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Snowboarding is the only snow sport at the Winter Olympics that
does not differentiate between men and women.
In the half-pipe, the women riders use exactly the same
equipment, perform on the same track and attempt similar tricks
to their male counterparts. It is a very physical sport and
Britain's Lesley McKenna led the way in improving the training
techniques.
Her coach John Clark told BBC Sport Online: "Lesley was one of
the first to incorporate a proper training schedule in the
gym. It wasn't long before the other girls started doing the same.
"At the beginning, keeping fit was a very relaxed affair but as
the sport has become more professional so have the attitudes. People
don't realise how fit you need to be to compete at the highest
level. Riders have to have the fitness of an athlete, be prepared
to take the knocks of a rugby player while performing like
a ballerina."
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