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From Olympic Champions to Backcountry Legends — The Athletes Who Shaped Snowboarding
Last updated: February 18, 2026
Snowboarding's greatest athletes span decades and disciplines — from Terje Haakonsen's refusal to compete in the Olympics while dominating halfpipe, to Shaun White's three Olympic golds, to Chloe Kim's generation-defining performances. Below you'll find the most iconic male and female snowboarders, Olympic medalists, and the rising stars pushing the sport forward today.
Widely considered the most famous snowboarder ever. 3 Olympic gold medals (2006, 2010, 2018) in halfpipe, 13 X Games gold medals, and the first person to land a double McTwist 1260 in competition. White transcended snowboarding to become a global sports icon and brought mainstream attention to the sport.
Many purists consider Terje the greatest snowboarder of all time. Dominated halfpipe in the 1990s with unprecedented amplitude and style. Famously boycotted the 1998 Olympics in protest of IOC control over the sport. Inventor of numerous tricks and a backcountry legend who continues to ride at the highest level decades later.
Revolutionized big mountain and backcountry snowboarding through his film projects ("The Art of Flight," "The Fourth Phase"). Known for dropping massive Alaskan spines and landing tricks in terrain where no one else dares ride. His influence extends beyond competition into snowboard filmmaking and culture.
3 Olympic medals (bronze 2014, bronze 2018, bronze 2022) in slopestyle. 20+ X Games medals. Survived a near-fatal backcountry accident in 2017, breaking his jaw, left arm, pelvis, ribs, and rupturing his spleen — then returned to podium-level competition within a year.
The godfather of modern freeriding. Won 4 consecutive World Championship titles (1989-1992) before walking away from competition entirely to pursue backcountry riding. Tragically killed in an avalanche while guiding in British Columbia. The Craig Kelly Award for outstanding contribution to snowboarding bears his name.
2014 Olympic gold medalist in halfpipe, defeating Shaun White. Invented the YOLO flip (a cab double cork 1440). Known for his creative, artistic approach to halfpipe riding and his Swiss-Russian background.
The most dominant female halfpipe rider in history. Won Olympic gold at age 17 in 2018 with a score of 98.25, then defended her title in 2022. She was qualified for the 2014 Olympics at age 13 but was too young to compete. Multiple X Games gold medals and consistently posts the highest scores in women's halfpipe history.
2010 Olympic gold medalist in halfpipe, plus bronze in 2014 slopestyle. One of the most versatile female snowboarders ever — competed in halfpipe, slopestyle, and boardercross at the Olympic level. A style icon and ambassador for women's snowboarding worldwide.
2 Olympic gold medals in slopestyle (2014, 2018) — the first woman to win consecutive Olympic slopestyle titles. Known for her smooth, flowing style and consistency in competition. Also won silver in big air at the 2022 Olympics, demonstrating her versatility across disciplines.
The first woman to land a cab triple underflip 1260 in competition, pushing the boundaries of what's possible in women's snowboarding. Olympic gold in big air (2018), multiple X Games medals. A fearless progression rider who has consistently raised the technical ceiling for women's tricks.
A true pioneer with a career spanning over 20 years. Olympic gold in halfpipe (2002), plus bronze in 2010. First woman to land a 1080 in halfpipe competition (2011). 8 X Games gold medals. Her longevity and consistency set the standard for women's halfpipe before Chloe Kim's era.
2006 Olympic gold medalist and 2010 silver medalist in halfpipe. Known for her powerful, high-amplitude riding and her humanitarian work. Founded the non-profit Hannah's Gold, with proceeds from her maple syrup company supporting Kenyan villages.
New Zealand's first-ever Winter Olympic gold medalist, winning slopestyle in 2022 at age 20. Also won bronze in big air at the same Games. Multiple X Games gold medals and a dominant force in women's slopestyle who represents the new generation of multi-discipline athletes.
One of the most technically gifted young riders in the world. Won X Games gold at age 14. Competes in both slopestyle and big air, known for pushing the rotation limits in women's snowboarding with tricks like cab double cork 1260.
Became the youngest-ever snowboard world champion at age 16 in 2023. Her big air runs feature tricks previously only seen in men's competition. Represents a potential generational shift in women's snowboarding difficulty.
Born in 2003, already a multi-time X Games medalist in slopestyle. Known for incredibly creative rail combinations and a casual, effortless riding style that belies the technical difficulty of his tricks. Won slopestyle gold at X Games 2023.
A slopestyle and big air specialist known for his incredibly creative style. First person to land a triple cork 1800 on snow. Multiple X Games gold medals and consistently one of the most stylish riders in competition.
Snowboarding entered the Olympics in 1998 at Nagano. Here are the disciplines and their most recent Olympic champions:
Halfpipe: The original Olympic snowboard event. Scoring is based on amplitude, difficulty, variety, execution, and progression — judges use an overall impression score from 0-100.
Slopestyle: Added at the 2014 Sochi Olympics. Athletes ride a course with rails and jumps. The PAVED criteria (Progression, Amplitude, Variety, Execution, Difficulty) determine scores.
Big Air: Added at the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics. Athletes perform a single trick off a massive jump. Three runs, best two scores combined.
Boardercross/Snowboard Cross: A race format where 4-6 riders compete simultaneously on a course with jumps, berms, and rollers. First across the finish line wins.
Parallel Giant Slalom: A side-by-side racing format that was replaced by parallel slalom in recent Olympics.
| Discipline | Champion | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Men's Halfpipe (2022) | Ayumu Hirano (Japan) | 96.00 |
| Women's Halfpipe (2022) | Chloe Kim (USA) | 94.00 |
| Men's Slopestyle (2022) | Max Parrot (Canada) | 90.96 |
| Women's Slopestyle (2022) | Zoi Sadowski-Synnott (NZ) | 92.88 |
| Men's Big Air (2022) | Su Yiming (China) | 182.50 |
| Women's Big Air (2022) | Anna Gasser (Austria) | 185.50 |