The 2011 Snowboarding Halfpipe Open concluded in Colorado, USA. American snowboarding legend Shaun White made a powerful return, taking first place in the men’s division. Chinese young athlete Cai Xuetong claimed third in the women’s division, making it to the finals once again after the Copper Mountain Grand Prix in the U.S., and competing against many of the world’s top winter extreme sports athletes, delivering an impressive performance.
Shaun White: The King Returns
High-level competitions always attract numerous top snowboarders. From December 15 to 18, the 2011 Snowboarding Halfpipe Nike Open took place in Colorado, USA, drawing many notable athletes including two-time Olympic champion Shaun White (Turin 2006 and Vancouver 2010), and 2002 Salt Lake City Olympic gold medalist Kelly Clark.
Kelly Clark had also competed in the previous Copper Mountain Grand Prix in the U.S., where she won the women’s title. The battle for gold in the women’s division this time was between her and another American star, Hannah Teter. 2006 Turin Olympics silver medalist Teter scored an impressive 90.25 points in the first round and looked set to win, but Clark scored 91.25 in the second round, ultimately overturning her teammate to take the title. Just one week after the U.S. Grand Prix, she claimed another victory, demonstrating her exceptional strength in the sport. With back-to-back wins, Clark revealed her secret to success: “You have to stay extremely focused and think about your next move. If your mind wanders, you lose concentration, can't control your movements, and won’t deliver a great performance.”
Shaun White missed the U.S. Grand Prix due to his participation in the FIS Freeski and Snowboard World Tour (Freedog) event in China. For this competition, he went all out, showcasing his signature trick — a “1260-degree aerial spin” — once again impressing the judges and winning the championship with 95.00 points, staging a triumphant return. Shaun White said, “I’m really happy to land that trick and win the title. The 1260 is a difficult move; sometimes it feels like your best friend, always there when you need it, other times not. I’m thrilled to pull it off in a competition like this, and it’s a great start to my new season.”
Cai Xuetong: Gaining Experience and Improving
To compete more with international elites, the Chinese snowboarding team shifted the focus of this season’s events toward commercial competitions. After physical training in November, members of China’s halfpipe snowboarding squad traveled to the U.S. to participate in two consecutive commercial events. Through these two competitions, young national team members such as Cai Xuetong, Li Shuang, Shi Wancheng, and Zhang Yiwu gained valuable experience. Among them, Cai Xuetong shone the brightest. At the first event, the Copper Mountain Grand Prix in the U.S., she scored 77 points and ranked 8th, barely making it into the finals of 8 athletes as the last qualifier. In the finals, Cai performed steadily and ultimately placed 6th among 49 competitors. A week later at the Nike Open, after two rounds of qualifying and semifinals, six athletes advanced to the women’s final. With her semifinal score of 77.50, Cai Xuetong narrowly qualified again in 5th place. In the finals, she went all out, leveraging her height advantage and stable tricks to score 85.00 points, earning a well-deserved bronze medal and placing 3rd overall.
From feeling nervous and facing setbacks in the first event to standing on the podium in the second, Cai Xuetong not only improved mentally but also enhanced her skills. Her qualifying score rose from 77 to 77.50 — just 0.5 points, but considering the short timeframe and the level of competition, this improvement is remarkable. “High, floating, and stable” has become the hallmark of Cai Xuetong’s aerial maneuvers.
From 6th place at the U.S. Grand Prix to 3rd at the Open and winning a bronze medal, Cai Xuetong achieved a breakthrough by reaching the podium. But this wasn’t just a personal best in commercial competitions — it’s also one of the best results ever by a Chinese athlete in this professional event. Additionally, thanks to her outstanding performances in these two events, she received an invitation to the 2012 Winter X Games. Since its inception in 1997, no Chinese athlete has ever competed in the Winter X Games, and Cai Xuetong will be the first from China to participate.
Shaun White: The King Returns
High-level competitions always attract numerous top snowboarders. From December 15 to 18, the 2011 Snowboarding Halfpipe Nike Open took place in Colorado, USA, drawing many notable athletes including two-time Olympic champion Shaun White (Turin 2006 and Vancouver 2010), and 2002 Salt Lake City Olympic gold medalist Kelly Clark.
Kelly Clark had also competed in the previous Copper Mountain Grand Prix in the U.S., where she won the women’s title. The battle for gold in the women’s division this time was between her and another American star, Hannah Teter. 2006 Turin Olympics silver medalist Teter scored an impressive 90.25 points in the first round and looked set to win, but Clark scored 91.25 in the second round, ultimately overturning her teammate to take the title. Just one week after the U.S. Grand Prix, she claimed another victory, demonstrating her exceptional strength in the sport. With back-to-back wins, Clark revealed her secret to success: “You have to stay extremely focused and think about your next move. If your mind wanders, you lose concentration, can't control your movements, and won’t deliver a great performance.”
Shaun White missed the U.S. Grand Prix due to his participation in the FIS Freeski and Snowboard World Tour (Freedog) event in China. For this competition, he went all out, showcasing his signature trick — a “1260-degree aerial spin” — once again impressing the judges and winning the championship with 95.00 points, staging a triumphant return. Shaun White said, “I’m really happy to land that trick and win the title. The 1260 is a difficult move; sometimes it feels like your best friend, always there when you need it, other times not. I’m thrilled to pull it off in a competition like this, and it’s a great start to my new season.”
Cai Xuetong: Gaining Experience and Improving
To compete more with international elites, the Chinese snowboarding team shifted the focus of this season’s events toward commercial competitions. After physical training in November, members of China’s halfpipe snowboarding squad traveled to the U.S. to participate in two consecutive commercial events. Through these two competitions, young national team members such as Cai Xuetong, Li Shuang, Shi Wancheng, and Zhang Yiwu gained valuable experience. Among them, Cai Xuetong shone the brightest. At the first event, the Copper Mountain Grand Prix in the U.S., she scored 77 points and ranked 8th, barely making it into the finals of 8 athletes as the last qualifier. In the finals, Cai performed steadily and ultimately placed 6th among 49 competitors. A week later at the Nike Open, after two rounds of qualifying and semifinals, six athletes advanced to the women’s final. With her semifinal score of 77.50, Cai Xuetong narrowly qualified again in 5th place. In the finals, she went all out, leveraging her height advantage and stable tricks to score 85.00 points, earning a well-deserved bronze medal and placing 3rd overall.
From feeling nervous and facing setbacks in the first event to standing on the podium in the second, Cai Xuetong not only improved mentally but also enhanced her skills. Her qualifying score rose from 77 to 77.50 — just 0.5 points, but considering the short timeframe and the level of competition, this improvement is remarkable. “High, floating, and stable” has become the hallmark of Cai Xuetong’s aerial maneuvers.
From 6th place at the U.S. Grand Prix to 3rd at the Open and winning a bronze medal, Cai Xuetong achieved a breakthrough by reaching the podium. But this wasn’t just a personal best in commercial competitions — it’s also one of the best results ever by a Chinese athlete in this professional event. Additionally, thanks to her outstanding performances in these two events, she received an invitation to the 2012 Winter X Games. Since its inception in 1997, no Chinese athlete has ever competed in the Winter X Games, and Cai Xuetong will be the first from China to participate.
