Torah Bright Makes Olympic History
Qualifies for three snowboard events
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Reigning Olympic halfpipe champion Torah Bright is on a quest for a triple crown at Sochi next month.
The Australian snowboarder qualified for three disciplines at the Winter Olympic Games—the first snowboarder ever to do so. She’ll compete in the halfpipe, snowboard cross, and slopestyle events.
Slopestyle, a sport where snowboarders launch off massive jumps and perform difficult tricks, will make its Olympic debut in Sochi.
Snowboard cross isn’t a new Olympic event—it debuted in 2006—but it’s always a fun one to watch. It’s a race to the finish where four riders bomb down a half-mile-long obstacle course. Bright took up the event last year and has since competed in 12 snowboard cross races.
Then there’s the halfpipe. Bright won Olympic gold in this event at the 2010 Vancouver Games and is a favorite to medal again in Sochi this year.
“More than anything, it’s about sharing the sport I love with the world. This has been a journey of exploring what is possible for me on my snowboard and challenging myself like never before,” Bright said in a press release.
If you look at the decline in snowboard sales, it seems like the sport could use all the help it can get. Read our feature on why we think snowboarding is dead.