On this day, February 10, in the year 1979, a child was born in Londonderry, Vermont. His parents did not know it at the time, but this kid would become the greatest snowboarder in the world.
Happy birthday, Ross Powers.
Here we are, 31 years removed from that fateful winter day. Ross is a household name in Vermont, almost as recognizable as the word “snowboarding” itself. How’s that?
Well, the dude took bronze in the halfpipe at snowboarding’s Olympic debut in Nagano in 1998. Then he won gold at the 2002 Olympics. He has a superpipe and boardercross course named after him at Okemo. And tomorrow he’s headed to Vancouver to represent America at the 2010 Winter Games.
Ross Powers at Okemo with daughter, Victoria.
I caught up with Ross while he was chillin’ at his home in Londonderry, Vermont, earlier this week. Mainly we chatted about the upcoming Olympics, but in the end, the whole conversation boiled down to his answer when I asked, “Any last words before heading to Vancouver?”
“Nah, not really? I’m just still lovin’ snowboarding.”
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RideVermont: What was it like in Nagano in 1998 at the first-ever Olympic halfpipe competition?
Ross: We were out at a separate mountain where there were no other events going on, so it kind of felt like a regular World Cup. We competed in the rain I remember… and back then halfpipes were a lot smaller. But I didn’t realize how big the Olympics were until I came home. I couldn’t even go into town [without being approached by fans] and everyone from my whole life was getting in touch with me. It changes your life.
RideVermont: For over a decade, you’ve been killing it in halfpipe competitions. But your heading to Vancouver on Thursday as an alternate in the Boardercross event. How did this change-over come about?
Birthday Boy Ross: I went to the ‘o6 Olympics as the alternate in halfpipe and I watched the snowboardcross while I was there. I watched my buddy Seth Wescott win it and he said, “Dude, you’ve gotta get into this.” We grew up racing together and he thought I’d have a good chance. The next year I was competing at the X-Games [in boardercross] and took it from there.
RideVermont: What does it mean, exactly, that you’re an “alternate” at the 2010 Olympics?
Ross the Boss: If someone gets hurt they bring me in last minute and I compete.
RideVermont: At 31, are you the eldest snowboarder on the boardercross team?
Big Ross: Most of the guys are about my age. Seth Wescott is a few years older than me. Nate Holland is just a little bit older than me. This year we had Shaun Palmer give it a really good run… and he’s 41.
RideVermont: Get outta here, Shaun Palmer is still racing?
R-Dawg: Yeah he finished right behind me. In snowboardcross, the say your prime age is low 30s. So I guess I’m just coming into my prime.
RideVermont: So which is more enjoyable for you, halfpipe or boardercross?
A rolling stone gathers no Ross: I love ‘em both. Halfpipe is my roots and I’ve had so much fun and a great career and met so many friends. With halfpipe, it’s just you, you’re out there by yourself and it’s up to the judges [to determine a winner]. With boardercross, first one down wins, so I like boardercross in that way. But they’re both great. Halfpipe’s awesome, and the stuff people are doing now, it’s just unbelievable.
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As we continued talking, the conversation moved over to the current state of competitve halfpipe riding compared to a decade or so ago. In ‘02, Ross won Olympic gold with two McTwists and two 720s with grabs. This year, Shaun White might throw three double cork 1260s in a single run.
“Shaun has put in his time,” said Ross. Simple as that.
Whereas the double cork is the game-changer this season, Ross remembered back to ‘02, where his amplitude out of the pipe was what impressed the judges the most. That, and his backside 360 to switch McTwist, a difficult and technical combo, were good enough to be best in the world.
And if you think the double cork is brand new, think again. Ross reminded me that Mike Michalchuk, a Canadian opponent at the ‘02 Olympics, was routinely working a double backflip and a double “Michalchuk”, a backflip with a 540-degree rotation, into his runs. “So it’s kinda suprised me that it, [the double cork], didn’t catch on sooner,” said Ross. “But the style and the height these kids are bringing to doubles now… watching them at X-Games I was blown away, and I can’t wait to see them do it again in Vancouver.”
Post-Olympics, Ross says he definitely wants to be at Stratton next month for the US Open, but he might “have to do some boardercrossin’.” He hasn’t competed in pipe in a few years, but it’s not out of the question for him to throw on a bib and give the US Open pipe a whirl.
Ross will be hitting the media circuit in Vancouver as a reporter for Yahoo sports. Look out for his blogs, video blogs and other coverage.
Good luck, USA. Sweep that podium.
-Luke
