Lindsey Jacobellis, born on August 19, 1985, in Danbury, Connecticut, is an American snowboarder. She is the most decorated female snowboard cross athlete of all time. Jacobellis is a multi-time gold medalist at the FIS Snowboarding World Championships and an Olympic gold medalist, achieving her first at the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022. The most decorated female snowboard cross athlete of all time, she dominated the sport for almost two decades as a five-time World Champion and ten-time X Games champion.
Lindsey Jacobellis at the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics
Early Life and Education
Jacobellis grew up spending much of her childhood in southern Vermont at her family’s weekend home. Her parents, Ben and Anita Jacobellis encouraged her and her older brother Ben to participate in many sports. Initially a skier, Jacobellis transitioned to snowboarding at the age of eight after a fire destroyed her ski equipment. She explains the switch by saying, "We couldn't afford to buy all new ski equipment; we could only afford to buy snowboards." She was introduced to the sport by her older brother, Ben, who was also a professional snowboarder.
Jacobellis attended the college preparatory academy, Stratton Mountain School in Vermont, which focused on training winter athletes and graduated in 2003. She followed her passion for racing to the winter sports academy, Stratton Mountain School, where she was able to train each day without sacrificing her education.
Early Career
At 11-years-old, Jacobellis started racing snowboard cross at a local event held at Stratton Mountain, VT. Her rapid progression in the sport made her a top competitor from a young age, setting the foundation for her long and successful career. Snowboarding Team by age 17. As the only girl racing in snowboard cross, she accredits the male-dominated discipline for fueling her competitiveness and approach to the sport.
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Olympic Games and World Championships
She made her Olympic debut at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, making her first Olympic final in the process. During the snowboard cross final, Jacobellis was approaching the end of the course with a 43-meter (140 ft), three-second lead over Tanja Frieden of Switzerland. On the second-to-last jump, Jacobellis attempted a celebratory method grab, landed on the edge of her snowboard, and fell. Frieden passed her to win the gold; Jacobellis recovered and settled for silver. In televised interviews, Jacobellis initially said the grab was meant to maintain stability, but later said that "I was having fun.
Jacobellis failed to progress to the medal round of snowboard cross at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, as early in her semifinal race, she landed badly during a jump, and to avoid a collision with another rider, went through a gate, resulting in automatic disqualification; she then slid off the course. Jacobellis failed to progress to the medal round of snowboard cross at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. She was leading the semifinal race when she crashed.
At the 2015 World Championship, Jacobellis won gold in snowboard cross. At the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, Jacobellis made her second Olympic snowboard cross final. In her fifth Olympics, Jacobellis finally became the Olympic champion in snowboard cross at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing. This was the first gold medal for the US in Beijing, ending a five-day gold medal drought.
Turin 2006 Winter Olympics | Women's Snowboard Cross Final
Lindsey Jacobellis wins gold at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics
X Games and World Cup Tour
Her hard work definitely paid off as she now holds the record for most Gold Medals won at the Winter X Games for any female. She has been on the World Cup Tour for 14 years and is looking forward to competing at another Olympic Games.
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Other Ventures
Jacobellis appeared on a charity edition of MTVs The Challenge, titled The Challenge: Champs vs. Pros. She competed to raise money for the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
Personal Life
Outside of competition, Jacobellis enjoys surfing, sewing, gardening and cooking. She is passionate about mentoring young athletes and promoting women's participation in snowboarding. She is also involved in events like the Super Girl Snow Pro Competition, mentoring the next generation of snowboarders. She is an advocate for women's participation in snowboarding.
Quick Facts About Lindsey Jacobellis
- Specialty: Snowboard Cross
- Education: Stratton Mountain School, ‘03
- Parents: Ben and Anita Jacobellis
- Hobbies: Surfing, sewing, gardening, and cooking
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