Olympic snowboarding is a high-energy winter sport that showcases athleticism, creativity and technical skill on snow-covered terrain. Athletes compete in various disciplines that test speed, agility and aerial acrobatics. Snowboarding events in the Winter Olympics occur on slopes featuring jumps, rails, halfpipes and racecourses that challenge riders' speed and precision.
Snowboarding made its Olympic debut at the Olympic Winter Games Nagano 1998, reflecting the sport’s growing popularity and influence in winter sports culture. Initially featuring giant slalom and halfpipe events, the program expanded over time to include additional disciplines, such as slopestyle, snowboard cross, big air and parallel slalom.
The U.S. has been a dominant force in Olympic snowboarding since its debut at the Nagano 1998 Games. American athletes have won numerous medals across multiple disciplines, with legends like Shaun White and Chloe Kim setting records in halfpipe. At the Olympic Winter Games Salt Lake City 2002, Team USA swept the board for men’s halfpipe, with Ross Powers, Danny Kass and Jarret Thomas claiming gold, silver and bronze, respectively. Team USA has also been strong at women’s slopestyle, with Jamie Anderson winning back-to-back golds at the Olympic Winter Games Sochi 2014 and the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018, while Julia Marino claimed silver at the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022.
Olympic snowboarding events include a mix of freestyle and racing competitions. Freestyle disciplines, such as halfpipe, slopestyle, and big air, emphasize aerial tricks and technical execution. Racing events, including snowboard cross and parallel giant slalom, focus on speed and head-to-head competition.
Follow along the snowboarders' road to the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026.
Check out all the events Team USA athletes will be competing in on the road to Milano Cortina 2026.
| name | sport | Education | hometown | age | Medals | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
JA Jamie Anderson Olympian 2014, 2018, 2022 Sport: Snowboarding Hometown: South Lake Tahoe, CA Age: 35 Number of olympic medals this Athlete has won
| Snowboarding | South Lake Tahoe, CA | 35 | Number of olympic medals this Athlete has won
| |||||
 Nik Baden Sport: Snowboarding Education: Steamboat Mountain School (Steamboat Springs, Colorado) Hometown: Steamboat Springs, CO Age: 27 | Snowboarding | Steamboat Mountain School (Steamboat Springs, Colorado) | Steamboat Springs, CO | 27 | |||||
 Nick Baumgartner Olympian 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022 Sport: Snowboarding Education: West Iron County High School Hometown: Iron River, MI Age: 43 Number of olympic medals this Athlete has won
| Snowboarding | West Iron County High School | Iron River, MI | 43 | Number of olympic medals this Athlete has won
| ||||
 Robert Burns Olympian 2022 Sport: Snowboarding Education: University of Idaho 12’ Hometown: Mount Shasta, CA Age: 34 | Snowboarding | University of Idaho 12’ | Mount Shasta, CA | 34 | |||||
 Jonathan Cheever Olympian 2018 Sport: Snowboarding Education: Malden Catholic High School (Malden, Mass.) University of Massachusetts Lowell Hometown: Saugus, MA Age: 40 | Snowboarding | Malden Catholic High School (Malden, Mass.) University of Massachusetts Lowell | Saugus, MA | 40 | |||||
 Kelly Clark Olympian 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018 Sport: Snowboarding Education: Mount Snow Academy (Mt. Snow, Vt.) Hometown: Mammoth Lakes, CA Age: 42 Number of olympic medals this Athlete has won
| Snowboarding | Mount Snow Academy (Mt. Snow, Vt.) | Mammoth Lakes, CA | 42 | Number of olympic medals this Athlete has won
| ||||
 | Snowboarding | Arvada, CO | 26 | ||||||
 | Snowboarding |
| Mammoth Lakes, CA | 30 | |||||
 | Snowboarding | Stratton Mountain School '06 | 37 | ||||||
 Alex Deibold Olympian 2014 Sport: Snowboarding Education: Westminster College Hometown: Boulder, CO Age: 39 Number of olympic medals this Athlete has won
| Snowboarding | Westminster College | Boulder, CO | 39 | Number of olympic medals this Athlete has won
| ||||
Snowboards vary in shape and size depending on the discipline. Freestyle boards are shorter and more maneuverable, while race boards are longer and optimized for speed and control.
Snowboarding events in the Winter Olympics take place on courses designed for specific disciplines. Halfpipes are large U-shaped structures, while slopestyle courses feature jumps and rails. Race events occur on downhill courses with gates or obstacles.
When Maddy Schaffrick retired from professional snowboarding at just 20 years old, it wasn’t because her body gave out — it was because her mind did. A rising star who had been competing internationally since age 14, Schaffrick walked away from the spo...
Over 100 elite skiers and snowboarders from around the globe are set to hit the slopes and compete in X Games Aspen 2025 on Buttermilk Mountain in scenic Aspen, Colorado. Several American athletes making an appearance also have their eyes set on making...
The 38-year-old rider landed her 60th career World Cup podium with a second-place showing in Austria.
Weinberg is hoping to follow in the footsteps of U.S. greats like Chloe Kim, who won a pair of YOG gold medals in 2016.
It is a golden opportunity for more than 1,800 teenage athletes from 78 countries to gain invaluable life experience and further their athletic pursuits, all of which may serve as a launching pad to greater sporting endeavors as they compete at the Win...
