Robert Burton: What skiers and snowboarders say about each other

Image source: monishiwamoo
nshine 2012 What skiers and snowboarders say about each other when not on the mountain: an analysis of online ski and snowboard forums Rob Burton – Southampton Solent University [email protected] Content: • 
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Background context Methods Outline findings Conclusions Background context • 
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Differing histories of development Sources of difference • 
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Clothing Stance ALtude Language Equipment Spaces on slopes and in resort Ways of movement around and down the mountain (Heino 2000; Rinehard & Syndor 2003; Edensor & Richards 2007) • 
A shiX towards acceptance of the ‘other’? • 
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Image source: champlaincorssover 2014 Burton & Jones 2011 An increase in gendered analysis of par]cipa]on • 
Thorpe 2010; Sisjord 2009 Image source: thesnowboardmethod 2014 Image source: huffpost 2014 Methods •  Netnographic approach •  Discourse tracing •  Reading mainly UK based skiing and snowboarding forums •  Discussions of the ‘other’ •  Researcher not ac]vely engaged in discussions on the site (source: Skiderectory.co.uk 2014) Outline findings (1) •  Animosity and discrimina]on –  Exclusion from resorts –  Change over ]me –  Genera]onal differences –  An economic need for the ‘other’ MetalJoe
Post subject: RE: skiers Vs snowboarders
Posted: Jan 04, 2007 - 09:54 PM
The skier vs boarder thing is highly overrated and mostly a thing of the past. I
think there are maybe a couple of resorts in the US that are still ski-only, but
other than that the discrimination died in the 90s.
I see mixed groups of skiers and boarders all the time at MK or abroad, no
one really gives a toss anymore except for an ignorant few who see the "other
side" as bad. That goes for anti-skier boarders as much as anti-snowboarder
skiers.
First post: Nov 14,
2004
Total posts: 2217
Location: Milton
Keynes
Status: Offline
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BASI Instructor: Snowboard, Adaptive Snowboard, Alpine Ski; Licensed UKCP
Snowboard Coach
Now offering lessons for disabled snowboarders through DSUK
(source: Snowobardclub 2014) Outline findings (2) •  Learning about difference in the way the ‘other’ moves around and down the mountain –  Disliked behaviours –  Tolerance? honestly, honestly.. i dont claim to be the worlds best snowboarder.. but i reckon i see as many bad, s]ff, verging on the out of control skiers on the slope as i do snowboarders so I reckon no side has the right to be throwing cri]cisms at the other. so in the spirit of things here are my fav on slope annoyances.. obviously i was never once a beginner and never did any of the following -­‐beginner skiers/snowboarders lining up right across a piste (ie they are coming along a blue or green run that cuts across a red one) and just standing there..what is that all about? -­‐the brow of the hill thing (men]oned earlier) .. have to say it is mostly snowboarders who are guilty of this.. -­‐ the fall line.. it's down the hill..not across -­‐anyone in the park who goes right behind someone about to take off a jump (bad bad bad) -­‐anyone in the park who rides up the side of the kicker and uses is as a view point (yes skiers are usually the guilty party there) -­‐ snaking ski schools .. especially on traverses.. only aXer a couple of full months of riding did i really pick up the skills to get by these safely (this mostly involves wai]ng and picking the right moment ) -­‐ please please dont stand on the back of my board/skis.. this is a mostly european afflic]on.. i saved hard to afford them! -­‐ skiers.. other slope users.. us snowboarders we have a blind side.. at least be aware of it.. Source: snowheads 2014 Outline findings (3) •  Crossover between the sports –  Switch from ski to snowboard –  Ease of learning –  Interchangeability, advantages and disadvantages Anyway, Give it a go, but i haven't met any folks in the last decade who have changed
snowHeads over (prior to that, lots) - I've given it a few tries, as have a some of my ski
buddies. Some can do both (boarders who skied originally and flipped to
is much
more fun if boarding way back when) and it's useful so you can join any group and for
variety, but I don't like not having back edge visibility, the horrible noise, the
you do.
