What does it mean to be a snowboarder?
“It’s about having fun, with your friends or by yourself. It’s about pushing yourself to try new things and do the unexpected. Finally, and most importantly, it’s about being creative.” (ShaunWhite.com)
Who is Shaun White? He’s a snowboarder, a skateboarder, a surfer, a product & clothing designer, a philanthropist… He is 23 years old.
On snowboarding… Since he first stepped into the bindings on a set of skis at age 4, the momentum began and has never stopped for Carlsbad’s native son. First skiing then snowboarding, once he hit the slopes there was no slowing his roll. Shaun entered his first snowboarding competition at the age of seven. He won. Earning a wildcard position in the Nationals, he placed just outside of the Top 10. Obviously he enjoyed finding a spot on the podium, and as he continued to compete, it would be rare that he didn’t claim a medal. After seeing a home video of Shaun on the slopes, Burton began sponsoring him, and within five years he went pro at the young age of 13.
On skateboarding… Shaun was spotted at a skate park at age nine by equally legendary Carlsbadian, Tony Hawk. [Shaun's hard to miss with his mane of red hair, and has been dubbed The Flying Tomato.] Beginning a long-standing mentorship with Hawk, Shaun went pro in skateboarding at 17. He became the first athlete to compete and win a medal in different sports in both the Summer and Winter X Games.
On the Olympics… Flash to mid February – Vancouver, Canada, at the Winter Olympics. Shaun won his second gold medal in the Men’s Halfpipe. He swept the competition, but rather than palying it safe, he stunned the crowd in his final run with a new gravity-defying trick, the dangerous Double McTwist 1260. Call it the Double Mc or the Whitesnake, the trick brought him a score of 48.4 of a possible 50. Snowboarding became art in motion.
Shaun the businessman… Red Bull, Target, Oakley, Ubisoft… Brands love him and the list continues to grow. He has collaborated with his brother to create a line of boys and mens clothing for Target, designed sunglasses and goggles with Oakley, and developed a self-titled video game with Ubisoft that to-date, has sold more than 3 million copies worldwide. He is still with Burton, and has developed lines of clothing and outerwear for men and women. If all that isn’t enough, Shaun has somehow carved out time for charities that are important to him. The Tony Hawk Foundation, Heartgift, Make-A-Wish Foundation, and the Target House – all call Shaun friend. All this at age 23.
So as to the question, “Who is Shaun White?”… we say he is an inspiration to a new legion of boarders, and continues to set the bar for ‘art in motion’ both on land, and in the air.
#1 SHREDDER BRO! Shaun is my hero – Thx for including him on your site. You a snowboarder?
Sorry Scott, but we prefer the surf to snow – BUT Shaun IS #1 and we LOVE watching him. In fact, I coined the term “art in motion” relative to Shaun. Think he’ll use it?
The Double McTwist 1260 is really an amazing trick, I wonder how many rides will do it next year.