Breckenridge – For a moment Saturday afternoon, snowboarder Shaun White found himself in a position he’d never been in.
No, he didn’t invent a new trick in the Breckenridge halfpipe. Instead, the recently turned 19-year-old from Carlsbad, Calif., demonstrated his mastery of several familiar tricks to vault to the top of the podium at the U.S. Snowboard Grand Prix for the second time in four days.
But for the first time in his career, White was the oldest guy up there, beating out Mason Aguirre, 18, of Minnesota and Danny Davis, 17, of Michigan.
“Man, those are youngsters out there,” White joked afterward. “I think it’s awesome to see some new guys up there. It’s always fun to have some new competition. And some kids to hang out with after.”
White’s sweep of the two Grand Prix halfpipe contests in Breckenridge puts him in another unfamiliar role. By winning the first two of the five Olympic qualifying events, he is a virtual lock to be selected to represent the U.S. in snowboard halfpipe competition in the Turin Olympics.
The role is a reversal from four years ago, when White lost the final Olympic qualifying spot to eventual bronze medalist J.J. Thomas of Golden by 0.3 points at the same venue.
“That was hard for me, but I think it’s one of those things that makes you better,” White said. “I think it’s great to lose here and there, just because it makes you a better rider.
“I definitely feel that without that push (from finishing off the podium last season) at the X Games I wouldn’t have done as well here. I went to New Zealand this summer and practiced and got better, I think. And I just gave it my all here and I’m going to the Olympics.”
White’s run took inspiration from Anti Autti’s X Games-winning effort when he linked back-to-back 1080-degree spins. White took the feat a step further Saturday, linking his two 1080s (frontside and cab) after landing a clean backside 900 and before a frontside 900. It was the first time the series was done in competition, earning White 47.1 points of a possible 50.
Aguirre (44.3) and Davis (43.0) each stuck a 1080 in their respective runs, but neither could match White’s overall technical prowess. Mammoth Mountain rider Danny Kass was the top finisher among the 2002 U.S. Olympians, placing sixth with a 42.0. Thomas struggled to an eighth-place finish at 41.1, while two-time Olympian and defending gold-medalist Ross Powers of Vermont was 13th (37.8).
“It’s crazy going to a contest with Ross Powers and I was like a kid watching him in the Olympics,” Aguirre said. “I look up to Danny a lot, too, and even Shaun. So this is cool.”
Aspen rider Gretchen Bleiler took a step toward her Olympic qualifying dream by winning the women’s competition Saturday, using a monstrous “Crippler” invert to set up a smooth run capped with a frontside 900. Bleiler, who finished second to Vermont’s Hannah Teter in the opening grand prix, scored 44.5, followed by Californian Elena Hight at 41.6 and 2002 Olympian Tricia Byrnes of Vermont with a 35.1.
“I’m so excited. To get a first and a second, now I can relax a little, even though I know I never will,” Bleiler said. “It’s just an amazing feeling because it hasn’t been easy at all the last few days, few weeks. I’m just excited that I pulled it together.”
Scott Willoughby can be reached at 303-820-1993 or swilloughby@denverpost.com.
