Words: Tricia Byrnes

Originally featured in Snowboard Mag Vol. 10, Issue 4 | The Olympic Issue

Six to twelve months prior to the Olympic Games there is always a mega push in the progression of snowboarding. In the summer of 2009 the double cork was landed for the first time in contest history and by the start of the 2010 Games nearly every rider had one, if not a pair of matching double corks, in their bag of tricks. This year will be no different, but here’s a look back at the winning runs and medal counts of years past.

Also see:  The Olympic Issue: Terje Haakonsen Interview 

Medals

Gold (Men)
Gian Simmen (SUI) 1998
Ross Powers (USA) 2002
Shaun White 2X (USA) 2006 & 2010

Gold (Women)
Nicola Thost (GER) 1998
Kelly Clark (USA) 2002
Hannah Teter (USA) 2006
Torah Bright (AUS) 2010

Silver (Men)
Daniel Franck (NOR) 1998
Danny Kass 2X (USA) 2002 & 2006
Peetu Piiroinen (FIN) 2010

Silver (Women)
Stine Brun Kjeldaas (NOR) 1998
Doriane Vidal (FRA) 2002
Gretchen Bleiler (USA) 2006
Hannah Teter (USA) 2010

Bronze (Men)
Ross Powers (USA) 1998
JJ Thomas (USA) 2002
Marku Koski (FIN) 2006
Scotty Lago (USA) 2010

Bronze (Women)
Shannon Dunn (USA) 1998
Fabienne Reuteler (SUI) 2002
Kjersti Buaas (NOR) 2006
Kelly Clark (USA) 2010

Winning Combos

1998 Nagano, Japan

Gian Simmen
Back to Back 720s, Backside 540

Nicola Thost
Frontside Alley-Oop, Backside 540

2002 Salt Lake City, Utah

Ross Powers
Backside Air, Frontside Air, McTwist, Frontside 900, Backside 360, Switch McTwist

Kelly Clark
Frontside Air, Indy, Frontside 540, Backside Air, Stalefish, McTwist, Frontside 720

2006 Turin, Italy

Shaun White
Lien Air, McTwist, Frontside 1080, Cab 1080, Frontside 900, Backside 900

Hannah Teter
Frontside 540 Stalefish, Backside Air, Frontside 900 Lien, Indy, 360, Cab 540

2010 Vancouver, B.C. Canada

Shaun White
Backside Air, Frontside Double Cork 1080, Cab Double Cork 1080, Frontside 540 Stalefish, Double McTwist 1260

Torah Bright
Backside 360, Switch Backside 720, Backside 540, Air to Fakie, Cab 720

Gold Medal Ages

Men
Gian Simmen: 20
Ross Powers: 22
Shaun White: 19
Shaun White: 23

Women
Nicola Thost: 20
Kelly Clark: 18
Hannah Teter: 19
Torah Bright: 23

Youngest Olympian
2006: Elena Hight, 16

Oldest Olympian
2010: Soko Yamaoka, 36

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