Of course, Kelly Clark and Hannah Teter don’t consider themselves enemies, or even foes. You’ll regularly see them high-fiving and hugging each other at the bottom of the pipe during competition, and, along with Gretchen Bleiler and Torah Bright, they continue to push each other and the sport.
But someone must win at this Thursday’s Ladies Superpipe throwdown in Vancouver. Both girls are fierce competitors and, rest assured, they want that gold. Here’s an grom-sized summary of each girl’s strengths and background as they prepare for the biggest competition of the year.
Hannah Teter (Belmont, VT)
It was cold out, so Hannah wore a scarf at her SI swimsuit shoot.
The Skinny: Depending on how you look at it, Hannah comes to the 2010 Olympics with either a huge leg-up and or a big disadvantage — she is the defending gold medalist. On the one hand, Hannah can find solace in knowing she is the best female halfpipe rider on the planet. But, dang man, that’s some pressure. That can play with your head when you’re about to drop in. Can she handle it?
Recent History: Hannah’s last four years aren’t quite as impressive as Kelly’s, but she won some big-time superpipe comps at the Burton Australian Open and the Boreal Grand Prix. She took second at the Dew Tour at Mount Snow last year.
Off-Snow: Hannah Teter is a giver, all the way. She manages her own charity called Hannah’s Gold and, through maple syrup sales and a personalized Ben and Jerry’s ice cream flavor, she is raising funds for a clean water project in Kirindon, Kenya. She donates all her contest win money to charity. She stays active in the media, and if you haven’t heard yet, she left little to the imagination in the latest Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue.
Kelly Clark (West Dover, VT)
Kelly Clark goes big, then goes home (and counts her dozens and dozens of medals).
The Skinny: “Redemption” is a word you’ll hear spewed by Olympic commentators nonstop the next few weeks, but Kelly truly has a score to settle. In Torino four years ago, on the last hit of her second run, she pushed the envelope and fell while attempting a 900. An easier 720 would have landed her a medal spot, but in subsequent interviews she insisted she had no regrets. No one will deny that Kelly has the most amplitude of any female in the sport, but she must land her tricks clean if she expects to take the podium.
Recent History: Kelly’s last four years have been nothing short of phenomenal. The girl simply kills it. She took first place at last year’s Dew Tour at Mount Snow, plus the Dew Cup. She owned the Grand Prixs of the last few years. She took silver at the 2008 and 2010 X Games. The list is loooong. Consistency is her M.O.
Off-Snow: Kelly Clark keeps her private life just that. You will not find her in any swimsuit issues or on late-night television shows. But you will find her training incessantly at her home mountain, Mammoth, or in New Zealand in the off-season. After a dark period in her life before the last Olympics, Kelly found God, and you’ll now see a “Jesus, I can not hide my love” sticker next to her Burton sticker.
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-Luke
