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Winter Olympics 2010 Team USA: Men's Snowboarding

Updated on February 7, 2014

On January 25, 2010, only a few weeks before the Opening Ceremonies of the Winter Olympics in Vancouver, the US Snowboarding team was announced by the US Ski and Snowboard Association (USSA). 18 American athletes have hopes held high as they prepare and train for perhaps the biggest event of their lives. Go Team USA!

Men's Snowboarding

There are 10 male riders representing America in the Olympics. Six of them are former Olympians. The men's snowboarding team holds some of the best talent ever seen in the sport. From halfpipe to boardercross to giant slalom, the competition is bound to be exciting with such talented athletes as Chris Klug, Seth Wescott, and Shaun White.

Greg Bretz, 19

Greg Bretz may be the youngest guy on the team, and the second youngest rider, but he still has what it takes to be a top athlete. He won a World Cup in 2008. Greg was chosen above J.J. Thomas (Olympic bronze medalist) to complete the 2010 Olympic team.

Greg has been snowboarding since he was five years old. His dad used to work at Mammoth Mountain, and snowboarding has been a huge part of Greg’s life. Recently, Greg was in a snowboarding film entitled “Hot Laps” along with Olympian Danny Kass.

Scotty Lago, 22

Scotty Lago is sure to impress with his track record. He has won numerous medals in halfpipe, quarterpipe, and slopestyle, including the silver in slopestyle at the 2009 X Games. In 2004, Scotty was crowned the last World Quartpipe Champion, as the event was cancelled after that year. Vancouver 2010 will be his first Olympics.

 

Scotty grew up in the wet snows of New Hampshire, and he enjoys hunting and fishing when he’s not on his board. Snowboarding as a career has taken Scotty around the world and back.

 

Louie Vito, 21

Louie Vito is one of the biggest names right now in snowboarding. He was named overall champion at the Grand Prix events of 2008 and 2009. Will Louie be the ultimate challenger of reigning Shaun White? Only time and the Olympics will tell.

Louie grew up riding in Ohio with his supportive father. Like many other pro riders and Olympians, Louie attended Stratton Mountain School in Vermont where he honed his skills as a snowboarder. Expanding his horizons, Louie recently performed on ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars” in Season 9, lasting until week 6.

Shaun White, 23

What would a snowboarding competition be without Shaun White? Shaun has dominated his sport for years and remains the most recognizable figure in snowboarding. He brought home the gold in the 2006 Olympics and hopes to defend the title in 2010. A professional skateboarder as well, Shaun has won innumerable medals at the X Games and other competitions.

Known affectionately as “The Flying Tomato”, Shaun was born with a heart defect for which he had two surgeries when he was a baby. But his early struggles didn’t slow him down any, as he started snowboarding when he was six years old and turned pro at just 13. Ever since, Shaun has become a symbol of snowboarding. Shaun sets the bar of the competition with his progressive tricks and style. Shaun recently had his own private halfpipe built so he could intensely train and practice new tricks, resulting in the impressive Double McTwist.

wow ... seriously

SBX (Snowboard Cross or Boardercross)

Whistler
Whistler

Nick Baumgartner, 28

Nick Baumgartner, a long-time athlete, is bringing lots of experience to this year’s Olympics. He has a World Cup and a bronze medal from the World Championships under his belt.

 

Growing up in Michigan, Nick loved the cold. Nick may be making history with snowboarding, but he is an athlete all around. Before competing in snowboarding professionally, Nick was a wrestler, a hurdler, and a college football player. He also likes to race in demolition derbies.

 

Nate Holland, 31

One of the fastest riders out there, Nate Holland has won a bronze medal at the World Championships and four gold medals at the X Games. In 2006, Nate competed at the Torino Olympics, but failed to reach the podium.

 

Nate grew up in Idaho and now lives in Squaw Valley, California. The past couple of years, Nate has traveled to Iraq and Afghanistan to visit the American troops.

 

Graham Watanabe, 27

Graham Watanabe is another rider from the 2006 Olympics. He has a silver medal from X Games and three World Cups.

 

Another Idaho native, Graham now rides from his base in Park City, Utah. His father got Graham started snowboarding, and he continues to be his inspiration.

 

pretty sweet

Seth Wescott, 33

Seth Wescott is back for more, having won the gold medal in Snowboardcross in Torino 2006. One of the most experienced riders, Seth has been snowboarding competitively for almost 20 years. He has many medals from X Games, the World Cup, and the World Championships.

 

Seth is from Maine, but snowboarding has taken him to the top of the world...literally. Every year, Seth makes trips to Alaska to board down the pristine, untouched mountain faces.

 

did someone tell him that this was fun?

PGS (Parallel Giant Slalom)

Tyler Jewell, 32

Tyler Jewell was an Olympian in 2006, being selected over veteran Chris Klug to represent the USA.

From Massachusetts, Tyler put snowboarding aside when he attended Boston College to get his degree in human development. But now Tyler is back on his board and getting prepared for his second Olympics.

Chris Klug, 37

The oldest rider on Team USA, Chris Klug has already made plenty of Olympic history. He competed at the 1998 Olympics in Nagano, returning medal-less. In 2000, Chris survived a liver transplant and rejoined the Olympic team in 2002, winning the bronze medal. He was the first athlete to win a medal after having a transplant.

Chris was born in beautiful snowy Vail, and was interested in sports at an early age. Skateboarding was what started him on snowboarding. Today, Chris continues to share his story of survival with the world.

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