Why grab the board/ski during aerials? (sport, snowboard, athlete)

[P47P47]

I understand why skateboarders grab the board when doing aerial stunts. They aren't attached to the board and they don't want it to get away. But why do snowboarders and freestyle skiers make a similar move when they are securely attached to the board/skis by bindings?

[joe from dayton]

I imagine for style and difficulty.

[Suburban_Guy]

Because it looks cool and in fact skateboarding is just another variation of skating, similar tricks and concepts on half pipes, etc.

[grampaTom]

Originally Posted by joe from dayton

I imagine for style and difficulty.

^^^^^^this^^^^^^

[TCHP]

Because ski boarding originated from skate boarding via a ski slope so a lot of tricks, names, and style/flair are similar between the two.

[P47P47]

So in snowboarding and skiing, it's strictly a style thing, as opposed to the functionality of the move in skateboarding? Do judges deduct points if the athlete does not make the "grab"? Perhaps for some moves but not for others?

[TCHP]

Deduct, no. Not gain points, yes.

Any sport with style points; freestyle, slope style, half pipe, figure skating, will have subjective judging criteria for "style".