ALL HAIL TEAM USA!
The U.S. Snowboarding Association nominated the 2014 Olympic Snowboard Team on Sunday at Mammoth Mountain after the conclusion of the Sprint U.S. Snowboarding Grand Prix finals series. Nine of the eleven spots on the team were unsecured before the three contests in Mammoth, which created an incredibly high level of riding by the U.S. athletes.
The Men’s Halfpipe team includes former Olympians Shaun White and Greg Bretz, along with veteran Danny Davis. Taylor Gold, brother to women’s halfpipe Ariel Gold, secured his spot on the Olympic team with by podiuming at both events on Friday.
The Women’s team in Halfpipe includes 17 year old Ariel Gold and Olympic Gold and Silver Medalist Hannah Teter. Kaitlyn Farrington clinched her spot on the team with her first place finish in Sunday’s competition. Kelly Clark had secured her spot on the team earlier in the season and placed first in the two Halfpipe competitions on Friday and second in the final competition on Sunday. She won the U.S. Grand Prix title Women’s Halfpipe on Sunday as well.
Although too young for the Olympic Team, 13-year-old Chloe Kim received lots of attention in Women’s Halfpipe and the announcers repeatedly named her “the future of women’s snowboarding.” She placed second in both Halfpipe competitions on Friday.
Shaun White is the only US athlete to compete in both snowboarding Halfpipe and Slopestyle. After falling in the first Slopestyle competition last Thursday, he won the next competition later that same day. White is joined by Sage Kotzenburg and Chas Guldemond on the men’s Olympic Slopestyle team. White was named the overall winner of the U.S. Grand Prix Tour for both Slopestyle and Halfpipe in addition to making both teams.
Jamie Anderson was nominated to the Olympic Team after winning the US. Grand Prix title in Women’s Slopestyle on Sunday. She is joined on the U.S. Team by Ty Walker. This is the first time athletes will compete in Slopestyle at the Olympic games, and more riders may still be named to both the men’s and women’s team when the United States Olympic Committee formally names the 2014 U.S. Team on January 27th.
