The top draw in snowboarding is Shaun White, the reigning halfpipe gold medallist, highly fancied to add to his huge haul of trophies as he takes to the air in a routine of acrobatic jumps, twists and tricks.

Australia’s Begg-Smith, 25, who took gold in the men’s moguls in Torino in 2006, was on a hot streak earlier this month, winning three World Cup competitions in a row until his run was snapped but he still tops the overall moguls standings.

Steve Desovich, coach of the Canadian-born Begg-Smith, said his charge was “quite pleased” with his form in the run-up to Vancouver.

“He’s feeling really good and he’s really peaking right in time for the Games, not that he will allow himself to think that way, because moguls is such a precarious event,” he told The Australian newspaper.

Canada’s Heil is also in top form heading into the Games, going one better than Begg-Smith and making it four World Cup wins on the trot to also top the overall standings in the moguls, in which competitors are required to perform two different jumps.

The 26-year-old is confident despite the inevitable pressure of defending her crown.

“I dealt with a lot of pressure in 2006. But I’ve grown up a lot since then,” she said after her recent win in Calgary.

China are targeting two golds in freestyle. Han Xiaopeng took gold last time around in the men’s aerials — in which competitors soar into the air, performing different jumps that combine back flips and twists — and three-time reigning world champion Li Nina took silver in the ladies’ event.

The freestyle programme is bolstered this year by the addition of ski cross which involves a timed qualification run before four skiers race down the course incorporating turns, flat sections and traverses as well as rolls, banks and ridges.

In snowboarding, there is no question that Shaun White will be the star attraction. White performs in the halfpipe, in which competitors perform their routine on the inside of a half-cylinder shaped snow tube or ramp.

The 23-year-old took gold in Torino in 2006, one of three snowboarding wins for the United States, matched by Switzerland, whose haul included the men’s and ladies’ parallel giant slalom.

But his task will be made a little easier by the absence of Kevin Pearce, one of the few riders to have beaten White in head-to-head competition. Pearce suffered a serious head injury in training this month.

In the ladies’ halfpipe American gold medallist Hannah Teter is expected to face competition from compatriot Gretchen Bleiler, who earned silver behind Teter in 2006.

Two-time world champion and two-time World Cup winner Lindsey Jacobellis is looking to add the elusive Olympic title to her medal collection in the snowboard cross, in which four racers bomb downhill over a series of jumps and ramps.

The snowboarding and freestyle skiing events will be held at Cypress Mountain, near Vancouver. The skiing runs were closed to the public earlier than planned to protect the course after a spell of warm and wet weather.

Salt Lake City (AFP) –

Pearce, 22, struck his head on the side of the halfpipe while attempting a cab double cork – a difficult twisting double back flip.

“Kevin sustained a severe traumatic brain injury,” doctor Holly Ledyard said. “He is currently in intensive care and in critical condition, but stable and has not needed to undergo surgery at this time. He is intubated and being kept sedated. The focus over the next week will be watching for any swelling in his brain and keeping his brain pressure normal. Kevin has a long recovery ahead of him.”

Pearce was training at Park City, Utah, for Olympic qualifying events in Mammoth Mountain, California, next week.

After the accident he was airlifted to hospital in Salt Lake City.

Pearce is among the few riders who have beaten 2006 Olympic gold medallist Shaun White in head-to-head competition in recent years and was among the favorites to make the US team for the 2010 Vancouver Games.

The top draw in snowboarding is Shaun White, the reigning halfpipe gold medallist, highly fancied to add to his huge haul of trophies as he takes to the air in a routine of acrobatic jumps, twists and tricks.

Australia’s Begg-Smith, 25, who took gold in the men’s moguls in Torino in 2006, was on a hot streak earlier this month, winning three World Cup competitions in a row until his run was snapped but he still tops the overall moguls standings.

Steve Desovich, coach of the Canadian-born Begg-Smith, said his charge was “quite pleased” with his form in the run-up to Vancouver.

“He’s feeling really good and he’s really peaking right in time for the Games, not that he will allow himself to think that way, because moguls is such a precarious event,” he told The Australian newspaper.

Canada’s Heil is also in top form heading into the Games, going one better than Begg-Smith and making it four World Cup wins on the trot to also top the overall standings in the moguls, in which competitors are required to perform two different jumps.

The 26-year-old is confident despite the inevitable pressure of defending her crown.

“I dealt with a lot of pressure in 2006. But I’ve grown up a lot since then,” she said after her recent win in Calgary.

