USSA President and CEO Bill Marolt, together with the U.S. Olympic Committee and Team partner Visa, announced the roster of 18 athletes to compete in the snowboard events at Cypress Mountain in Vancouver on Monday.
“We are going in to the 2010 Games with one of the strongest athletic lineups possible,” U.S. Snowboarding Head Coach Peter Foley said. “We’re hoping to go into Vancouver and build on the successes we saw in 2006. This Team is in position to do great things.”
After winning four of five events at the Sprint U.S. Snowboarding Grand Prix, White, who took the gold medal in 2006, has kept his stronghold on winning halfpipe events and will be a favorite in Vancouver. “Shaun is truly an amazing competitor. After winning in 2006 he has been non-stop and has played a huge role in the progression halfpipe has seen in these past four years,” U.S. Snowboarding Halfpipe Head Coach Mike Jankowski said. Joining White is a lineup of talented riders with unique style, including Louie Vito (Sandy, UT), who has back to back double corks in his repertoire and Scotty Lago (Seabrook, NH) who reaches mesmerizing heights with each hit in the pipe. Greg Bretz (Mammoth Lakes, CA) who has the coveted double cork in his bag as well, completes the men’s roster. Danny Davis (Detroit, MI) would have qualified for the Olympic team with a fourth in the Grand Prix standings, but suffered an injury earlier this month that will keep him out of competition.
On the women’s side of things, the Olympic Team will be comprised of the same talent it featured in 2006. Clark also won four of the five Grand Prix stops to make the team, and has been using her time to lock down new tricks that she plans to add to her run as she looks for success in Vancouver. Filling out the women’s roster, Olympic silver medalist Gretchen Bleiler (Aspen, CO), Teter, and 2006 Olympian Elena Hight (South Lake Tahoe, CA) all bring the Olympic experience and heavy-hitting tricks to make the grade at Cypress Mountain.
2010 U.S. OLYMPIC SNOWBOARDING TEAM
Halfpipe Men
Greg Bretz, Mammoth Lakes, CA, 19, 12/19/1990
Scotty Lago, Seabrook, NH, 22, 11/12/1987
Louie Vito, Sandy, UT, 21, 3/20/1988
Shaun White, Carlsbad, CA, 23, 9/3/1986 (2006)
Halfpipe Women
Gretchen Bleiler, Aspen, CO, 28, 04/10/1981 (2006)
Kelly Clark, Mt. Snow, VT, 26, 07/26/1983 (2002, 2006)
Elena Hight, South Lake Tahoe, CA, 20, 08/17/1989 (2006)
Hannah Teter, Belmont, VT, 23, 01/27/1987 (2006)
SBX Men
Nick Baumgartner, Iron River, MI, 28, 12/17/1981
Nate Holland, Squaw Valley, CA, 31, 11/8/1978 (2006)
Graham Watanabe, Sun Valley, ID, 27, 03/19/1982 (2006)
Seth Wescott, Sugarloaf, ME, 33, 06/28/1976 (2006)
SBX Women
Callan Chythlook-Sifsof, Girdwood, AK, 24, 04/17/1985
Faye Gulini, Salt Lake City, 17, 03/24/1992
Lindsey Jacobellis, Stratton Mountain, VT, 24, 08/19/1985 (2006)