Olympic pipe dreams
By Hayley Mick, Globe and Mail
Halfpipe snowboarding is not often associated with discretion. The sport’s superstars have a reputation for being highly paid hotdoggers, and there is probably no group of athletes – with the possible exception of skateboarders – that takes more delight in videotaping and broadcasting their tricks.
Which is why the buildup to the first Olympic qualification event at Copper Mountain in Colorado this weekend is so remarkable – world-class snowboarders will finally have to reveal their hands after months of self-imposed secrecy.