Snowboarder Elena Hight Ready to Reach New Highs

Even though her first board was a surfboard and not a snowboard, 20-year-old Elena Hight has become one of the best snowboarders in the United States.

And this year she is once again taking on not only the best snowboarders from the U.S., but the best from around the world.

Hight is a two-time Olympian, having competed in the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy when she was just 16, and now competing in the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

She finished sixth overall in halfpipe in 2006. This year she is aiming to get on the podium, despite the stiff competition from her own Team USA teammates and from other snowboarders around the world.

It's an ambitious goal for the Hawaii native who moved to Lake Tahoe when she was 7 years old, but it isn't inconceivable. Hight's snowboarding career is already full of several major accomplishments.

She has placed first overall in the 2007 Abominable Snow Jam, the 2007 Tahoe Van's Cup, the 2008 Tahoe Van's Cup and the 2010 Snowbasin Dew Tour.

She has placed second overall in the 2010 Manmouth Grand Prix, and placed third overall in the 2003 Breck Grand Prix, the 2007 Winter X Games and the 2008 U.S. Open.

Hight performed her first frontside 900 when she was just 13 at the 2003 Breck Grand Prix, and was the first female to perform a backside 900 when she did it at the 2007 Winter X Games. She performed her newest trick, the back-to-back 900s, at the 2008 Tahoe Van's Cup.

I interviewed Hight just prior to the start of the 2010 Winter Olympics. The women's halfpipe event is scheduled to run Feb. 18.

How did you get interested in snowboarding?

When my family moved to the mountains my dad taught us all how to snowboard. It was a fun family sport we would all do on the weekends.

Did it come natural to you?

I was only 6 years old when I first got on a snowboard, so I honestly don't remember learning. I know that it did come pretty natural because I loved it right away.

Was it intimidating to start riding in the halfpipe?

I started riding the halfpipe and hitting jumps when I was just 7 years old, so I was up for anything. Everything just excited me.

How did it feel to land your first trick?

My first tricks came very naturally. I kind of just did them and started progressing from there.

When did you know that snowboarding was what you wanted to pursue as a career?

When I watched Kelly Clark win the gold in 2002 I decided that I really wanted to take snowboarding to the Olympics.

How hard was it to balance high school and snowboarding?

During my high school years I home schooled to accommodate the traveling that I was doing for snowboarding. Because I was able to do my school work on the road, it was easy to balance the two.

What was it like competing in your first Olympics at 16?

Competing in Turin was an incredible experience. I was completely blown away by everything about the Olympics. It was overwhelming, but exciting at the same time. I was just so excited to be there and be a part of it all.

How does it feel to make your second straight Olympic team?

I am so excited to be competing in my second Olympics. It almost seems surreal to be a part of this amazing experience again.

What are your goals for this year's Olympics?

Coming into this Olympics, my goal is to come home with a medal.

What tricks should viewers expect to see from you?

This season I have been working on my back-to-back 900s...This is my main combination of tricks that I am focused on.

How was competing in Winter X Games so close to the Olympics?

X Games was a great warm-up for the Olympics. Really the X Games act as snowboarding Olympics that happen yearly, so I really enjoy that contest every season.

How hard have you been training to make the Olympics?

I spent this entire summer on snow getting ready for this season. Being able to snowboard all summer was great training to get ready for this winter.

What other places around the world has snowboarding taken you?

I have been to so many amazing places. Japan, New Zealand, Chile, Czech Republic, Germany, Switzerland, Australia, Norway and quite a few others. It is incredible to be able to experience so many different countries and cultures.

Who has supported you the most in your career? How have they supported you?

While growing up my family, my mom and my dad have really been the reason I was able to do what I love to do with snowboarding. Once I grew up and got more involved with snowboarding, my sponsors like Volcom, Nike 6.0, Oakley, Nixon, U.S. Snowboarding, Toyota, Monster and Northstar-at-Tahoe have been the ones making my travel possible. They allow me to take amazing snowboarding trips around the world and help me take my snowboarding to higher levels.

What athletes have served as an inspiration to you?

There are so many inspiring athletes. In snowboarding, Kelly Clark, Victoria Jealous, Jamie Lynn, Gigi Ruff...Athletes out of snowboarding that are inspiring include Michael Phelps, Lance Armstrong, Venus Williams, Picaboo Street and many others.

If you weren't a snowboarder, do you think you'd still be an athlete? If so, what sport?

I would love to be surfing, if I wasn't snowboarding.

What do you do in your downtime from snowboarding?

I love to cook. It has become my new favorite thing to do when I have some time off.

What has snowboarding meant for your life so far?

Snowboarding has made my life extremely exciting and unpredictable. I have made incredible friends, seen amazing places and done things I have never expected. I couldn't ask for anything more than what snowboarding has brought me.

What advice would you give to younger snowboarders who many want to follow in your footsteps?

Just enjoy what you love. If you can do what you love, your love and progression of the sport will bring you wherever you want to go.

When you started, did you ever imagine you would have this much success at snowboarding?

When I started snowboarding it was just a fun thing to do on the weekends. It still amazes me that I have gone this far with the sport.

For more on Elena Hight, visit her official Web site at www.elenahight.com, or follow her on Twitter at www.twitter.com/elenahight.

Hight is sponsored by Volcom, Nike 6.0, Oakley, Nixon, U.S. Snowboarding, Toyota, Monster and Northstar-at-Tahoe.