Story highlights
- A pair of freestyle skiing events to be introduced at 2014 Winter Olympics
- The "dark arts" of slopestyle and ski halfpipe will make their debut at Sochi
- Several athletes are making switch from alpine competitions, including Kelsey Serwa
- Some experts say there are too many "minor" freestyle events included at Games
We love the glamor of alpine skiing, the glow of tradition, the glitz of stars like Lindsey Vonn, and the gumption of her quest to race the men.
But do we love it enough to keep watching when skiing's "dark side" is so much more exciting and dangerous?
Freestyle skiing is taking over the Olympics. A global passion for taking two skis to new extremes is reaching its zenith, and the Olympic movement has responded by adding a succession of new events to its program.
When slopestyle and ski halfpipe make their debut at the Sochi 2014 Winter Games, freestyle skiers will for the first time have as many medals to aim at as their alpine counterparts.
And as fans are increasingly drawn to new, high-octane breeds of winter sport, so top athletes are making the switch too.
In 2009, Kelsey Serwa left behind alpine racing for ski cross. Within two years she had become an X Games gold medalist and world champion.
"Ski cross is full of outcasts from alpine," the Canadian 23-year-old tells CNN. "Alpine is so strict on rules. Ski cross is more relaxed, for free spirits or people looking for something more exciting than racing the clock."
Lindsey Vonn vows to take on the men 03:25
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Lara Gut wins World Cup downhill 03:48
Ski cross, a thrilling four-way straight fight to the finish line, blew the socks off TV audiences on its debut at Vancouver 2010, where Serwa finished fifth overall.
For some, it made the blue riband downhill races look almost pedestrian. Serwa calls it the "dark side" of ski racing.
"It's so simple," she says. "You don't have to know anything about it, it's obvious: Whoever is leading is the best, right? And if they make a mistake and get passed, you see why. You don't have to understand, just watch and enjoy."
Contrast that with alpine, where even experts can struggle to identify exactly how and why a race was won -- including Serwa.
"I've raced alpine but even I didn't understand everything," she admits. "Is that guy faster than the fastest split time? Or faster than the fastest racer in general? It's kind of like, 'I don't know what's going on.' "
As president of the International Skiing History Association, John Fry has been watching alpine skiing for more than half a century. In that time, he hasn't solved this problem.
"It's very difficult, even for a highly trained eye, to see how a race was won. Sometimes you have five or six racers who finish within one second of each other. It's a built-in problem," says Fry, who helped to found alpine's World Cup circuit in the 1960s as the editor of Ski magazine.
Yet having witnessed the birth of freestyle skiing in the 1970s and its subsequent explosion, he believes freestyle could end up eating itself. Is the proliferation of events making freestyle as hard to grasp for the novice as the intricacies of downhill?
"To me, there are too many Olympic events," he says. "They keep inventing more and more, and they're all relatively minor. In your great classic sports such as golf and tennis, which I think are comparable to skiing, you have all this history.
"Commentators and writers can refer to golf's Masters champions, how Jack Nicklaus did, how Bobby Jones played, and how that compares to today. There's great history there.
"All these novelties, these new events, have very little history to them."
But Fry also thinks alpine skiing is missing vital chances to broaden its appeal in an era where younger generations, their attention spans waning by the second, are overwhelmed by choice.
"A couple of years ago, when (alpine superstars) Lindsey Vonn and Maria Riesch were virtually tied for the season title, they refused to have a race-off which would have attracted a huge television audience," he said.
"They didn't let it happen 'because of a rule.' It's the same thing now that Vonn wants to race the men. They say: 'No, there's a rule, women can't race.'
"Can you imagine the international TV audience they would attract with that race? These opportunities are presented on a platter, but they don't seem to happen."
For freestyle skiing's fans, TV is largely irrelevant. Their home is the web, where anyone with the right moves and a camera can find a huge audience.
Photos: Chalet stay or chalet go now?
Photos: Chalet stay or chalet go now?
