Article focussed on snowboard performance at Burton Open Aussie Half-Pipe Championships [...]

Article Title

Analysis Of Snowboard Performance At The Burton Open Australian Half-Pipe Championships.

Article Authors

Jason William Harding and Daniel Arthur James

Abstract

Half-pipe snowboarding performance is assessed by subjective measures. Knowledge of the relative importance of objective performance indicators however can improve training and competition performance assessment. We analysed previously developed key performance indicators at the Burton Open Australian Half-Pipe Championships over three years (2006, 2007, 2008). Linear regression showed the two individual key performance indicators most strongly correlated to competition success and multiple linear regression (enter method) showed the shared variance in scores explained by these objective variables. The two objective performance variables most highly correlated with competition success were average air time (AAT) and average degree of rotation (ADR). When combined (multiple linear regression), AAT and ADR objectively explain 71 – 94% of shared variance in subjective competition scores. We compared magnitudes of differences in AAT and ADR between athletes achieving top three (podium) final rankings and those achieving final rankings outside the top three. Magnitude of difference between athletic performances was established with a standardised (Cohen’s) effect size (ES) with 95% confidence limits. Differences in AAT and ADR between athletes placing in the top three and those finishing outside the top three routinely showed moderate (ES = 0.6 – 1.2 95% CL) to very large (ES >2.0 95% CL) effects.

Full Reference

Harding JW, James DA. (2010). Analysis Of Snowboard Performance At The Burton Open Australian Half-Pipe Championships. International Journal of Performance Analysis in Sport, Volume  10 (1), 66-81

CLICK HERE TO ACCESS FULL ARTICLE

The Asian Princess Is Sailing In The Mentawais Now. Image: www.surfchartersindonesia.com

Aussie Pro Snowboarder Andrew Burton Opens New Affordable Mentawais Surf Charter [...]

Aussie pro snowboarder Andrew Burton is a busy man and seemingly has his finger on the pulse.  One week he is over in Vancouver for the 2010 Winter Olympics as the Australian Half-Pipe Snowboard Coach and the next he is sailing through the Mentawais in Indonesia on his surf charter boat, The Asian Princess.  

Here is a few words from Burto on the idea behind his new surf charter venture: 

What we aim to do at Surf Charters Indonesia is offer a realistically priced surf charter to some of the most exotic parts of the world making it accessible to almost every surfer anywhere in the world.  There are some hefty prices associated with surf charters and we want to break that stereotype and offer a world class product for our guests at an affordable price.  Our boat can accommodate a minimum of 7 and a maximum of 11 guests at this time and she is specifically designed for long haul surf charters.  We can stay at sea without re-supply for about 3 weeks.  We have found this allows us the freedom to go wherever we want and get our guests into the best waves on the planet.  There are no other boats in the area that offer what we for the price.  So far we haven’t had any complaints and it’s all looking good for 2010. 

Last time I talked with Burto (which was about a week ago), the Mentawais was pumping. 

If you want to get shacked in the Mentawais ASAP, check out The Asian Princess’s Website

WWW.SURFCHARTERSINDONESIA.COM

Keep an eye out for an interview with Burto on his Vancover Winter Olympc experience, his new surf charter venture, his ABC snowboard camps in NZ and anything else I can think to ask him.  Interview will be published on www.AnarchistAthlete.com in the coming couple of weeks.

Jason Harding. Indonesia 2009, France 2008, Australia 2008. Image © www.AnarchistAthlete.com

ISEA Conference 2010, Vienna Austria; Article Title And Abstract Details Revamped [...]

Jason Harding will deliver a podium presentation at the ISEA Conference in Vienna, Austria [...] 

The title and abstract associated with the full paper publication have been altered.   

Titlte of Paper 

Performance Assessment Innovations For Elite Snowboarding

Paper Abstract

This paper provides a review of objective performance assessment in elite half-pipe snowboarding.  Half-pipe snowboarding is currently coached and judged in competition using subjective measures.  Like other sports that rely on subjectivity however, the methodology underpinning how coaches assess athletic progression and judges score performance is open for debate.  This paper focuses on technology assisted, objective performance assessment.  Key considerations are the specificity of the information, the accuracy and reliability of results, the processing time required and the current accessibility.

CLICK HERE to check out the ISEA conference website.

Burton Open Half-Pipe Championships. Australia 2008. Photographer Heidi Barbay. Image © www.AnarchistAthlete.com

New Articles From Anarchist Athlete Due Out Sometime Over The Next Month Or So [...]

A list of new article titles from Anarchist Athlete due over the next month or so…

1. Harding JW. Analysis of Half-Pipe Snowboarding Performance During The 2006 Winter Olympics.  www.AnarchistAthlete.com  Due Out March 25 – 28th 2010.

