Shaun White, Snowboarder - McTwist Inventor

American snowboarding icon, Shaun White did itestimates predict his 2010 income to top $10m.
again on Wednesday 17th February. He won hisHe has a video game which has sold over 3 million
second Olympic Gold Medal for the Men's Halfpipecopies, and sponsorship deals with Amex, Hewlett
competition. This may have been buried beneathPackard and Red bull. He has designed goggles and
the fact that this was America's best ever Wintersunglasses with Oakley and has a designer range
Olympics day for medals. Except that White did itof street-wear with Target and another called
with total style with his McTwist trick whichThe White Collection.
cements his position as one of the coolestHe insists that it hasn't altered him:
atheletes on the planet.“I go out there and take falls and learn these
Having the Gold medal in the bag after two of histricks. This is what I’m good at. This is what I
three runs, he decided to have 'a bit of fun' ondo. If I’ve been doing photo shoots and
the final run.meetings and product design and all this stuff,
He performed, and that is really the best wordyeah, it’s really cool but it’s not what I
for it, a snowboarding trick which he invented andoriginally started doing.
only he can do. It is called the Double McTwist“I’m pretty sure I would have been
1260, which is a gravity defying off-axis spin thatcorrupted a long, long time ago by the money. If
incorporates two forward rolls. Take a look at theI was going to do it, if I was going to go down
video to see what it involves. He developed thisthat path and turn into some other guy, I
trick at an Olympic sized halfpipe built especiallydefinitely think it would have happened already.
for him at a remote location in Colorado byI’m glad that money hasn’t changed me,
sponsors Red Bull.and I’m glad that my family is still the same
So who is this man with the shock of red hairpeople. I go home and I have to, you know, clean
some are calling the David Beckham (or fellowup after the dog.”
snowboarder Scott Lago calls the Mike Jordan ofHis Olympic team-mates may disagree. He has
…) of snowboarding? Who is the coolest dude inrented separate accommodation from the rest of
the coolest sport?the team and is absent during the parties that this
White started snowboarding at age 8 travelling tosport is famous for. This, in fairness, could be to
competitions with his family, staying in Motel 6sdo with the fact that he is now publicly recognised
and cooking in the room to save money.a lot, especially around high-profile events.
Times have certainly changed. Conservative