Whether you’ve just laid down the pipe run of your life, or are trying to salvage the last remaining speck of self respect after winding down the windows on every 6 inch air, slashing a plume off the icy pipe surface high into the air is tantamount to seeing who can piss highest up a wall.
• First off, think small. Nope, not pipe small, but piste small: slash over everything like a dog on heat. Humps, bumps, banks, piste or powder. Practice makes perfect!
• Next, take it to the pipe. Frontsides are easier for most people, so save the backside slashing for the après ski (assuming you are in France).
• Start off with enough speed to get to the lip of the pipe. The faster you go, the further you slash and if it’s a soft pipe, that means that you’ll get more spray.
• About half way up the wall, you need to lean back and start skidding your back foot out, and as you reach the lip, kick that back leg out really hard and put your rear hand on the lip (some people use their front hand, but I think that looks rubbish – and let’s not forget that the whole point of a slash is to score style points after all).
• Lay back as far as you can, think ‘Dogtown and Z Boys’ and style it out. In my opinion, the more board you get out over the lip, the better the trick looks, so try and take it as far as you can. Remember, put your weight over you back foot and apply the power from there.
• When you’re ready to drop back into the pipe, jam your heel edge in and get your board back under your feet. Ride to the other wall and see if you can work out how to do a backside slasher – extra points if you make it first go!
• Once you’re done, go back to the lift and make another lap to try again. As your confidence grows, stick a revert or a crail grab in – or just give someone standing at the top the V’s.
• You’re a slash master. Now all you need to do is sort the airs out.
