Olympics News and Info

Snowboard: US sets Vancouver Olympic lineup – AFP News : Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics and Paralympics

Park City (AFP) - Reigning Olympic champions Seth Wescott, Shaun White and Hannah Teter and season halfpipe star Kelly Clark were on the US Olympic snowboard roster announced late Monday.

Americans have dominated Olympic snowboarding since it debuted in 1998 at Nagano, Japan, and have expectations soaring as high as their competitors ahead of the Vancouver Olympic Winter Games.

"We are going in to the 2010 Games with one of the strongest athletic lineups possible," US Snowboarding 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."

Defending men's halfpipe champion White, known as the "Flying Tomato" because of his red hair, leads a lineup that also includes double corkers Greg Bretz and Louie Vito plus Scotty Lago.

"Shaun is truly an amazing competitor," US halfpipe coach Mike Jankowski said.

Clark, Teter, 2006 Olympic runner-up Gretchen Bleiler and Elena Hight return are all back from the 2006 US women's halfpipe lineup.

Reigning snowboard cross champion Wescott will be joined by five-time X Games champion Nate Holland, 2006 Olympian Graham Watanabe and newcomer Nick Baumgartner.

"It was a huge battle to make this men's SBX team. Six different US riders have already been on the World Cup podium this season, and only four of them make the Olympic Team," Foley said.

"Vancouver is going to be an incredible fight for the podium, and our guys are ready for it."

Lindsey Jacobellis, who settled for silver at the 2006 Olympics, returns to the women's snowboard cross lineup as a favorite, joined by Olympic newcomers Faye Gulini and Callan Chythlook-Sifsof.

Alpine racers include two-time Olympian and 2002 bronze medalist Chris Klug and 2006 Olympians Tyler Jewell and Michelle Gorgone.

"Klug’s hard work and perseverance have really paid off," Foley said. "What an amazing accomplishment it is for him to make the Olympic teams in '98 and 2002, then miss the team in 2006 and now make the team again in 2010."

js/lp10