This is one of the most famous snowboarders in the world. During his professional career, he won three Olympic gold medals and three Summer X Games titles in skateboarding. He became the world’s first athlete to win medals in both the Summer and Winter X Games, as well as the Olympics. He was named Athlete of the Year by ESPN ten times. His life story exemplifies remarkable determination and perseverance in his favorite occupation. You may also learn about American football player Aaron Donald. Find out more at i-los-angeles.
Biography
Shaun Roger White was born September 3, 1986, in San Diego, California. His mother was a waitress, while his father worked for the water department. Shaun was born to a large family. He has three elder siblings. In his early years, it was obvious that the boy would never be an athlete. He was born with congenital heart defects. As a result, in his first year of life, he underwent two surgeries. When White was younger, his family frequently visited Okemo Mountain ski resorts and the San Bernardino Mountains. As a kid, his brother Jesse began snowboarding and skateboarding. That piqued the interest of little Shaun. Already at the age of seven, Shaun signed his first professional snowboarding contract, and since the age of thirteen, he has competed in world-class events. Since the age of 16, his results have been almost unsurpassable. He won a medal in the Winter X Games every year. White rarely competed in the Snowboard World Cup, but his results are impressive: Shaun won nine of his eleven races.
In addition to snowboarding, Shaun began skating professionally in 2003. He was the first athlete to compete in both the Winter and Summer X Games, winning gold medals for vertical skateboarding in 2007 and 2011.
In September 2012, White was arrested for vandalism in Nashville, Tennessee. The athlete allegedly broke the phone at the hotel, causing the fire alarm to go off. As a result, residents of the hotel were evacuated. Shaun attempted to flee from the hotel. He was chased after until he smashed his head against a fence. After receiving treatment in a hospital, he was arrested. In 2016, Shaun was sued by the former drummer of his rock band. She claimed that White forced her to watch explicit sexual images and videos and illegally fired her from the band. Subsequently, the athlete acknowledged that he regretted his actions and asked for forgiveness from the people he offended.
Olympic Games
At the first Olympic Games, Shaun struggled to qualify in the halfpipe, but in the final, he won gold with 46.8 out of 50 available points. At the Vancouver Olympics, White broke his halfpipe record. He scored 48.4 points and did the Tomahawk maneuver. This was enough to earn the second Olympic gold medal. At the Winter X Games in 2012, Shaun White became the first athlete to score 100 points out of 100 in the SuperPipe.
During the 2018 Olympic training camp in New Zealand, White suffered a facial injury. The athlete had to be applied 62 stitches. At these Games, which were held in South Korea, White won his third Olympic gold. This medal marked the US national team’s centennial Olympic victory. He was not expected to attend the next Olympic Games. After all, he took a career break in 2018, and his return to the sport was characterized by difficulties due to injury. But he did return, even though he did not win another title. He finished fourth in the 2022 Beijing Olympics.
Athletic accomplishments
Since 2001, the athlete’s list of victories has grown increasingly large. In 2001, he took first place in the Arctic Challenge. Next year, second place at the Winter X Games in two categories. In 2003, he won first place in the Winter X Games. In 2009, he took first place in two disciplines on the Winter Dew Tour. For three consecutive years, starting in 2012, he took first place at the Winter X Games in the SuperPipe discipline. In 2018, he won the halfpipe contest at the Olympic Games in Pyeongchang. At the age of 35, he retired from sports. Shaun has 13 X Games wins and a total of 18 medals.
The athlete’s hobbies
Shaun White plays guitar in the rock band Bad Things, acts in films and has taken part in the development of several video games as a stunt performer.
In 2004, he starred in the documentary “The White Album”, and another snowboarding documentary called “First Descent” a year later. In 2007, the athlete appeared in the reality show “The Girls Next Door”, where he played the role of a snowboard instructor for American models. Two years later, he starred in the film “Don’t Look Down,” which was based on his snowboarding career. In 2011, White made a cameo appearance in the film “Friends with Benefits”.
In 2012, Shaun started the musical group Bad Things. A year later, the band signed a contract with Warner Bros. Records. The first single from the new album was “Caught Inside,” which was released on SoundCloud. They toured extensively throughout America. However, three years later, some members departed the band. Yet, Bad Things has not disbanded and continues to perform. Shaun is a strong supporter of numerous charitable causes. He supports children’s hospitals in Los Angeles.
In collaboration with Burton Snowboards, Shaun created a line of outerwear called the White Collection. His signature clothing line was introduced in the fall of 2005. Also, the cooperation did not end there. He continued to actively participate in the development of sportswear for several more years. He was also the first athlete to collaborate with Oakley on designing glasses. Together, they created the first branded A-Frame goggles. In 2010, the Shaun collection included the new Signature A-Frame goggles and the Signature Jupiter sunglasses.
In 2008, Shaun collaborated with Ubisoft on developing his first video game, “Shaun White Snowboarding: Road Trip”. The game was a worldwide success. It has sold over 3 million copies since it was first released. The game infuses the snowboard experience with the most authentic elements of Shaun’s riding style, personality and sense of humor.
The snowboarder’s net worth and personal life
During his professional career, Shaun has made more than $60 million. He obtained some of this money from advertising contracts. After finishing his athletic career, he invested in a variety of companies and started his own businesses. Additionally, White made investments in ski resorts. He invested $38 million to acquire Bear Mountain and Snow Summit. The snowboarder’s real estate is valued at more than $12 million, while his car park is worth more than $500,000. Shaun owns a 350,000-dollar Lamborghini Murcielago LP 640, a 120,000-dollar BMW M6 and a 110,000-dollar 1966 Ford Mustang, among other cars.
Shaun White has never been married. From 2013 to 2019, he dated vocalist Sarah Barthel. In early 2020, he began dating actress Nina Dobrev. In 2024, he proposed to her and she accepted.
The path of the athlete demonstrates how important it is to pursue your dreams and give yourself to your favorite business. After all, passion combined with hard work can lead to remarkable achievements.