Biography of X Games Athlete Shaun White

Shaun White’s impressive performances in both professional skateboarding and snowboarding have earned him many honors, X Games medals, and appearances in television programs and even video games. Due to his long red hair, he has earned the nickname “The Flying Tomato” from his fans.

Shaun White began snowboarding when he was only six years old in the mountains of Southern California. His father learned how to snowboard and then taught Shaun everything he was learning. Both of his parents helped him when he was a young child.

When Shaun’s mother called Burton, a snowboard company, to ask if they had a board small enough for a six-year-old, the company became interested in Shaun. Soon after, Burton began sponsoring Shaun White in youth snowboarding competitions.

As Shaun reached the age of twelve, he began competing in some of the top snowboarding competitions in the world. He has earned a medal in snowboarding at every Winter X Games since 2002. He has won a total of eight medals at the Winter X Games in snowboarding. Six of the eight medals have been gold, while the other two have been silver. From 2003-2006, Shaun has won the event Slopestyle every year, making him the first male athlete to ever four-peat in a single event at the X Games.

At the 2006 Winter Olympic Games in Turin, Shaun White used his skateboarding talent in the men’s halfpipe where he earned an Olympic Gold Medal at the age of nineteen.

Besides his snowboarding career, Shaun White is also a professional skateboarder. He began skateboarding shortly after learning how to snowboard. In 2003, at the age of sixteen, Shaun turned pro in skateboarding.

Two years after turning pro, in 2005, Shaun won his first major skateboarding event when he won the Panasonic Open which is part of the Dew Action Sports Tour. His skateboarding mentor is Tony Hawk who he met at a very young age.

Thanks to the success Shaun has had in professional snowboarding and skateboarding, he has earned himself many other opportunities. He is currently sponsored by Burton, Oakley, T-Mobile, Volcom, Birdhouse Skateboards, Target, Mountain Dew, Sony Playstation, and many other brands. He also released a DVD called “The White Album” which displays his snowboarding and skateboarding talents. Through his sponsor, Burton, Shaun has released his own clothing line which is called “The White Collection.”