Ross Powers: All I ever wanted was a snowboard

By Darnell Dickson // usolympicteam.com // January 18, 2002

Halfpipe artist Ross Powers earned a bronze medal in the 1998 Olympic Winter Games. Powers finished second in the first two Grand Prix events this season before striking gold in the third on Jan. 6 on Mount Bachelor in Oregon, qualifying for the 2002 Games. Powers said that clinching the Olympic spot "really takes a lot of pressure off because now I can concentrate on my riding and getting better in the pipe." Having past Olympic experience will be invaluable, he said, "I know what to expect and how to handle all the attention of the Olympics."

Q1. What got you started in snowboarding?

ROSS POWERS: Ever since I was a kid I wanted to be on snow. For Christmas, all I ever wanted was a snowboard.

Q2. What about the half-pipe course at Park City?

ROSS POWERS: Park City has done a great job over the last two years cutting the pipes. I did the pipe for the Olympic preview and it's in a really cool place, right in front of the lodge."

Q3. What about the difference in formats?

ROSS POWERS: The 'Jam' format is pretty tough, because the judging can get a little crazy. You're out there for an hour and you can fall down and still do well. In the Olympic format, you only get the best one out of two. You still just have to go for it."

Q4. How do handle the Olympic pressure?

ROSS POWERS: I was in Nagano in 1998 and I learned the whole Olympic process. I know how to handle everything, like all the media and stuff. So I feel I don't have to worry about that."

Q5. What do you remember most about the Nagano Olympics?

ROSS POWERS: The thing that stuck with me for a long time was the opening ceremonies, being with all these great athletes in the biggest sporting event in the world. That was a great experience."

Q6. Are you planning anything new for your routine?

ROSS POWERS: Since 1998 I've learned like the McTwist 900 and the Switch McTwist 900 but I'm linking harder tricks together. I think I can throw a '1080' this year. I've landed one before and there are a lot of the top riders who will do it this year. I want to go out and get mine."

Q7. How did snowboarding start for you?

ROSS POWERS: At first snowboarding was just a bunch of skateboarders on snow. Now it's gotten more popular with young kids. When I was starting out at 12 or 14 years old, they used to call it "Burton Boarding," after the maker of some of the first boards. When I was 15 I won nationals and made the first-ever US snowboarding team. I got to travel internationally the next year and that's when I got into it."

Q8. How do you see the growth of your sport?

ROSS POWERS: The last Olympics really changed a lot of people's minds about the sport. They could see that we're athletes trying as hard as anybody. Now when I go out to a hill I see families getting involved. A few years ago you'd go to a mountain and there would only be one snowboarding trail way up there. Now you can go to that same mountain and the trail is right where the main lift is."

Q9. What other hobbies do you have?

ROSS POWERS: Outside of snowboarding I love all other sports. This summer I did some skateboarding, some wakeboarding, took some surf trips, played in a men's soccer league, rode motocross, did some mountain biking and a few weeks ago, I golfed for about the fifth time in my life. I did all right but I'd need to put more time into that to be good at it."

Q10. How is your health as you prepare to qualify for the Olympics?

ROSS POWERS: I've been pretty lucky with injuries. I've just had a few concussions, sprained ankles, broken noses and broken ribs but nothing compared to other guys. I think snowboarding is a safe sport. Sometimes kids play snowboarding games on Nintendo and think they can go out there and do the same thing. Hey, I used to drive like a maniac when I was 16 but now I think about it a little more. If you take your time, learn and have good equipment, snowboarding is pretty safe."