endless faffing and the time spent on my ass. Since skis got fatter I think the
balance has swung back to skis, even offpiste. My group was originally 50/50
and is now all skiers....all the new folks that joined us ski, and the boarders got
older, had kids and gave up
(source: Snowheads 2014) aj xx
Outline findings (4) •  Respect, banter, aLtude and knowledge Matt
Wednesday 17th February 2010 at 3:08:29 PM
Anyone who says ''Skiers suck, snowboarding is way better'' have obviously never seen freestyle skiing.
Skiers consistently go bigger over jumps and pull some ridiculous tricks (0 spin backwards airs... crazy).
I''ve been snowboarding since I was 8 and could never ditch snowboarding for skiing but this stupid
skier vs. snowboarder thing has got to stop. If you push the limits with either sport you deserve tons of
credit.
Brian
Wednesday 8th December 2010 at 6:24:41 PM
anybody who is truly badass will have respect for anybody else who is truly badass, skis or a ride.
i like boarding on lift serviced runs, but if i was gonna go backcountry id definitely choose skis
(source: abc-­‐of-­‐snowboarding 2014) First post:
Mar 14, 2005
Total posts:
813
Location:
Wherever the
snow is
Status: Offline
Hating on skiers is lame - this argument was done and dusted last century nothing annoys me more than when some group of dickheads with 2 weeks
snowboarding under there belt rock up in town and start giving it the larry large to
all the skiers cos they think thats how we all behave . .
I know this is a light harted dig, but f@ckwits dressed up to the nines with a vapor
and c60 who cant even link turns annoy me more than anything else!!
(source: Snowobardclub 2014) A forum contributor’s summary: In reality, the war was never really about snowboards and skis, it had more to do with a clash of classes, an older genera]on fearing the changes brought about by the younger genera]on, and that younger genera]on rebelling -­‐ a scenario that repeats itself in many facets of our culture. Indeed, even within the world of snowboarding itself there are fac]ons; the hard boot carvers vs. the rail jibbers, the backcountry powder hounds vs. the corduroy shredders. Will today’s park rats be complaining about tomorrow’s snow bikers in years to come? The bokom line is, young skiers and snowboarders today don’t care whether you ride one plank or two, they don’t care whether you face forwards or side ways and they don’t care whether you’re a “gay on a tray” or a “two s]ck prick”. Today, we are all just in it for the snow. (Baldwin, 2014) Taking the work forward •  A comprehensive review of forum content –  Look outside the UK context? •  Balance from ski and snowboarding sites –  There is less obvious discussion on ski forums •  A more detailed analysis of who’s contribu]ng Conclusions: •  The end of animosity between skiers and snowboarders? •  A shiX to being more cri]cal of own rather than ‘other’? •  Genera]onal differences •  There is a need for more thorough ‘data’ mining and comprehensive analysis •  There is scope to explore broader [more important] issues such as gender and na]onal differences within ski and snowboard [online] communi]es References (1): ABC of Snowboarding. 2014. Skiing-­‐snowboarding [online] [Viewed 1 July 2014]. Available from: hkp://www.abc-­‐of-­‐snowboarding.com/info/skiing-­‐snowboarding.asp Baldwin, S. 2014. Snowboarding vs skiing the dying feud. [online] [viewed 1 July 2014}. Available from: hkp://www.snowsphere.com/special-­‐features/snowboarding-­‐vs-­‐skiing-­‐the-­‐dying-­‐feud Burton, J. 2003. Snowboarding the essence of fun. Cited in Rinehart R & Sydnor, S. To the Extreme: Alterna]ve sports, inside and out. New York: State University. pp. 401 – 405. Burton, R. & R. Jones. 