Bighorn, Revelstoke, Canada – Bighorn is an apt title for this palatial chalet on the Rainbow Range of mountains in British Columbia. It sleeps 16 and comes with its own helipad. Also included are a Teppanyaki grill, an outdoor fireplace and a hot tub with a sparkling vista.
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Casa Nova, Utah, USA – As is customary, size does matter in the United States and at Casa Nova you can sleep a small army of 25. Nestled in the Deer Valley Resort, it has four bars, as well as an oxygen bar, a 15-seat screening room, while a privately patrolled ski trail is a mere seven yards from the front door. Yours for just $125,000 a week in peak season.
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Edelweiss, Courchevel, France – Edelweiss raised the bar when it came on to the rental market in September 2012; at peak season in January it will cost you $516,000 for a 10-day stay. With its four floors, nine en-suite bedrooms and accessories that include its own nightclub (pictured), you might never want to leave if you've got deep pockets.
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Grace, Zermatt, Switzerland – Grace has everything you'd expect from a luxury chalet, with the requisite yoga room to the extensive bar, but the real selling point is the stunning views it offers of the Matterhorn.
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Tivoli Lodge, Davos, Switzerland – You can have a waterfall or air jet massage at the Tivoli Lodge, but if you bring any kids most of your time will be spent on crowd control in the chalet's indoor two-storey soft play gym that can cater for 20 children. Just bring your earplugs.
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Kernow, Verbier, Switzerland – Kernow has a plethora of ways to keep you occupied with games consoles, giant TVs, a spa, a gym and study but it is heaven for wine buffs with a purpose-built cellar that houses a private collection of over 2,500 bottles. That's a lot of vino.
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Marco Polo, Val d'Isere, France – Marco Polo has an extensive balcony complete with barbecue and heated seating but should you prefer to stay indoors a wellness center on the first floor has the prerequisite pool, hot tub and sauna complete with a full entertainment system.
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La Grand Roche, Courchevel, France – You may have come to ski but when you are off piste there are few better chalets to keep you entertained than La Grand Roche, which has a full cinema room with a 103" HD television. There is even a waterproof 42" TV in the pool area. Yours for just $120,400 a week.
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Spa, Verbier, Switzerland – Spa's spa is fitted to the highest standard of course, but perhaps the outdoor seven seater jacuzzi is a better bet with its views of the Alps? There is a Scandinavian rock sauna, therapy room and a humidification system throughout to promote restful sleep.
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Grand Corniche, Les Gets, France – On a clear day Mont Blanc will shimmer in the distance; if not, the 180 degree views from the glass sauna should suffice. There is also a slide that takes you from the fourth floor bar to the wine cellar. Perfect when you need another bottle of vintage claret.
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Chesa Falcun, Klosters, Switzerland – Chesa Falcun in the Klosters Valley has all the mod cons and comes with a personal chef and two chauffeurs, but its pièce de résistance is its covered outdoor hot tub -- perfect when the snow is falling.
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Les Anges, Zermatt, Switzerland – Despite its lush indoor decor surely the terrace at Les Anges will entice you into the crisp mountain air. With a 14-seat table and a barbecue, you might not even visit the natural stone relaxation area.
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Ormello, Courchevel, France – Ormello underwent a $1.2 million facelift in 2009 and offers 1,000 square meters of space. It has a lift to all floors, a range of spa and pool facilities, and a state-of-the-art private cinema.
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Zermatt Peak, Zermatt, Switzerland – If you fancy working out in front of a five-star view then Zermatt Peak could be just the ticket. It makes the most of its stunning views with a jacuzzi that begins in the wellness center and extends outside onto the terrace. Should you want to stay inside, three HD cinema rooms should keep you entertained.
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Trois Couronnes, Verbier, Switzerland – If you are lucky enough to be staying in the master en-suite room in Chalet B at Trois Couronnes you have a 19th century elevator that drops you right by the pool. Heated by solar and geothermal power, it also boasts an art gallery, wine cellar and banqueting hall.
