I was lucky enough to be training at the Half Pipe slope when Shaun White redeemed himself of his Sochi disaster. Waking up early to get to the mountain was rough, but you can feel the excitement and anticipation building when the runs began.
The cheering room section was filled to the brim, and the stands were filled with people waiting for the prodigal son to return. The first run was amazing and he ended up with a score of 94.25 The second run kept us on our toes with a score of 55.00, and when that final run score of 97.75 came up on the big screen, eruption of cheer followed that could be heard for miles.
The television broadcast does not do the half pipe justice. The hills are massive and the amount of air the boarders get is not for the faint of heart. The Japanese athlete, Yuto Totsuka, that was carried off by the medical team just shows just how dangerous this sport can be. He’s only 16 years old and yet competing with athletes as experienced as Shaun. I have so much respect for these athletes and hope Yuto returns to the slops healthy and ready to give the veterans a run for their money.
