With the freestyle snowboarder it’s all about the tricks, the more creative and original, the better. Going downhill fast is not what these competitors are about, instead they aim to thrill the crowd and impress the judges. At least, that’s competitive freestyle snowboarding. The social freestyler is merely looking for the adrenaline rush that comes with sailing through the air, unsure whether the landing is going to be soft or hard.

To make things easier for the freestyle snowboarder, the snowboard companies have catered for their style by manufacturing shorter, more flexible boards. Burton freestyle snowboards are different to their all-mountain boards which are designed to maximize speed or to float over the powder of the softer snow. The freestyle boards are capable of wild turns and are light enough to easily grab some wicked air.

What we are seeing is that there is a strong interest in the sport from female riders who have come looking for the adrenaline rush that park riding gives you. To cater for this increase the snowboard companies have been quick to jump at the opportunity and have been bringing out new freestyle snowboards to cater for the market.

Some of the most popular women’s freestyle snowboards include Burton Stria, Roxy Ollie Pop, Ride Canvas, Never Summer Pandora and the Forum Craft. Each of these boards has been specifically designed for the smaller framed rider to perform all kinds of tricks in conditions that vary greatly. The graphics are often fun and very busy which also reflects the attitude of the freestyle rider quite well.

Buying the correct type of equipment is essential and if you are planning on hitting the terrain parks, there’s no point taking out a board that hasn’t been specially designed for the job. If you decide to take an all-mountain board in there, the chances are you’re going to have a miserable day and you could come out of it with a damaged board.

Boilerplate – this is a term given to a type of snow. In fact the type of snow may also be known as ice because boilerplate is usually what you get when the top layer of snow has been scraped away from the trail and the underlying ice is exposed.
Shred – this is what you do on a snowboard. It is the word used in place of saying that you ride your snowboard. In actual fact you shred the mountain on your snowboard.
Ollie– this is a description of one of the most common freestyle maneuvers that is performed. It basically means to get some air using the flex and camber of the board. When you Ollie you should look balanced and your board should be parallel to the ground.
Hot pow – this is another term to describe a kind of snow that you may experience while snowboarding and it refers to powder snow that has been baked in the sun and has turned a slushy consistency.
Butter – this is a trick that you can do while riding at low speed. Basically it means rotating the board through 360 degrees, first by rotating 180 degrees, riding fakie before completing the spin with a second 180 degree spin.
Fakie – this simply means to ride the snowboard with the tail as the lead and the tip at the back. That is to say, backwards.
Rail – this is a piece of equipment you will find at the Terrain Park that you can use to ride your snowboard along. As the name suggests this piece of equipment is actually a rail.

There are many, many more words and terms used by snowboarders. Picking them up may not be necessary but it may get you out of a pickle if you know what others are actually talking about.

Oh yeah, there’s another distinctive feature about snowboards that have been constructed for women. The graphics are distinctly un-masculine. It would be safe to say that most male snowboarders wouldn’t be seen dead with a pretty snowboard.

When choosing a new snowboard, there are some important considerations to take into account. You’ve got to take into account your own weight and height which will determine the height and length and the width of the board you will want to buy. The heavier the rider, the longer and wider the snowboard should be to take your weight.

For this reason you will generally find that the range of snowboards for women will start at a much shorter length than the range for men. This is due to the fact that the average size of a woman is smaller than that of a man.

Freestyle snowboards are generally wider and shorter than a freeride board and are also more flexible, too. All of these features give the freestyle snowboarder the opportunity to perform more daring aerial tricks than they would be able to do with a longer, less flexible board. As a beginner you will find it easier to control a stiffer, less flexible snowboard than a freestyle board.

As a general guide you will find that the average size of a womens’ freestyle snowboard stands at around 150cm. The need to cater for the smaller framed female form as well as the tight turns of the moguls and half-pipes means that smaller is better for the freestyle snowboarder.

Now, it would be extremely unusual for a beginner to walk straight into the freestyle realm and so for that reason they should head of the longer, stiffer snowboards and practice their turns on the groomed runs. When the confidence has grown to the point where getting air with their beginner board is rather run of the mill, then thoughts may be turned to investing in a board specifically designed for the park.

Burton Snowboards is one of the largest snowboarding companies in the world and has a good range of freestyle snowboards for women. Models such as the Stigma, Stria, Blender and the top of the line GTwin are all manufactured specifically to take advantage of the opportunities available in the Terrain Parks of resorts everywhere. Other top line snowboards can be found from companies such as Forum, Ride, K2, Never Summer and Roxy.

The following is a brief summary of the different sports that use synthetic grass and, where relevant, whether the surface can be shared between separate sports.

American Football – the first NFL team to use an artificial turf stadium as its home was the Philadelphia Eagles. These days artificial turf has become increasingly prevalent and the surface is now the more commonly seen type of grass around the country today.

Soccer – Europe has taken hold of the synthetic turf surface for soccer and although English soccer was reluctant at first to use the surface, now that it has proven to be a winner for the sport, more grounds are being converted. In the US, soccer pitches are increasingly being laid with synthetic turf with the grass being the same type as used on American football grounds.