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Photos: Noise and sport: how the cowbell came of age
Photos: Noise and sport: how the cowbell came of age
Noise in sport – Watch any ski race on TV and you will hear the same dull, persistent background clanging of cowbells ringing. Marcel Hirscher's feet are pictured here next to a cowbell during the podium ceremony of the men's slalom race at the FIS Alpine Skiing World Cup in January 2012.
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Photos: Noise and sport: how the cowbell came of age
Must have accessory – Over the last two decades cowbells, already steeped in Alpine history, have become a global success and Winter Olympic icon.
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Photos: Noise and sport: how the cowbell came of age
Until the cows come home – Bells have been used, especially in downhill skiing, for a long time. It started in Switzerland, where in summer the cows all walk around the mountains with bells on.
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Photos: Noise and sport: how the cowbell came of age
European culture – "If the Swiss are coming to an event they'll bring really big bells, a foot high or more," said California-based cowbell importer Elisabeth Halvorson.
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Photos: Noise and sport: how the cowbell came of age
Steady march of the cowbell – Cycling and triathlon are increasingly the domain of the cowbell. Tennis racket manufacturers gave away branded versions at the U.S. Open. Here a fan of the Tampa Bay Rays is pictured holds up a cow bell during game one of the 2008 MLB World Series against the Philadelphia Phillies.
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Photos: Noise and sport: how the cowbell came of age
Viva Vuvezela? – Go to most major sporting events in 2013 and the ambience will be provided by vast, booming speaker systems. The sound of the vuvezela at the World Cup in 2010 offered a very different soundscape.
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Photos: Noise and sport: how the cowbell came of age
Shake, rattle and roll – Back in 1949, football fans in England came to matches armed with very different instruments of noise -- wooden rattles.
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Photos: Noise and sport: how the cowbell came of age
Cowbell production – When a Winter Olympics is within sight, cowbells become Norwegian cowbell manufacturer Moen's hottest commodity. The company produces approximately 30,000 bells each year, but in an Olympic Year over twice as many cowbells would be churned out.
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Photos: Noise and sport: how the cowbell came of age
Fabric of sport – The ting-a-ling sensation of a cowbell feels warm and traditional -- part of the very fabric of sport.
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Photos: Noise and sport: how the cowbell came of age
The spirit of the Olympics – "For us, it started before the Winter Olympics in Lillehammer in 1994," said Moen Grude, chief executive of the Norwegian company. "The fans saw it as the only souvenir that let them take the spirit of the Olympics back home."
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Photos: Noise and sport: how the cowbell came of age
Cowbell trophy – Cowbells have many different uses and are not just for skiing fans. Here American sprinter Carl Lewis of the USA is presented in 1997 with a huge cow-bell by promoter Andreas Brugger at the IAAF Weltklasse Grand Prix at the Letzigrund Stadium in Zurich, Switzerland.
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Photos: Noise and sport: how the cowbell came of age
Old school cowbell – An Alpiner with three large cow bells, which produce that sombre rhythmic sound, at a traditional bell-swinging festival in 1955.
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Photos: Vonn and on: Lindsey's quest
Photos: Vonn and on: Lindsey's quest
Poster girl – Lindsey Vonn is a marketeer's dream, with her skiing prowess and profile taking the sport to new corners of North America.
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Photos: Vonn and on: Lindsey's quest
Skiing starlet – Vonn burst on to the scene as a 16-year-old and represented the U.S. team on home soil at the Salt Lake City Winter Olympics in 2002 as a 17-year-old.
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Photos: Vonn and on: Lindsey's quest
Big heart – Skiing is a treacherous sport, demonstrated by this fall Vonn had at the 2006 Winter Olympic Games in Turin. She was airlifted to hospital but returned two days later to compete and finished eighth. Her grit earned her the U.S. Olympic Spirit Award.
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Photos: Vonn and on: Lindsey's quest
Sporting spouse – Vonn married fellow U.S. skier Thomas Vonn in 2007. Vonn also became her coach. The pair split in November 2011.