China are targeting two golds in freestyle. Han Xiaopeng took gold last time around in the men’s aerials — in which competitors soar into the air, performing different jumps that combine back flips and twists — and three-time reigning world champion Li Nina took silver in the ladies’ event.

The freestyle programme is bolstered this year by the addition of ski cross which involves a timed qualification run before four skiers race down the course incorporating turns, flat sections and traverses as well as rolls, banks and ridges.

In snowboarding, there is no question that Shaun White will be the star attraction. White performs in the halfpipe, in which competitors perform their routine on the inside of a half-cylinder shaped snow tube or ramp.

The 23-year-old took gold in Torino in 2006, one of three snowboarding wins for the United States, matched by Switzerland, whose haul included the men’s and ladies’ parallel giant slalom.

But his task will be made a little easier by the absence of Kevin Pearce, one of the few riders to have beaten White in head-to-head competition. Pearce suffered a serious head injury in training this month.

In the ladies’ halfpipe American gold medallist Hannah Teter is expected to face competition from compatriot Gretchen Bleiler, who earned silver behind Teter in 2006.

Two-time world champion and two-time World Cup winner Lindsey Jacobellis is looking to add the elusive Olympic title to her medal collection in the snowboard cross, in which four racers bomb downhill over a series of jumps and ramps.

The snowboarding and freestyle skiing events will be held at Cypress Mountain, near Vancouver. The skiing runs were closed to the public earlier than planned to protect the course after a spell of warm and wet weather.

In updates on his Facebook Internet social networking page, fans of the 21-year-old halfpipe star learned that Davis will not compete in any other events this year as a result of the fracture caused by the accident in Utah.

But doctors who operated upon Davis on Monday to repair the break were “positive Danny will make a full recovery”.

Davis joins Kevin Pearce, who suffered a serious head injury December 31 while trying to land a double cork move during a training run, as top Americans who were favorites to compete at Vancouver that will not be on the US squad.

The American lineup will be finalized this weekend after two last qualifying events in Utah.

Davis upset reigning Olympic halfpipe champion Shaun White at a qualifying event earlier this month with an unprecedented three double corks and Pearce was also among the few to defeat “Flying Tomato” White in competition

Vancouver (AFP) –

SNOWBOARD
Shaun White

Halfpipe champion Shaun White is bidding for his second Olympic gold and it would take a brave punter to bet against the “Flying Tomato” adding to his stellar list of snowboarding prizes.

White turned the Olympic final in Turin four years ago into a procession after being awarded an outstanding mark of 46.8 points out of 50 in the first leg.

The US rider, who fell in the first set of heats, had the luxury of knowing he was Olympic champion before starting his second run in the final, beating compatriot Daniel Kass into second place.

By the time he arrived at the 2006 Games, the Californian had won several snowboarding titles at the Winter X Games, as well as most of the major competitions.

The redhead, a four-time gold medallist in superpipe and five-times winner in slopestyle at the Winter X Games, in 2007 became the first athlete to win a gold medal at both the summer and winter versions of the games.

Already a veteran of the sport at 23, White became, at 13, one of the youngest athletes to sign up with a major equipment supplier and turn professional. He even has his own videogame.

His chances in Vancouver have been boosted further by the absence of two potential rivals and teammates, Kevin Pearce and Danny Davis.

Pearce suffered a serious head injury in training on December 31 after striking his head on the side of the halfpipe while attempting a cab double cork — a difficult twisting double back flip.

Pearce is among the few riders to have beaten White in head-to-head competition in recent years.

Meanwhile, US snowboarder Danny Davis suffered a spinal fracture in a quad bike accident Sunday and will not compete in Vancouver. Davis upset White at a qualifying event earlier this month with an unprecedented three double corks.

Park City (AFP) –

Reigning Olympic champ White and 2002 women’s gold medallist Kelly Clark headline the US halfpipe team for Vancouver announced on Saturday.

White, who had already secured his Olympic berth, isn’t taking it easy heading into Vancouver, winning Saturday’s event with a score of 49.50 – just half a point off a perfect 50.

White will be joined by Olympic newcomers Scotty Lago and Louie Vito.

Clark will be joined on the women’s team by 2006 gold and silver medallists Hannah Teter Gretchen Bleiler.

America has dominated the halfpipe snowboard event since it made its Olympic debut in 1998.

The full US snowboard team is to be announced next week.