Seeking their ticket to Turin

U.S. snowboarders off to a good start at Breckenridge

Jody Berger, Rocky Mountain News

Published December 14, 2005 at midnight

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BRECKENRIDGE - If the first Snowboard Grand Prix of the season is any indicator of what lies ahead, the Americans have to like their halfpipe chances in the Turin Olympics, which begin Feb. 10.

Shaun White, a 19-year-old redhead from San Diego, topped the field of 109 athletes competing in the first of five Grand Prix events.

The six competitors behind him were Americans, too, although athletes from Sweden, Germany, Canada, Finland and Norway also participated.

"It's good for us to have the best foreign riders come here," said U.S. Snowboarding program director Jeremy Forster. "We don't have to travel and we can see where we stand."

Snow was blowing sideways and piling up in the bottom of the halfpipe but the riders were motivated, if not by the prize money, then at least by the chance for an Olympic berth.

The top three American men and women in the series win a trip to Italy. The coaches also have the option of adding one more man and woman to the team.

The top 24 finishers from four qualifying heats move on to the first Grand Prix finals, which begin today at noon.

Ross Powers, Danny Kass and J.J. Thomas - they won the gold, silver and bronze medals in the Salt Lake Olympics - all moved through to the finals, as expected, along with Andy Finch, Keir Dillon and local favorite Steve Fisher.

The series continues with the second Grand Prix also at Breckenridge on Friday and Saturday before moving on to Mount Bachelor, Ore,, and Mountain Creek, N.J.

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