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Photos: Vonn and on: Lindsey's quest
First of four – Vonn secured her first World Cup title in 2008. She set a new record for the most World Cup downhill victories in a season with 10. Vonn would go on to win it again two years in a row and now has four to her name.
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Photos: Vonn and on: Lindsey's quest
Under the thumb – Another serious injury, this time to her thumb, ruled Vonn out of the World Ski Championships in Val d'Isere back in February 2009.
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Photos: Vonn and on: Lindsey's quest
Gold plated – Vonn's only Olympic gold medal to date came in the downhill competition at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. "Seeing my name and the number one next to it was the best feeling I've had in my life," she told reporters.
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Photos: Vonn and on: Lindsey's quest
Lake Lindsey – Lake Louise is Vonn's playground. She has dominated there in recent years, winning all three downhill events in December 2012, like she did the year before. Her request to race against the men there this year was rejected.
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Photos: Vonn and on: Lindsey's quest
Best buddies – Vonn missed out on a fourth successive World Cup title to her good friend Maria Riesch by three points in 2011.
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Photos: Vonn and on: Lindsey's quest
In conversation – Vonn took time out of her preparations for an Alpine World Cup event in Val d'Isere to catch up with CNN's Alpine Edge show.
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Meet the Hannula brothers -- Ilkka and Verneri, both 19 -- their friend Juho Kilkki, 20, and cameraman Janne Korpela, 18. They call themselves Real Skifi. They live in the town of Jyvaskyla, in central Finland, and the internet loves them.
"Our latest episode has been viewed over half a million times," Korpela tells CNN. "I didn't dare to dream we would get this popular."
The quartet spend their days and Jyvaskyla's long, dark midwinter nights finding rails, walls and other beguiling items of street furniture in their hometown. What they find, they ski on. Or over, or under, or through. They call it "urban skiing."
"We try to choose our spots so we aren't too close to people's homes," says Korpela. "The one time the police kicked us out was when we were filming about 200 meters from the local hospital, in between two roads."
Dozens of dangerous takes might be needed to get each trick right, but it pays off: short compilations are uploaded to Vimeo and each one becomes a hit with thousands of Facebook fans. There have, as yet, been no serious injuries.
Disciplines like slopestyle incorporate a lot of the same moves you will see Real Skifi pulling off in their videos.
As a sport, freestyle speaks to them far more than watching one skier after another race the clock down the same old slope -- Vonn or no Vonn.
"It would be boring to just ski down the slope," says Verneri Hannula. "That's why we like to do tricks. When we do tricks, the only limit is our imagination. But when we do alpine skiing, the limit is the 100m-high slope we have."
Kilkki adds: "The only skiing you see on television is pretty much alpine stuff, and that's boring to my eyes.
"Freeskiing is a wildly rising sport. Our local ski hill is full of young kids on their new twin tips (double-ended freestyle skis). That's one reason our videos have become popular. Freeskiing is a lot different from alpine, the videos are a much bigger part of the sport."
Freestyle skiing now enticingly combines a young, passionate fanbase, avidly consuming the sport through the web, with a raft of Olympic disciplines which are guaranteed mainstream airtime next year.
But if alpine racing's position on top of the pile is ever to be truly threatened, freestyle needs to match alpine's impressive presence on worldwide TV, which remains the kingmaker of sports even this far into the 21st Century.
For example, Olympic downhill champion Vonn (televised) has more than 150,000 Twitter followers; ski cross world champion Serwa (streamed) has 650. That makes Sochi 2014 an unparalleled opportunity which freestyle athletes know they must take.
"Alpine will always be strong, it has its roots set pretty deep," admits Serwa. "But we're going to get more followers from a younger crowd. We race at the X Games and that crowd, those kinds of kids will be watching it when they grow up.
"Right now we're battling most with exposure. I believe we have only three or four races broadcast in Canada this year, and last year we had none, not even a race that was held in Canada. For us to get big, we need that TV time.
"Once people see freestyle skiing, they'll really get into it. We won't have to do anything different from what we're doing right now to get people to follow it."
