Snowboarding’s Olympic Origin Story: Part 1

About this episode

This episode explores the complex relationship between snowboarding and the Olympics, focusing on its first two appearances in 1998 and 2002.

The Olympics either saved snowboarding or ruined it, depending on who you talk to. We were the first un-Olympic sport to join the Games and had to pave the way for other countercultural movements to become Olympic on their terms. In this 2-part series, Tricia and Jen go deep on the hype, the hope and the heartbreak of snowboarding’s first 2 Olympic appearances: Nagano in 1998 and Salt Lake City in 2002. Ross Powers, the true Boss of snowboarding and a medal holder in both events (famously leading the U.S. podium sweep in Salt Lake), taps in as our live human expert. Part 1 of the series drops into a wild ride on the road to Nagano. Heroic dreams. Snowboarder vs. skier culture wars. Contested qualifications. Olympic uniform foibles. It’s all in a day’s work when you’re going for the gold.

People in this episode

Hosts: Tricia, Jen

Guest: Ross Powers

Topics covered

• Olympic history
• snowboarding
• counterculture
• sports culture
• Olympic appearances
• medal achievements

Keywords

• snowboarding
• Olympics
• Nagano
• Salt Lake City
• Ross Powers
• sports history
• counterculture

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