2. Harding JW. Key Performance Variables And Competitive Success In World Cup Half-Pipe Snowboard Competitions.  www.AnarchistAthlete.com  Due Out March 25 – 28th 2010.

3. Harding JW.  A Few Words With Alex Chumpy Pullin.  www.AnarchistAthlete.com  Due Out March 25 – 28th 2010. 

4. Harding JW, James DA.  Analysis of Half-Pipe Snowboarding Performance During Three Years Of The Burton Open Australian Half-Pipe Championships.  Possibly in the International Journal Of Performance Analysis In Sport. Due Out April 1st 2010.

5. Harding JW, James DA. Performance Assessment Innovations For Elite Snowboarding.  The Engineering of Sport 8. Due Out July 2010.

CLICK HERE TO BE REDIRECTED TO THE CURRENT ARTICLES PAGE

Ben Mates In Training. Perisher Blue. Australia 2009. Image © Andrew Fawcett.

Interview With Australian Olympic Half-Pipe Snowboarder Ben Mates Is Available Now [...]

When February 2010 rolls around, Ben Mates will be the first Australian male half-pipe snowboarder to have qualified for two Winter Olympic Games.  And this time round he did it on his own terms and with his own green. Put that in ya crack pipe and smoke it.  He has spent the past four years free of any restrictions, focusing on hunting down the Olympic standard 22ft pipes and elite-level competition that would provide him the means to qualify for Vancouver 2010.  In doing so the south coast local has succeeded whilst flipping the bird at the sports establishment that seemingly did not want anything to do with him. There is no doubt Mates is antiauthoritarian. A ‘fuck em if they can’t take a joke’ kind of guy.  It is a refreshing attitude.    Anarchist Athlete founder Jason Harding caught up with Ben via email just before he drops in and throws down at the 2010 O-Show. 

Words: Jason Harding.  Images: Andrew Fawcett, Mike Weyerhaeuser, C laurila

 CLICK HERE TO BE REDIRECTED STRAIGHT TO THE INTERVIEW

Article Title

The Ben Mates Interview.

Click Here to read the abstract associated with this article.

Click Here to download the PDF version of this article.

Article Abstract

1.  THE BEN MATES INTERVIEW

Harding JW.  2010.  Published 10th February . 

When February 2010 rolls around, Ben Mates will be the first Australian male half-pipe snowboarder to have qualified for two Winter Olympic Games.  And this time round he did it on his own terms and with his own green. Put that in ya crack pipe and smoke it.  He has spent the past four years free of any restrictions, focusing on hunting down the Olympic standard 22ft pipes and elite-level competition that would provide him the means to qualify for Vancouver 2010.  In doing so the south coast local has succeeded whilst flipping the bird at the sports establishment that seemingly did not want anything to do with him. There is no doubt Mates is antiauthoritarian. A ‘fuck em if they can’t take a joke’ kind of guy.  It is a refreshing attitude.    Anarchist Athlete founder Jason Harding caught up with Ben via email just before he drops in and throws down at the 2010 O-Show.  Words: Jason Harding.  Images: Andrew Fawcett, Mike Weyerhaeuser, C laurila. Read Full Paper

Anarchy Surfboards Retro Fish Advertisment. Jervis Bay NSW 2009. Image © www.AnarchySurfboards.com

Anarchy Surfboards (based on NSW South Coast) have just released a number of retro fish models [...]

George Sava, head shaper at Anarchy Surfboards, has recently shaped a few very cool retro fish models and they are available now.  Feel free to check out the Anarchy Surfboards website at www.AnarchySurfboards.com and you can contact George at AnarchySurfboards@gmail.com or on his mobat number 0431 370 421.  I have personally tested this board out and it rides sick.  An absolute blast in the small stuff (and there is going to be plenty of that this summer) and I actually think it may be able to deal with a bit more size.  Will keep you updated on that but for now this is one of those ultimate boards for summer.  They look hot and they allow you to shred surf that would be a total pain in the arse on your normal shortboard.

Here is some information Sava has provided on the model pictured in this post.

Size

6 to 7 inches shorter than your everyday shortboard

Concave

Single to double to vee 

Fin Set Up

Hand foiled twin keels

Wave Height

1ft – 4ft 

Cost

$630 plain with glassed in fins.  Expect to pay a little more for the model pictured in this post (with red tint and full board art)

Shapers Comments

The short  design creates a tight turning radius.  It is better suited to small to medium waves.  This model has glassed in hand foiled twin fins and has a longer base for extra drive.  Because of the added width, flat rocker and quick planning, this board is a very fast design that loves to race down the line and flow past slow sections on the wave.  The fish is best for intermediate to advanced surfers. A must for every surfer’s quiver.

