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Shaun White started snowboarding at the age of six and was sponsored at the age of 13 and when he was 13 he became professional.

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Who Is Shaun White?

Born in San Diego in 1986, Shaun White began skateboarding after following his older brother to the nearby YMCA, and took up snowboarding at the age of six. Following his top performances at the 2006 and 2010 Winter Games, and a disappointing fourth-place finish in the halfpipe in 2014, White in 2018 became the first snowboarder to win three Olympic gold medals. The "Flying Tomato" has also claimed several medals at the Winter and Summer X Games.

(Photo: Harry How_Getty Images)

Olympics

PyeongChang 2018

Bidding to become the first snowboarder to win three Olympic gold medals, White had his hands full against some of the younger competition at the PyeongChang Games. He faced a formidable obstacle in the halfpipe final, when Japan's Ayumu Hirano landed back-to-back double cork 1440s to surge to the top spot with a 95.25 score. But White responded on his final run by landing his own back-to-back 1440s, earning a score of 97.75 that gave him the win and also marked the 100th overall gold for Team USA in Winter Olympics competition.

White nearly didn't even get a chance to compete at the Games, following a dangerous crash in October 2017 that landed him in intensive care for five days and resulted in 62 stitches, but he recovered in time to make his bid for history.

Sochi 2014

On February 5, 2014 - just one day before 29 snowboarders competed in the qualifying round for the slopestyle in the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia - White drew the media's attention after announcing that he would not be competing in the course. One of the top contenders in 2014's Winter Olympics, White made the decision not to compete after discussing it with his teammates and calling the new course "intimidating."

The announcement also came after two snowboarders, Torstein Horgmo and Marika Enne, suffered injuries practicing on the daunting new course, which was criticized as being too hazardous. With the remaining three American snowboarders failing to qualify for the slopestyle, there was no representation from the U.S. in the event.

White instead decided to focus his attention on the halfpipe. While participating in the halfpipe event, White was expected to take home the gold. However, the snowboarder placed lower than anticipated, coming in fourth place for the United States. Russian competitor Iouri Podladtchikov took home the gold and Japanese snowboarders Ayumu Hirano and Taku Hiraoka won the silver and bronze metals, respectively.

Movies

Outside of a cameo appearance in the movie Friends With Benefits (2011), White has largely stayed away from appearing on the big screen. However, he made a guest appearance on the animated series American Dad! and also co-produced the Disney Channel TV movie Cloud 9.

Early Life

Professional snowboarder and skateboarder Shaun Roger White was born on September 3, 1986, in San Diego, California. Born with a congenital heart defect, White had two cardiac surgeries before the age of five.

White first got into skateboarding after following his older brother, Jesse, to the nearby Encinitas YMCA. After he took up snowboarding at the age of six, his mother ordered him to slow down by telling him he could only board backward, or switch, a skill that would help further his career.

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Professional Boarder

White has competed in the Winter X Games since 2002, amassing eight medals, including the first four-peat by a male athlete in one discipline: The slopestyle. In 2006, he won the gold medal in the men's halfpipe at the Winter Olympic Games in Torino, Italy. He went on to win another gold in the men's halfpipe in 2010, at the Winter Olympics in Vancouver.

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White is also a professional skateboarder, gaining inspiration from legend Tony Hawk, whom White met at age nine. In 2006, he won first place at the Dew Action Sports Tour's Right Guard Open in skateboard vert. He is the only skater to land the bodyvarial frontside 540.

Known for his shock of red hair, he is often called the "Flying Tomato," or Il Pomodoro Volante in Italy, where he is also popular. White signed his first sponsorship at age seven with Burton snowboards.

He has had a full roster of sponsors throughout his career, including T-mobile, Target, Mountain Dew and HP. His career has also spurred several promotional projects, including a snowboarding video game, a clothing line and several snowboarding DVDs.

Intoxication and Harassment Controversies

In September 2012, White was arrested for public intoxication and vandalism after a rowdy hotel stay in Nashville, Tennessee. White allegedly destroyed a phone and pulled a fire alarm in the hotel, causing patrons to evacuate the building.

According to reports, White attempted to flee the hotel in a taxi, and when a hotel patron tried to stop him from leaving, White kicked him and ran from the hotel. A chase ensued - the patron pursued White on foot - until White fell, hitting his head on a nearby fence. White was treated for his injuries at a nearby hospital and after his release, he was arrested and booked by officers.

In 2016, Lena Zawaideh, the former drummer of White's rock band, filed a lawsuit against the snowboarding champ. The suit alleged that White had forced her to look at sexually explicit images and videos and had wrongfully terminated her from the band. A settlement was reached the following year.

The issue was revived during White's turn in the Olympic spotlight in early 2018. Asked to discuss the allegations in a press conference following his halfpipe victory, he said he was "here to talk about the Olympics, not gossip." He later apologized for referring to the allegations as "gossip," and gave a statement to The New York Times that said: "I regret my behavior of many years ago and am sorry that I made anyone - particularly someone I considered a friend - uncomfortable."

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After winning gold at the 2018 Winter Olympics in the men's halfpipe with a score of 97.75, American Shaun White made history as the only 3-time gold medalist snowboarder at the Games. Later, he apologized for past behavior after recently calling sexual harassment claims levied against him in 2016 "gossip."

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Shaun White attended his first winter Olympics in 2006.

