Advertisement

Swiss 'I-Pod' at peace with pipe in Sochi

AFP
AFP - [email protected]
Swiss 'I-Pod' at peace with pipe in Sochi
Photo: Jean-Pierre Clatot/AFP

Swiss snowboarder Iouri Podladtchikov claims he hasn't had time to come up with another revolutionary new trick ahead of the Olympic halfpipe competition in Sochi.

Advertisement

Podladtchikov, otherwise known as I-Pod, stunned the snowboarding world last year when he produced the first ever cab double cork 1440, which he named the Yolo flip.

Such was the outlandishness of that trick that the sport's own superstar Shaun White of the US was forced to learn it just to keep up.

But Podladtchikov says he hasn't been able to come up with another trick for this competition.

"To be honest with you I don't (have a new trick). I wanted to mirror the (Yolo flip) trick but time was too short and I think this pipe is very, very challenging.

"So I see myself doing that trick (the Yolo flip) in this pipe but you're not going to see the most crazy combinations. I don't think the trick combinations are going to be as wild as we saw in the slopestyle, just because of the course.

"It's a really great pipe, you can go really, really high in this one but the fact that it's a little bit more narrow than usual, potentially makes the trick combinations a little bit more rough.

"So I can't really tell you after one day of practice, but it's going to be interesting."

White, the double defending champion, was going to double up with the slopestyle but he pulled out of that event on Wednesday after injuring his wrist and ankle in a fall.

But Podladtchikov doesn't view that decision to focus on his main event as a sign of vulnerability.

"I was competing in slopestyle too a couple of years ago and to just catch up with Mr White I chose not to, which is a huge decision because it's fun," he said.

"It's a new thing in the sport, it looks amazing and you want to be part of it if you're a creative snowboarder.

"I gave that up a while ago to challenge him, and for him a couple of days before the event to drop out is kind of late, but with him having such a huge step ahead of the whole competition (and) everybody trying to catch up, that's no sign of weakness that he pulled out.

"It's the opposite, he's just getting himself in a comfier seat. It's just trying to make sure he brings home his third (gold) medal."

More

Join the conversation in our comments section below. Share your own views and experience and if you have a question or suggestion for our journalists then email us at [email protected].
Please keep comments civil, constructive and on topic – and make sure to read our terms of use before getting involved.

Please log in to leave a comment.

See Also