2011. ‘Trolls with poles’ vs ‘gays on trays’; looking beyond the banter to explore the similariBes and differences in sub-­‐cultural idenBty amongst snowboarders and skiers. In Watson, B & J. Halpin (Eds), 2011. Cultures and Voices in Leisure and Sport. Eastbourne: Leisure Studies Associa]on. Champlaincrossover. 2014. Snowboarding vs skiing [online] [viewed 1 July 2014]. Available from: hkp://champlaincrossover.com/2014/02/snowboarding-­‐vs-­‐skiing/ Donnelly, M. 2006. Beyond the core par]cipants. Journal of Sport and Social Issues: Studying Extreme Sports. Vol 6. No 2: pp. 5 -­‐ 25. Edensor, T. & S. Richards.. 2007. Snowboarders vs skiers, contested choreographies of the slopes. Leisure Studies. Vol. 6, No. 1: pp 97-­‐114. Heino, R. 2000. What is so punk about snowboarding. Journal of Sport and Social Issues. Vol. 24. No . 2: pp176-­‐191. Humphreys, D. 1996. Snowboarders: Bodies out of control and in conflict. SporBng TradiBons. Vol. 13, No.1: pp 3-­‐23. Huffingtonpost. 2014. Skiers vs snowboarders [online] [viewed 1 July 2013]. Available from: hkp://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/31/skiers-­‐vs-­‐snowboarders-­‐more-­‐injuries_n_1242455.html References (2): Kozinets, R.V. 2002. The Field Behind the Screen: Using Netnography for Marke]ng Research in Online Communi]es. Journal of MarkeBng Research. Vol.39, No 1: pp 61-­‐72. Monishiwamoonshie.. 2014. Skiing vs snowboarding [online] [viewed 1 July 2014]. Available from: hkp://monishiwamoonshine.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/sport-­‐skiing-­‐vs-­‐snowboarding.html Rinehart & S. Sydor (Eds.). 2003. To the Extreme: Alterna]ve Sports, Inside and Out. Albany: State University. New York Press. Skidirectory. 2014. Ski forum [online] [viewed 1 July 2014]. Available from: hkp://www.skidirectory.co.uk/ski_forums.html Snowboard club . 2014. Skiers vs. Snowboarders [online][viewed 1 July 2014]. Available from: hkp://www.snowboardclub.co.uk/PNphpBB2-­‐viewtopic-­‐t-­‐24571.html Snowheads. 2014. Ski forum [online] [viewed 1 July 2014]. Available from: hkp://snowheads.com/ski-­‐forum/viewtopic.php?t=106369 Spracklen K & B Spraklen. 2014. The strange and spooky bakle over bats and black dresses: The commodifica]on of Whitby Goth Weekend and the loss of a subculture. Tourist Studies. Vol. 14: No. 1: pp 86-­‐102 Tetongravity,. 2014. Meet the Maggots [online] [viewed 28 February 2014]. Available from: hkp://www.tetongravity.com/forums/showthread.php/20100-­‐Meet-­‐the-­‐Maggots Thesnoboardmethod. 2014. Snowboarding vs skiing [online] [viewed 1 July 2014]. Available from: hkp://www.thesnowboardmethod.com/snowboarding-­‐vs-­‐skiing/ Thorpe, H. 2005. Jibbing the gender order: females In the snowboarding culture [1]. Sport In Society. Vol 8. No 8: pp. 76 – 100. Thorpe, H. 2010. Bourdieu, Gender Reflexivity, and Physical Culture: A Case of Masculini]es in the Snowboarding Field. Journal of Sport and Social Issues. Vol. 34, No. 2: pp 176-­‐214. Wheaton, B. 2000. Just do it: consump]on, commitment and iden]ty in the windsurfing Subculture. Sociology of Sport Journal, Vol 17. No 3: pp. 254-­‐274. Wheaton, B. (2004) Understanding lifestyle sports, consump]on iden]ty and difference. London: Routledge.