Snowboarding at the Winter Olympics facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Snowboarding at the Winter Olympics |
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| Governing body | FIS |
| Events | 10 (men: 5; women: 5) |
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Snowboarding is an exciting sport you can watch at the Winter Olympic Games. It first became an official Olympic sport in 1998 at the Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan. Snowboarding was one of the few new sports added around that time, and it was special because it hadn't been a medal event or a demonstration sport before.
In 1998, there were four snowboarding events, two for men and two for women. These events were:
- The giant slalom, which is a downhill race similar to giant slalom skiing.
- The half-pipe, where snowboarders perform amazing tricks as they go from one side of a big, U-shaped ditch to the other.
A Canadian athlete named Ross Rebagliati won the first-ever gold medal in men's giant slalom. For a short time, there was a question about his medal because of a test issue, but the International Olympic Committee (IOC) later gave it back to him after an appeal.
For the 2002 Winter Olympics, the giant slalom event was changed to include head-to-head racing and was renamed parallel giant slalom. In 2006, a third event called snowboard cross was added. In snowboard cross, competitors race against each other down a course filled with jumps, bumps, and other obstacles.
More events were added later! On July 11, 2011, the IOC decided to add slopestyle for the 2014 Winter Olympics. In slopestyle, riders go down a course with different features like rails, jumps, and boxes, performing tricks. A fifth event, parallel slalom, was also added just for 2014. Then, for the 2018 Winter Olympics, big air was introduced, where snowboarders launch off a huge jump and do incredible aerial tricks.
Several athletes have won multiple medals in Olympic snowboarding. Shaun White from the United States is super famous for winning three gold medals. Philipp Schoch of Switzerland, along with Chloe Kim and Seth Wescott from the United States, have each won two gold medals. Other athletes like Karine Ruby (France), Ross Powers (USA), and Danny Kass (USA) also won two medals.
As of the 2014 Winter Olympics, 90 medals (30 gold, 30 silver, and 30 bronze) have been awarded. Snowboarders from 21 different countries have won these medals!
Contents
Snowboarding Events Over the Years
Snowboarding has grown a lot at the Olympics since it first started. Here's a look at the main events for men and women:
Men's Snowboarding Events
- Giant Slalom / Parallel Giant Slalom: This event has been part of the Olympics since 1998. It's a race against the clock down a course with gates. Since 2002, it's been a head-to-head race.
- Half-pipe: Also introduced in 1998, this event is all about performing amazing tricks and aerial maneuvers inside a giant U-shaped ramp.
- Snowboard Cross: Added in 2006, this is a thrilling race where multiple riders go down a course at the same time, navigating jumps and turns.
- Slopestyle: This event joined the Olympics in 2014. Riders show off their skills by performing tricks on various obstacles like rails, jumps, and boxes.
- Big Air: First seen in 2018, this event features snowboarders launching off a massive jump to perform one big, spectacular trick in the air.
- Parallel Slalom: This event was only included in 2014. It's a shorter, faster version of the parallel giant slalom.
Women's Snowboarding Events
The women's events largely mirror the men's, offering the same exciting challenges:
- Giant Slalom / Parallel Giant Slalom: Women have competed in this race since 1998.
- Half-pipe: Women's half-pipe has also been an Olympic event since 1998, showcasing incredible aerial tricks.
- Snowboard Cross: Women's snowboard cross was added in 2006, providing thrilling side-by-side racing.
- Slopestyle: Women's slopestyle debuted in 2014, allowing riders to show their creativity on a course with obstacles.
- Big Air: Women's big air was introduced in 2018, featuring huge jumps and impressive aerial stunts.
- Parallel Slalom: This event was also part of the women's program only in 2014.
Mixed Team Snowboard Cross
A new and exciting event, the mixed team snowboard cross, was added for the 2022 Winter Olympics. In this event, teams made up of both male and female snowboarders race together, adding a new dynamic to the competition.
Medal Count by Country
Here's a table showing which countries have won the most medals in Olympic snowboarding, as of the 2022 Winter Olympics:
| Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  United States (USA) |
17 | 8 | 10 | 35 |
| 2 |  Switzerland (SUI) |
8 | 2 | 4 | 14 |
| 3 |  Canada (CAN) |
5 | 5 | 7 | 17 |
| 4 |  Austria (AUT) |
5 | 2 | 4 | 11 |
| 5 |  France (FRA) |
4 | 5 | 4 | 13 |
| 6 |  Czech Republic (CZE) |
3 | 0 | 1 | 4 |
| 7 |  Russia (RUS) |
2 | 2 | 1 | 5 |
| 8 |  Germany (GER) |
1 | 4 | 2 | 7 |
| 9 |  Japan (JPN) |
1 | 3 | 3 | 7 |
| 10 |  Australia (AUS) |
1 | 3 | 2 | 6 |
| 11 |  Italy (ITA) |
1 | 2 | 2 | 5 |
| 12 |  China (CHN) |
1 | 2 | 0 | 3 |
| 13 |  New Zealand (NZL) |
1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| 14 |  Netherlands (NED) |
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 15 |  Norway (NOR) |
0 | 4 | 1 | 5 |
| 16 |  Slovenia (SLO) |
0 | 2 | 3 | 5 |
| 17 |  Finland (FIN) |
0 | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| 18 |  Spain (ESP) |
0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 19 |  Slovakia (SVK) |
0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
 South Korea (KOR) |
0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
 Sweden (SWE) |
0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
| 22 |  Great Britain (GBR) |
0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| 23 |  Republic of China (ROC) |
0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Totals (23 entries) | 51 | 51 | 51 | 153 | |
Images for kids
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Snowboarding pictogram
See also
In Spanish: Snowboard en los Juegos Olímpicos para niños
- List of Olympic venues in snowboarding
