Scotty James
FILE - Alex Hall of the United States, checks the score following his run in the slopestyle finals, Friday, Dec. 17, 2021, during the Dew Tour freestyle skiing event at Copper Mountain, Colo. There's a legion of freestyle skiers and snowboarders at the action park who refuse to subscribe to the “spin to win” theory. It's the idea that maxing out flips and twists is the only way for them to score big with the judges.(AP Photo/Hugh Carey, File)
Winter X daredevils ride fine line between height, happiness

By Pat Graham And Eddie Pells Jan. 28, 2023 11:07 AM EST

Japan's Ayumu Hirano competes during the men's halfpipe finals at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Friday, Feb. 11, 2022, in Zhangjiakou, China. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
Hirano wins Olympic gold, and saves snowboarding from a mess

By Pat Graham Feb. 11, 2022 03:58 AM EST

United States' Shaun White poses in the halfpipe course after the men's halfpipe finals at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Friday, Feb. 11, 2022, in Zhangjiakou, China. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)
4th place can't spoil White's Olympic goodbye: 'I'm not sad'

By Eddie Pells Feb. 10, 2022 10:25 PM EST

Vladyslav Heraskevych, of Ukraine, stands in the mixed zone after finishing the men's skeleton run 4 at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Friday, Feb. 11, 2022, in the Yanqing district of Beijing. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
Olympics Live: IOC won't act on 'No War in Ukraine' sign

Feb. 10, 2022 08:29 PM EST

A skier trains on the half-pipe ahead of at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Tuesday, Feb. 1, 2022, in Zhangjiakou, China. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)
EXPLAINER: All those flips and twists on Olympic halfpipe

By Eddie Pells Feb. 08, 2022 08:54 PM EST

FILE - Gold medalist Australia's Scotty James jumps in the Men's Snowboard Halfpipe for the FIS Snowboard World Cup held in Chongli county near Zhangjiakou in northern China's Hebei province on Sunday, Dec. 22, 2019. Tucked away on a private halfpipe in Switzerland, Scotty James has been charting the future. He envisions the best tricks at this year’s biggest halfpipe contests as the kind that only he can perform. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan, File)
44 Australians heading to Beijing for Winter Olympics

Jan. 23, 2022 09:22 PM EST

FILE - Gold medalist Scotty James of Australia celebrates after winning the men's snowboard halfpipe final at the freestyle ski and snowboard world championships, Friday, Feb. 8, 2019, in Park City, Utah. James envisions the best tricks at this year’s biggest halfpipe contests as the kind that only he can perform. One big question is whether the judges will agree. (AP Photo/Alex Goodlett, File)
In private halfpipe, Aussie boarder schemes for Beijing gold

By Pat Graham Jan. 20, 2022 01:05 PM EST

FILE - Shaun White, of the United States, is shown after his third run in the snowboarding halfpipe finals, Sunday, Dec. 19, 2021, during the Dew Tour at Copper Mountain, Colo. Shaun White is likely heading to the Olympics for a fifth time. For the first time, the snowboarding star and three-time gold medalist on the halfpipe won't be the favorite. (AP Photo/Hugh Carey, File)
White eyes curtain call as Kim preps for another Olympic run

By Will Graves Jan. 13, 2022 06:34 PM EST

FILE - Shaun White, of the United States, executes a trick in the snowboarding halfpipe finals, Sunday, Dec. 19, 2021, during the Dew Tour at Copper Mountain, Colo. Shaun White is likely heading to the Olympics for a fifth time. For the first time, the snowboarding star and three-time gold medalist on the halfpipe won't be the favorite. (AP Photo/Hugh Carey, File)
Shaun White all but wraps up spot in his 5th Olympics

Jan. 13, 2022 10:11 AM EST