Lindsey: Heart & Soul

NEWS:

Arguably the most dominant force in snowboardcross, Lindsey Jacobellis (Stratton Mountain, VT) was honored as the USSA Snowboarding Athlete of the Year. A versatile competitor, Jacobellis took World Cup podiums in both SBX and Halfpipe in the 2008 season. A veteran of U.S. Snowboarding, Jacobellis' stats for the season are a testament to her true athleticism and driving willpower to be the best in the world. The Olympic silver medalist took four World Cup wins and seven World Cup podiums to finish second in the SBX and overall standings. Jacobellis also solidified her reign as queen of the SBX course when she won the X Games.

Interview:

Lindsey Jacobellis took the forefront of the Olympic stage heading into the 2006 Winter Olympic Games in Torino, Italy. On top of her game with three Golds in X-Games Boardercross, plus a 2005 World US National Championship and a 2005 World Cup Overall Championship in Boardercross under her belt, she showed the world that she was a competitor that could have fun in the process. In her first Olympics and competing in her event's premier at the Games, the 20 year old brought the Silver medal home to Stratton Mountain.

We caught up with Lindsey over lunch to discuss life between seasons and her first Olympics.

Stratton (ST): Congratulations on an amazing season in '06. We all know what you've accomplished, but how did you get started in
snowboarding?

Lindsey Jacobellis (LJ): My brother was the first of our family to try snowboarding and then it gradually became a family fun activity.

ST: Back in the early days at Stratton, did you ever think
snowboarding would be an Olympic sport?

LJ: It was always my dream to go to the Olympics in any sport, however I never really thought about snowboarding being in the Olympics when I first started out.

ST: In 2006, snowboarding seemed to take center stage in Torino. What was it like to be part of such an epic event?

LJ: I was really thrilled that it caught on so fast so I was really happy to be apart in it. I think the public really got to see what a great sport snowboarding and snowboardcross is and I hope people continue to enjoy it in the future.

ST: Did you get to take a little time off, have some fun, do some
surfing?

LJ: After training out west a little bit, I am taking the summer off to enjoy wakeboarding and wakesurfing on my new boat. I also went to Costa Rica to surf.

ST: Heard you got a puppy, how's that going. Does he/she have a
passport?

LJ: Yeah, Gidget is a little Yorkie and is really great. She doesn't have a passport yet, but she goes on some trips during the summertime.

ST: What advice do you have for snowboarders who are serious about competition?

LJ: You always have to make sure you are having fun and you have to always stay focused during training and competitions.

ST: You are the only, or one of just a few, athletes on the podium for both halfpipe and boardercross. How do you manage that?

LJ: You have to work hard and have dedication every day. You also have to manage your time well so you are dedicating the proper training to both.

ST: So you must already be training for this winter, what's your
schedule looking like?

LJ: I am not too sure about the training schedule yet as I am looking forward to a little time off and having fun with my family and friends.

Favorite trail? Wanderer to the Meadows
Best bet for lunch? Mulligans