Lacrosse – another sport that is ideally suited to the synthetic turf surface is lacrosse. The grass used for these stadiums is the same as that used for American football and soccer.

Hockey – unlike other synthetic grass pitches, field hockey surfaces are not meant to replicate the look and feel of real grass. The synthetic turf blades are short and designed to allow the ball to roll quickly and smoothly across the ground. The turf is not filled with the usual infill, instead it is watered heavily to reduce abrasion and to keep the ball running quickly.

Cricket – the synthetic turf cricket pitch is a strip of turf used to bat and bowl on and has allowed cricket to be played on an even, true surface. Previously pitches were made of concrete and mats were laid over the top to provide a playable surface. Synthetic turf cricket pitches now allows for a more even contest between bat and ball.

Baseball – the Astrodome was the first major sporting stadium to use artificial turf and soon more ballparks were installing it. As with other sporting grounds laid with artificial turf, the surface is the same as that used for soccer and lacrosse.

Horse racing – in an effort to avoid wet weather interrupting horse racing or having an adverse effect on results, we are beginning to see horse racing tracks laid with artificial turf. The poly track has proved to reduce the number of injuries sustained by the horses, it has made the racing more consistent and it has made the racing more attractive.

Not everyone is 100% sold on the idea of synthetic turf replacing natural grass surfaces but this is mainly because people are used to seeing certain sports played on grass. Most sports are already played on surfaces other than a natural one and no-one bats an eyelid. It won’t be terribly long and the argument against synthetic turf surfaces will be a moot point.

Some of the biggest names in women’s freestyle snowboarding include TTR World Champion Cheryl Maas, Torah Bright, Jamie Anderson and Kelly Clark. The Ticket To Ride World Snowboard Tour is a collection of freestyle snowboard events all grouped under the one name. They compete in events with names like Slopestyle, Halfpipe, Quarterpipe and Big Air.

The women’s freestyle snowboarding circuit is a strongly competitive one with top of the line riders competing over a long season. The best 7 results count towards the final victory with bonus points situations counting in certain events. The freestyle circuit is more than simply flashy snowboarders performing tricks in front of their peers. This is a serious competition and the fact that there are Olympic medals now up for grabs means that the race for number one is stronger than ever.

Not surprisingly snowboard companies are moving heaven and earth to secure the big names to front their companies and ride their boards. The television audience is increasing as the sport becomes more popular and every company would like everyone to see their brand name displayed at the bottom of a high scoring run. This is where the big guns such as Burton Snowboards and the like have made good progress signing up some big names to be associated with their boards.

And so, while the move to add snowboarding to the Olympic Games would have been a massive boost for the young snowboard companies around the world, it’s the big names that are really cashing in. Not only would their products be seen by massive audiences everywhere but the athletes competing in the snowboard events would suddenly become well known names. Those companies who had already signed them had suddenly gotten big name stars for bargain basement prices.

These days the women’s snowboard circuit is alive and well and the freestyle events are enormously popular. Riders now hit the parks trying to emulate what they see in competition. The tricks are becoming more and more elaborate, the air is becoming greater and the snowboards that are being made are growing increasingly specialized to maximize what you can now be capable of.

Kate Hollywood of Australia

Naturally over these past 20 years the team roster has changed with retirements and new players joining the team. It is testament to the strength of Australian Hockey that the standard has been able to remain as high as it has for as long as it has.

Despite this long-running high performance the Hockeyroos will not be competing in the 2010 Champion’s Trophy in England because the English team, who are the bottom placed team is immune from relegation because they are hosting the event. Because the make up of the Champions Trophy is decided on the Beijing Olympics standings, where Australia finished 5th, the team has been relegated for the first time in the history of the event.

This hasn’t held the team back with another outstanding performance in the Oceania Cup with a win ensuring that the team has qualified for direct entry into the World Cup in 2010. With the closest of margins deciding the event in extra time on the synthetic turf pitch at Invercargill, the result complemented that of the men’s team which also was a little more comfortable.

Women’s hockey remains at a high standard worldwide with a growing number of teams that are challenging for the top honours in high class events. As of the 1st of September, 2009 the official top 5 nations in the FIH world rankings for women’s hockey were as follows: 1. Netherlands, 2. Argentina, 3. China, 4. Germany, 5. Australia.

One of the nations that have dropped in the rankings in recent times has been India. One of the reasons put down for their fall from the head of the pack has been the introduction and widespread use of artificial turf fields. As a poorer nation that cannot afford to install synthetic turf hockey fields throughout the country, the opportunity to play on these surfaces does not arise for all players and so, the crucial experience is missing. Other nations have surged ahead, able to play at a speed that is simply too fast.

Given time and an injection of necessary funds into the sport, it is expected that the heads of state in the game will once again be joined by India.

There are two important factors that were considered when deciding on the type of synthetic turf that was going to be appropriate for hockey. Tests had to be performed to determine the way the ball interacts with the surface and the way a person interacts. Both of these factors influence the way the game is played and so, would have an effect on the sport of hockey as a whole.

