Large flight (big air) Alexander Smelova

Although snowboarding in the world appeared in the mid-twentieth century, in Russia on the boards ride began much later. By the time the five disciplines received the status of Olympic, snowy Russia is no competition to world leaders was not. At any time since 1998, Russian boarders got on the Olympic Games two gold, two silver and one bronze medal.

Urals - the birthplace of the rider Smelova

Eastern slope of the Ural Mountains - is not the Alps, and the city of Verkhnyaya Salda - not the capital of the White Olympics, but in the sports community of riders recently known very well. There lives one of the best snowboarders Russia - Alexander Smelov, which she called Saldontsem sports journalism. Salda is translated as "prison", where the fish are caught, and now Alexander will often explain the meaning of the prefix to his name.

Smelov Alexander A. was born on April 22, 1996 in the small town of Verkhnyaya Salda near Nizhny Tagil in the Sverdlovsk region. The usual modest boy, as expected Urals, discreet, tenacious, patient. The snowboard came in only 13 years, being one with his parents at a local ski lodge, and seeing the guys jumping from the springboard on the boards.

Be Your Own Coach

First Mountain - Mill, where high school friends, watching in "Youtube" video, built a small trampoline, became for Alexander Smelova home spot. On the Internet, they studied the theory of snowboarding, figures and names, watched performances of foreign leaders snowboard movement. Nor did the company not prepared pistes, no coach, only passion and desire.

So flown for several years. Novice junior skated to rent a board on the routes for cross-country skiing, which is laid on the slopes. After gaining stability and confidence, Alexander once said, guys, "stroking" the board making shop. Curiosity and check all seen on itself helped to learn the tricks of freestyle. Thus began the sports biography of Alexander Smelova in slopestyle, big Eire, halfpipe.

The first application

Diligence and good results of the senior pupil in snowboarding disciplines were seen first at local competitions. At 17, he went out to start the championship of the Sverdlovsk region of Big Air, where he became the winner. The seventh annual award Russian Snowboard Awards in 2013 earned him the title of "Discovery of the Year". Sasha Sports Committee included in the regional team, the new rider became the youngest member of the Nitro team.

When asked where he got this technique and the results are still not public Border said local TV reporter childish heartily: "I liked to jump, and that's gone-gone ..." I read about the contest in Dropnesh Jib news Tyumen bought tickets with friends and went to the country, "Kulig park". Lived in tents, were freezing, but tried all the sports equipment from tennis to the trampoline, ride on the blackboard on the grass, artificial snow competed, balancing on the railing. Result - second (September 2014). He is very easy going, not in its rules a debt collection.

Bordslayd, grab, cork - a victory!

Externally, Alexander is not very consistent borderskoy subculture. Initially, it was a culture of punks, defiantly creative, despises the stereotypes. Hence balahonistye pants zamorochennye graffiti on the boards, the headset in your ears. Brightness costume can argue with rhythmic gymnastics. Smelov against this background of Ural restrained and modest.

Education and training in the contests, but not special snow parks and simulators, made Alexander Smelova seasoned snowboarder, not grieving by failure, not to inflate with pride at winning. For him, every event in the world of boarding - training contest, he grew up on it. Because of the achievements says without pathos, the pleasure received from good skiing, but not on the awards process.

The first serious Smelov awards received in 2014 at the Cup of Russia, speaking in the national team of the Sverdlovsk region. Krasnoyarsk starts earned him a silver medal in big-Eire, bronze - in slopestyle. He confidently executes the program scored good points, it was the first high level competitions.

Judges began to notice the style of the young snowboarder. Performing tricks, the athlete earns points for complexity and accuracy. Next estimated style - the degree of confidence and ease, control of the flight path and the body. The ease with which the young Smelov perform complex shapes, each time won over not only the audience but also the judges.

Immediately after the Christmas holidays in 2015 the athlete participates in the Grand Prix De Russie. In Moscow, arrived strongest snowboarders USA, Finland. Alexander shows the 9-th result. A month later, at the Cup of Russia became the leader in Big Air, receives a bronze medal in the Half-pipe and Slopestyle.

2016 snowboarders did not start very well, but this cyclical wave-like and he would survive that starts in 2017 to become the champion of Russia in big Eire and slopestyle. By the way, these types of events differ in the number of jumps and dimensions: Big Air - long jump from a great springboard, where the flight do the trick; Slopestyle - are set on the slope of 5-8 barriers, 3-4 tramplinchik, they need to go nicely and also with jumps.

Russia is waiting victories

In March 2018 the name of Alexander Smelova sounded at the next Grand Prix De Russie in Krylatskoye. The strongest snowboarders US, Europe and Russia have struggled once again for the podium of the World Cup. He won the bronze medal. While this is his highest personal achievement.

On the eve of the athlete was awarded the title of master of sports of snowboarding. He is now 22 years old, he was included in the Russian national team. Constantly moving in search of snow parks and the snow. The month can make 14 flights, and it all competitions - official, federal, commercial. In the summer the famous snowboarder trains on the slopes of Switzerland, France and loves Austrian snow parks. Year-round training winter he chooses not to win at all costs. For him, skating, tricks, jumps - do not work, he lives it in a different way can not. Coming at the start, not thinking about winning, but about the beauty and precision of execution of the program.

Never too late to

While Russian athletes snowboarders at the world level look pale, low level. But the bronze Alexander A. Smelova in an international context gives hope. Two years ago, Alexander his sporting achievements appraised "in any way", because it was very far from world class. Today, he says confidently about the podium in Europe.

Sport in the biography of Alexander Smelova appeared quite late by the standards of sports professionals. To become an Olympic champion, said it is necessary to board up to 3 years. Alexander denied the rules. Moreover, he believes that all depends on the person. If you desire to get the result is great, and then, what do you do, happy, then be sure to win.