physical training. However, some contraindications still exist:

• Flying is not recommended for people with ankle and knee injuries;
• for back pain, you should use only a special trapezoid stabilizer, which will relieve the load;
• Children from 13-14 years old are allowed to enter the start line only in light winds with a small wing, strictly under the supervision of adults.

Equipment

Being quite traumatic, skiing on a snow board requires the athlete to have iron health. However, snowkiting, as it was called with a parachute, became a less dangerous sport.

To practice winter kiting, the rider will need:

• aerobatic or training wing;
• special trapeze belt for sail control;
• helmet, gloves, mask;
• ski and additional accessories;
• sports equipment for movement.

Kite

When choosing a sail, kiter experts recommend buying a universal demi-season wing. After all, such equipment can be used to glide along the water surface. However, for beginner kiters, you will need a miniature training canopy, which will make it easier to master piloting skills.

Types of kites

In addition to the main types of wing parachutes, there are several other varieties that are called differently. Such elements also fully create lifting force.

1. What is skiing with a parachute called? Which type of wing is most suitable? Speedgliding is an extreme form of entertainment. Apply skiing and a glider-dome capable of reaching speeds of up to 140 km/h.
2. What is ski jumping with a parachute called? Skysurfing, where a skier jumps from an airplane or helicopter at an altitude of 3500-3800 meters. Just before the ground, the athlete pulls the ejection pin from the equipment sports equipment to the ground. For skysurfing, reliable parachutes are used.
3. A wingsuit is a kite suit that creates an aerodynamic profile in the air. The oncoming air currents enable the athlete to successfully pilot. Parachute and protective systems are used.

Standard domes come in two types:

• rigid inflatable wings, inflated using a pump. Safe and controlled equipment;
• double-layer parachutes, which have less weight and dimensions compared to inflatable ones. The equipment does not require inflation and is transportable.

The necessary equipment and accessories for snowkiting, kitesurfing, spitgliding can be purchased at the Sportmaster store, where the products are presented famous brands decent quality.

Important

When learning to fly aerobatic kites, it is worth remembering that:

1. The proximity of trees, power lines and buildings is unacceptable!
2. At the start you need to be careful, trying not to confuse or damage anything in your equipment!
3. Initial classes take place in the presence of several people!
4. Worn and frayed straps on equipment should be replaced immediately!