+

Cookies on the Business Insider India website

Business Insider India has updated its Privacy and Cookie policy. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the better experience on our website. If you continue without changing your settings, we\'ll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies on the Business Insider India website. However, you can change your cookie setting at any time by clicking on our Cookie Policy at any time. You can also see our Privacy Policy.

Close
HomeQuizzoneWhatsappShare Flash Reads
 

Shaun White Withdraws From The Olympic Slopestyle Event Because The Course Is Too Dangerous

Feb 5, 2014, 18:11 IST

Doug Pensinger/Getty Images

Shaun White has pulled out of Olympic snowboarding slopestyle competition, he told the Today Show Wednesday morning.

Advertisement

He will still compete in this halfpipe - his best event.

"With the practice runs I have taken, even after course modifications and watching fellow athletes get hurt, the potential risk of injury is a bit too much for me to gamble my other Olympics goals on," he said.

Since Monday, when the riders got their first look at the course, there have been widespread complaints that it's too dangerous.

Norway's Torstein Hormgo, one of the favorites in the event, broke his collarbone in practice and won't be able to compete. Finland's Marika Enne suffered a concussion on Tuesday.

Advertisement

Riders say the jumps are too big, even after alterations were made in response to Hormgo's injury.

"It looks pretty sketchy," Finland's Roope Tonteri told the New York Times. "I think they wanted to make big kickers, and it's not really good for riders and it's not really safe anymore. I just don't want to get injured. It's not a really fun course to ride."

Canada's Sebastien Toutant said one of the jumps was so big it was "like jumping out of a building."

Others called it "obnoxiously tall."

This is the first time slopestyle has been in the Olympics. The sport involves riding down a slope and doing tricks off a series of ramps.

Advertisement

White jammed his wrist in practice, and called the course "intimidating" before pulling out.

The ramps are just too big.

You are subscribed to notifications!
Looks like you've blocked notifications!
Next Article