The artificial turf used for hockey is different to the types used in other sports such as soccer and American football. The grass blades are shorter on a hockey field and they do not attempt to replicate real grass. They allow the ball to roll quickly and smoothly and have effectively sped up the game since its inception.

There is another unique aspect about the majority of hockey pitches and that is that they are classed as unfilled pitches or water-based. They are heavily watered before play as well as at half-time and must be done so evenly to ensure the conditions at one end of the pitch match those at the other end. Watering the pitch reduces the abrasive nature of the grass, maintains the speed of the ball over the surface and gives the surface the optimum sliding properties.

All of this means that in order to create a synthetic grass hockey pitch, one has to be built specifically for the sport of hockey. This drives the cost of catering to the sport of hockey up to quite high levels. Whereas a synthetic turf football field can be used by soccer, football, baseball and other sports, a hockey field is only suitable for hockey and may sit idle for longer periods of time.

The more women who take up the sport of field hockey will put a greater demand on pitch time for these fields making the cost effectiveness more reasonable. With any luck it will also help to drive the popularity of the sport beyond the boost it gets every 4 years when it is seen prominently during the Olympic Games.

Toe Wrestling

Toe wrestling is a competitive sport. There is even a World Toe Wrestling competition that found its start in the United Kingdom in 1976. While this competition may take skill and finesse that is not detectable by the outside observer, it does not provide much exercise.

Facial Hair Growing

Oddly enough, this one is called a sport. The World Beard and Moustache Championships is a competition of beards and moustaches. Why is it called a sport? One could guess but the answer would still be ridiculous.

Crab Racing

Each crab and their jockey compete as a team of sorts. A piece of string helps the jockey to encourage their crab to go in the right direction. Apparently, some people take this sport very seriously. The crab may get exercise but the jockey does not seem to do much.

Rock, Paper, Scissors

This silly game in considered by some to be a sport in earnest. The USARPS League is an official organization that stages real tournaments. The prizes can go as high as $50,000. This could be a game of skill and strategy but most find it just a bit laughable. The arm workout is probably not the best you will find either.

Ferret Legging

Ferret legging, developed by the English, is quite a show. A ferret is dropping down a pair of pants that are closed at the bottom and that are closed with a belt at the top once the ferret is inside. The winner is the one who tolerates a ferret in their pants the longest. Ferrets have sharp teeth, claws, and cannot enjoy being trapped like that so the survival of an angry ferret became a sport. Again, it seems like the animals are getting the exercise and the competitors are getting a lesson in common sense.

Pro Mini Golf

Professional miniature golfing has some walking around and swinging of a putter. This makes it movement but hardly constitutes any real exercise. The game may be fun but considering it an actual sport is questionable at best. Considering it exercise indicates that an education lesson from an experienced personal trainer might be in order.

Ping Pong

While this is another beloved pastime, its ranking as a sport is acceptable to few. It is true that there is some movement and there is definitely a competitive spirit involved. However, the physical exertion is negligible and the training required to become a decent player is a few days of practice. While it may take extensive training to become one of the best ping pong players in the world, there is one question that this much training would bring up. Why?

There are many ridiculous sports that are not really exercise. While many sports come under fire, at least many of them provide exercise to make them worthwhile in that respect. The ones listed here go from relaxing to ridiculous but none deserving the title of sport.

Hockey is a game of extraordinary skill, having to trap a ball hit at you at great pace with a flat piece of wood and then to keep that ball out of the clutches of the opposition. It also requires a playing surface that is even and reliable. Until around the 1970s all hockey was played on natural grass, a surface that varied greatly in quality and evenness. This greatly affected the way the game was played as well as the speed at which it was possible to play.

These days top level hockey is played on synthetic turf pitches which has greatly increased the speed at which it is played. It has also changed the equipment that is used to play the game. Hockey sticks have been altered to a stick that is more suited to the artificial surface and the shoes that players wear also had to be altered. Tactics and dribbling techniques also changed to more effectively make use of the predictable surface.

Hockey is governed by the Federation of International Hockey (FIH) and there are 14 principal rules to the game that cover every situation that arises during a game. These rules are standard throughout the world for all competition hockey, although there may be some alterations made to cater for the very young hockey players.

Hockey is one of the few international sports where the number of female participants is increasing compared to those of males. This Olympic sport is played in a large number of countries around the world, but it seems that women’s hockey is where the real growth is taking place. That’s not to say that men’s hockey is in the doldrums, it just seems to be that women’s hockey has been able to capture the imagination and interest of young women looking to take up a new and exciting sport.

Her passion for fashion hasn’t made Maria neglect her professional duties nor has it made her forget where she comes from. Born in Russia, to a poor family, Maria and her father moved to the US when she was seven years old. There she joined the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy and, after years of hard work, she managed to win Wimbledon at the age of 17. Since then, her life has changed and she has become a public person and one of the richest athletes in the world. Many consumer goods companies have noticed her and pursued her for their advertising campaigns. Thanks to endorsement contracts like the one she’s signed with Cole Haan, Maria is able to contribute to helping victims of Chernobyl recover after the nuclear plant disaster in 1986.