Shapers Website

www.AnarchySurfboards.com

Jason Harding. Crystals, Australia 2009. Photographer Heidi Barbay. Image © www.AnarchistAthlete.com

Jason Harding will deliver a podium presentation at the ISEA Conference in Vienna, Austria [...]

Founder of Anarchist Athlete Jason Harding will deliver a podium presentation at the International Sports Engineering Association (ISEA) Conference in Vienna, Austria.  The presentation is scheduled between 12^th – 16^th July 2010 (exact date and time to be advised). 

The current running title of this presentation is ‘Automated Objectivity And Performance Assessment In Elite Snowboarding – A Review’.

CLICK HERE to check out the ISEA conference website.

More details on the presentation and associated published article will be posted up on www.AnarchistAthlete.com soon…

'Warped in Kuta'. Bali Indonesia 2009. Photographer Jason Harding. Image © www.AnarchistAthlete.com

Two of the Anarchist Athlete team recently travelled to Indonesia.  Here’s the stills [...]Upload of new photography images into the Anarchist Athlete Art Gallery ‘Still images from Indonesia’ 

These images are part of an art project titled ‘INDONINE’

CLICK HERE to be redirected to the latest still images from Indonesia.

CLICK HERE to be redirected to the Anarchist Athlete Art Gallery main page.  NOTE: The main page of the Art gallery is currently undergoing a revamp and will be up and running as normal in the next few days.  You can however still check out the latest Indonesia still images by clicking on the ‘Enter Indonesia’ tab on the main art gallery page.  All image files are available for purchase.  Image files are delivered electronically and can be purchase using the online shop at www.AnarchistAthlete.com

CLICK HERE to be redirected to the Anarchist Athlete online shop.

You can purchase almost all of the images contained within this website.  There are a number of image galleries where you can peruse photographic images and an online shop where you can place your associated orders.  There is a fine art photography gallery, a style gallery, and a gallery dedicated to surf, skate and snow sessions that occur within Australia.  The best place to start is the GALLERIES page and feel free to email Jason Harding at AnarchistAthlete@gmail.com if you have any queries on ordering and receiving your image file.

Keep an eye out for a series of upcoming video clips, part of the art project ‘INDONINE’ to be posted on www.AnarchistAthlete.com sometime over the next week or so.

Tak soon.

JH.

Katal Inc Testing Out Their Landing Pad on Blackcomb Glacier 2009. Image © www.katalinnovations.com

Katal Inc launch revolutionary freestyle snowboard landing pad.  This thing is so sick [...]

From my perspective, the Katal Inc freestyle landing pad is a huge development for coaches and athletes looking for an innovative method of enhancing elite-level snowboarding performance.  Ok, there are other methods of providing a safe environment in which both developmental and elite-level athletes can try out new tricks without the threat of seroius injury (namely foam pits, water-based jump training facilities, circus like acrobtaic rigging) but in my opinion Katal Inc has trumped them all for one main reason, That if you successfully land the new trick you are attempting, you can ride out as you would on a normal park kicker.  This is a huge benefit and advantage over the other methods.

Born out of  a tragic snowbarding accident where Aaron Coret, one of the inventors, ended up in a wheelchair after slamming on a solid park booter, the landng pad has the potential to be used in every snowboard park in the world in an attempt to provide a safe and fun environment where beginners and elite alike can push their own performance levels.  From a coaching perspective this tool is invaluable.  Athletes can practice new tricks without the treat of injury before taking their new found skill to a real park booter.  This is a huge advantage over the current aproach where if you want to try out a new trick, you just have to psych up, throw it down and hope it all turns out like you imagined. 

As far as I am aware, the current landing pad model is designed especially for park booters however I wonder if it has the potential to also be utilised within a half-pipe snowboarding situation.   I am sure a smaller version of the landing pad could be somehow draped over a section of  a snowboard half-pipe and work in a similar manner.

I have no idea of the cost assoiatd with he Katal Inc landng pad but I really do not think it matters. 

If you are a coach or support staff member working within a national high performance snowboard program.  Beg, borow or steal.  Just find a way to get your greasy hands on one of these landing pads.  Before every other country beats you to it.

Check out Katal Inc’s website www.katalinnovations.com for the full low down on this product and to get in touch with them ASAP.

Skullcandy Wallpaper Design Winner Teik Wei Ooi's Art. November 2009. Image © www.skullcandy.com

This has got nothing to do with boardriding performance but is a cool little Skullcandy gadget [...]

Go on, check it out and share it ya freeloader… It will keep you amused for a while.