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White out

Men's Fitness, Dec, 2005 by Tyler Gray

At just 19, professional athlete SHAUN WHITE has clinched a truckload of snowboarding competition wins--X Games, the Honda Session at Vail, and the Nippon Open in Japan, to name a few. He's traveled the world, shot performance footage for five production companies, and even designed a line of outerwear for Burton called--what else?--the White Collection. What's the next move when you've conquered your world at such a young age? We asked White, and guess what--this San Diego, Calif., multisport whiz kid claims his career is just beginning to take flight.

Five questions for snowboarding's young half-pipe messiah

You're on top of outdoor sports at a really young ale--do you feel like the king of the mountain?

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Well, I think last year was a great year for me--I won a ton of contests, and it was awesome. But, of course, at the one contest that everyone sees--the X Games--I didn't do so well. It was just bad luck from the year before when I had my knee injury.

Having conquered the snowboard, where do you go from here?

I still haven't done the full-on backcountry stuff--there are so many things I have to get into. I'm also competing to qualify for the Olympics, which would be awesome because I've watched them since I was super young.

How do you keep up your chops in the offseason?

It gets tough, because there is no real offseason for me. I always take three months to skateboard. This year I totally went for it, and I won my first pro contest. After snowboarding ends, my mind just twists into thinking about the vert ramp, about bearings and trucks and stuff--not what wax to put on my snowboard.

You've designed your own line of gear for Burton--how involved are you in that process?

I'll say if I want a certain fabric in a certain color, but my brother Jesse pulls up most of the slack, actually. One thing we're both crazy about is, if it's got my name on it, I want it to be awesome. You know there's gear out there that has some guy's name on it, but he never even saw it before it went out.

Did you ever think snowboarding would take you so far so fast?

When I was younger, things were a lot different. I was that kid who was trying as hard as I could to get into photos and just be the best I could be. My dad used to dig out the half-pipe for us. My family took out a $50,000 loan on their house just to help get me started. And that was when snowboarding wasn't anything--the X Games had just started. I mean, we used to camp out at the mountains 'cause we couldn't afford the nice hotel rooms. We had this big white van on steroids that we all slept in--my family of five, plus we'd always pick up some random straggler and say, "Come on in the van!" That was how we rolled. And it really makes me appreciate the whole thing now.

GO | backcountry snowboarding

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BIG JAY, VERMONT

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LEARN | bust an air

SHAUN WHITE on pulling off your first turn on a halt-pipe

[1] To get the feel of the snow and your legs beneath you, ride slowly along the horizontal platform at the top of the half-pipe for a bit (I hop a little to warm up). When you do leap off and "drop in" to the vertical section, focus on the spot on the other side where you'll turn.

[2] Using the edges of the board to keep you from slipping sideways, ride as straight as you can down one side of the curve and up the other.

[3] Point your board straight up until the pipe (and you) go vertical. When more than half of your board is sticking above the half-pipe, give a little jump and prepare to turn.

[4] The key to turning lies in your shoulder--dip it when you're ready to make your move.

[5] Spring your weight off the tail of your board, which should be the last part touching snow. But don't lean too far back or you'll flip!

[6] Angle your front shoulder back toward the pipe hard like you're trying to dig in, 'cause that's what's going to pull you back in for a smooth landing.

Get Shaun's Snowboard--SHAUN WHITE PRO MODEL (IN 152 AND 156). $500@BURTON.COM

Not sure how to get started boarding? Visit WlNTERFEELSGOOD.COM. This site has it all, including programs to help you score free snowboarding lessons at locations all around the country.

White out

Men's Fitness, Dec, 2005 by Tyler Gray

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