Jan 20th '09 - Kiwi Snowboarder Rebecca Sinclair gets the nod from the Winter X Games Officials
20th January 2009
Breckenridge, Colorado, USA - Snowboarder Rebecca Sinclair, 17, Taupo, has received an invite to the prestigious Winter X Games following a successful competitive campaign on the international circuit.
Turning Winter X Games officials heads, Sinclair marked her career debut on the world stage placing seventh in the womens halfpipe finals on the first stop of the Winter Dew Tour in Breckenridge, Colorado in December.
Tom Willmott, Head Coach of the NZ Snowboard Team, said Sinclair was up against a truly world-class final with four Olympic medalists in the field.
Rebecca has been training hard out here in Colorado and the hard work certainly paid off, said Willmott. This is an outstanding result, especially considering this was only Rebecca's third major international event.
Being invited to the Winter X Games is recognition that Sinclair is at the pinnacle of her sport.
My result at The Dew Tour and the invite at the X Games has made me realise that goals are reachable, and with enough training I could soon be up there fighting for the podium, she said.
Sinclair also placed third in the recent Chevy Revolution Tour Halfpipe event last weekend at Copper Mountain, Colorado.
Sinclair received the email from the Winter X Games officials while she was in the company of her close friend and teammate Paula Mitchell. I couldnt believe it, she said. I had to ask Paula to come over and check if it was for real.
With the Winter X Games conflicting with the FIS World Snowboard Championships in Korea, Sinclair was faced with a tough decision to make. As a qualifier event for the 2010 Olympics, the FIS World Snowboard Championships tipped the X Games this year for Sinclair.
Im gutted that I wont be able to do the X Games this time. It was a really difficult decision to make, but I have chosen to do the World Champs as its also a great opportunity for my career, said Sinclair. I will be training even harder this year and if I get invited (to the Winter X Games) again, next year I can perform at highest level.
Sinclair is a member of the NZ Snowboard Union Squad and trains with the NZ Winter Performance Programme.
Snow Sports New Zealand is the official governing body and National Sports Organisation representing all snow sports in New Zealand. The NZ Snowboard Union is a member of Snow Sports New Zealand.
LINKS:
www.snowports.co.nz
www.expn.com
www.fissnowboardworldcup.com
www.gangwon2009.or.kr
The Winter X Games
The 13th annual Winter X Games begin on 22 January in Aspen, Colorado, and will feature more than 160 men and women from across the globe competing for medals and prize money in various skiing and snowboarding disciplines.
The event features seven-time snowboard Winter X Games gold medalist and 2006 Winter Olympic gold medalist Shaun White; defending skiing superpipe champion and seven-time Winter X Games gold medalist Tanner Hall, and one of the worlds most accomplished skiers, Daron Rahlves, last years Skier X gold medalist, who is widely considered as the most accomplished speed skier in American history with 28 World Cup podiums and three World Championship podiums over the course of the last decade.
All athletes receiving invitations to compete at Winter X Games 13 are chosen by a sport-specific selection committee. Criteria and timing of invitations varies by sport and discipline as it is based on the state and event schedules of that particular sport. The only exception is each gold medalist from Winter X Games 12 (2008) receives an automatic invitation to compete.
ESPN will televise the event in New Zealand from January 23 January 25 (NZ time).
Information on all X Games events can be found on www.expn.com
The 2009 FIS Snowboard World Championships Gangwon, Korea presented by LG
Watch the finals of each World Championships decision in Gangwon, Korea, online www.fissnowboardworldcup.com in a re-live format.
For more information visit: www.gangwon2009.or.kr
Here the broadcasting details:
January 19th Snowboard Cross at 9 AM (GMT)
January 20th Parallel Giant Slalom at 9 AM (GMT)
January 21st Parallel Slalom at 9 AM (GMT)
January 23rd Halfpipe at 9 AM (GMT)
January 24th Big Air at 9 AM (GMT)
Media contact:
Kristy Quin
Snow Sports New Zealand
Ph: +64 3 443 4085 ext. 3
kristy@snowsports.co.nz
Photos in this article:
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