Skwal

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Skwal

The Skwal is a single, wider ski , narrower than a monoski , where the bindings are mounted one behind the other like a single water ski .

Driving style

A “Skwaleur” in action

In contrast to a snowboard, the body posture is symmetrically directed forward, similar to skiing, i.e. biomechanically correct in the actual direction of travel. Due to the small width and the fact that the legs are fixed one behind the other on the board, the turns are performed in a steep incline, practically only extreme carving is possible as a driving style. The curve radius is primarily determined by the waistline of the board; It can be changed by curving the board or by changing the angle. The length of about 160 to 185 cm, similar to a race board, is necessary for stability at higher speeds.

history

In 1989, the French ski instructor and snowboarder Patrick "Thias" Balmain invented a mixture of monoski and snowboard , originally because snowboarding gave him joint pain. He gave it the name skwal , which is derived from "ski" and the French word "squale", a species of shark; you carve sharp curves with it "as snappy as a shark", since both legs only weigh one edge. In 1993 he patented his new gliding device.

Skwallen is still popular today, especially in France, probably because the comparatively flat and wide slopes in the French Alps offer the best conditions for skwallen. There is also the only official Skwal Association, the Euro Skwal Association, which holds regular meetings in changing ski areas, where skwal driving can usually be tried out free of charge. Outside France, there are followers in Germany, Switzerland, Sweden, Austria, Russia, North America and Japan.

Manufacturers and models

The inventor began - initially together with the ski and snowboard manufacturer Lacroix - in 1992 with the production of Skwals. However, the company's own manufacturing company, Thias Skwal, ceased operations in the early 2000s. Völkl was the only major ski manufacturer to produce a Skwal under the Monocarver name for a number of years; production was also stopped. In the meantime, however, Skwals are also offered by other manufacturers (see web links), all of whom specialize in small series and custom boards.

Basic dimensions and materials of the competition skwals

Length 165-190 cm; Width (front) 16-20 cm, (middle) 11.5-14.5 cm; Weight 2.9-3.1 kg; Material / construction: wooden core, P-tex 1000, titanium edges .

Sporting comparisons

Skwal clubs and associations have been formed and organize their own competitions such as a European championship since 2000 (in which interested parties can participate with an entry fee of 80 euros), national championships in France and Switzerland, demo events such as skwal contests or a skwal attack day (2004). The organizers are fully oriented towards the disciplines of snowboarding, that is, there are descents, slalom, jumping, etc., and freeriding has already been carried out.

literature

  • Patrick Thias Balmain: The Inner Glide . The Tao of Skiing, Snowboarding, and Skwalling. 1st edition. Destiny Books, Rochester, Vermont 2007, ISBN 978-1-59477-160-6 (French: La glisse intérieure . Translated by Inner Traditions International).

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c Patrick Thias Balmain: The Inner Glide . The Tao of Skiing, Snowboarding and Skwalling. 1st edition. Destiny Books, Rochester, Vermont 2007, ISBN 978-1-59477-160-6 (French: La glisse intérieure . Translated by Inner Traditions International).
  2. ↑ The skwal in Sweden
  3. ↑ Skwalattack
  4. ↑ Franski