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Shaun White fell in the qualifying round of the Dew Tour and did not qualify to go on.

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BRECKENRIDGE, Colo. - (AP) -- Shaun White fell during the qualifying round of the Dew Tour and did not reach the final of the second Olympic qualifying event.

The two-time Olympic champion finished 14th on Thursday. He will have two events in January -- in Snowmass and Mammoth Mountain -- to secure his spot in the Pyeongchang Olympics.

Three men will make the U.S. Olympic halfpipe team based on their two best results from the four qualifying events. White finished third last week in Copper Mountain. Team coaches also have discretionary picks, making it unlikely White would be left out.

Snow was falling on the halfpipe through most of the morning, making it difficult to gather speed and traction to land the biggest tricks.

Ben Ferguson won the qualifying round with a score of 83.33. The finals are Friday.

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White out: Shaun White falls in Olympic halfpipe qualifier

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BRECKENRIDGE, Colo. - (AP) -- Shaun White fell during the qualifying round of the Dew Tour and did not reach the final of the second Olympic qualifying event. The two-time Olympic champion finished 14th on Thursday. He will have two events in January -- in Snowmass and Mammoth Mountain -- to secure his spot in the Pyeongchang Olympics.

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Shaun White has 2 gold medals, 0 silver medals and 0 bronze medals

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Shaun White took up snowboarding at the age of six to copy his older brother. Despite some falls, the boy quickly mastered the difficulties of the board, and was taking part in his first amateur competitions barely a year later. After winning all the events in which he took part, at the age of 13 he became one of the youngest athletes to sign up with a major equipment supplier and turn professional.
Rising star

By the time he got to Turin for the Winter Games, the young Californian was already known world-wide. He had won several snowboarding titles at the Winter X-Games, as well as most of the major snowboarding competitions. The Olympic Games were the only event missing from what was already a long list of achievements. Shaun therefore trained accordingly so as not to miss this major Olympic occasion.

Early fall

Sunday 12 February was the day of the half-pipe competition in Bardonecchia. After a fall in the first set of heats, Shaun needed to produce a great performance to reach the final. He obtained his place in the final by finishing seventh in the heats, with a score of 45.3.

In the first leg of the final, he showed the full range of his talent, with an array of figures and difficulties in the half-pipe. The judges appreciated his succession of backside air, 1080° and other haakon flips. The snowboarder was awarded the excellent mark of 46.8 points out of a possible 50, and finished in first place.

Olympic joy

Before starting his second run, Shaun saw his opponents' results and knew that he was already the Olympic champion. He was able to enjoy the moment to the full, and offer the spectators a splendid display of rotations with great amplitude and style. Below him on the podium were his compatriot, Daniel Kass, already the silver medallist at the 2002 Games in Salt Lake City, and the reigning world champion, Finland's Markku Koski.

With this Olympic title, at the age of 20, Shaun White earned his place among the greats of his discipline. He is also an excellent skateboarder and enjoys surfing when his schedule allows.

Four years of experience

For Shaun White, the four years between the Games in Turin and those in Vancouver were a time of confirmation. He was the best and most spectacular half-pipe snowboarder in the world. In Vancouver, everyone was impatient to see his second Olympic performance. This time, White made no mistakes, and was already leading after the heats with a score of 45.8 points out of a possible 50. The first run of the final was more of an exhibition, with White finishing four points ahead of his nearest rival, with a score of 46.8 points.

When a flying tomato throws a tomahawk

The "Flying Tomato", his nickname due to his hair colour, knew that he was the Olympic champion even before the second run. Nobody could beat his score from the first run. In front of a cheering crowd, White produced jumps more than eight metres high. He finished a demonstration full of technique and amplitude with an amazing "double McTwist 1260", a figure which only he can perform and which he has named the Tomahawk. The judges awarded him the record score of 48.4 points. White could celebrate: he was now a double Olympic champion.

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Shaun White took up snowboarding at the age of six to copy his older brother. Despite some falls, the boy quickly mastered the difficulties of the board, and was taking part in his first amateur competitions barely a year later.

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Terrible crash that Shaun White had in a practice run for the Olympics.

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Snowboarder Shaun White said he suffered bruised lungs and needed 62 stitches after a practice crash, but he'll still be ready for the Winter Games in Pyeongchang in February.

The 31-year-old White, a two-time Olympic gold medalist in the halfpipe and 15-time gold medalist in the X Games, told NBC's Today Show that he's recovering in Los Angeles after suffering the injuries during a training run in New Zealand last week.

"I was working on a new trick, and as I re-entered the halfpipe, I clipped the top," White told the Today Show on Wednesday. "I flew about 22 feet and hit my face at the bottom, and had 62 stitches and I had some bad bruising in my lungs.

"My modeling days may be over, but I will definitely be there in 2018 in Pyeongchang for the Olympics."

The U.S. Snowboarding Team will be selected after four qualifiers in December and January, culminating with an event Jan. 17-20 at Mammoth Mountain, California.

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Snowboarder White: OK for Games after crash

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Snowboarder Shaun White said he suffered bruised lungs and needed 62 stitches after a practice crash, but he'll still be ready for the Winter Games in Pyeongchang in February. The 31-year-old White, a two-time Olympic gold medalist in the halfpipe and 15-time gold medalist in the X Games, told NBC's Today Show that he's recovering in Los Angeles after suffering the injuries during a training run in New Zealand last week.