Turin, Italy 2006 Winter Olympic Games

Highlights
A graduate of Carrabassett Valley Academy (CVA) in Maine, snowboardcross specialist Seth Wescott leads the U.S. medal charge into 2006 as SBX makes its Olympic debut in Torino. A well-respected veteran, Wescott is known for his smooth style on the SBX course and in the halfpipe, but also makes an impact off the snow by lobbying the FIS to remain progressive in the sport of SBX racing.

Update
Just one week after seriously Seth injured his left knee with a torn ligament and suffered a severe gash to his right shin he won the first World Championship for America in SBX, sweeping the top of the podium with teammate Lindsey Jacobellis. Other season highlights were winning the time trials at X Games for the third time and winning silver in this year's SBX event... After the season, Seth bolted off for his annual trip to Alaska to go heli-boarding before settling back in Maine for some sailing and whitewater kayaking. Seth also participated in the U.S. Olympic Committees annual athlete summit along with a partner summit back in Park City for U.S. Snowboarding.

Start-up
On skis by the age of 8, Wescott raced for a couple of seasons before getting bored. At 10, he started riding and continued racing in both sports for about three years before dropping ski racing for good in '89. But he soon found himself pulled in different directions again - he split time between racing and riding halfpipe before deciding to focus more on pipe during the Winter of '96. A quick learner, Wescott quickly became one of the nation's premier SBX riders almost immediately after the discipline poked its nose into the schedule.

Injuries
2004 - Injured ligament in left knee, but won Worlds SBX title week later; 2001 - Tore right ACL landing a jump in Sapporo World Cup, but was back on snow several months later and finished third overall in the ISF World Tour rankings for '02.

Personal
"My reason for moving into big mountain riding is to expand my comfort levels and make SBX races seem tame." He played soccer and ran track in high school, but these days Seth's more into skateboarding, surfing, mountain biking and kayaking - and building his home not far from Sugarloaf... Dad, Jim Wescott, coached track and field at N.C. State when Seth was born; his mother, Margaret Gould-Wescott, was a modern dance teacher at Peace College, also in Raleigh (he also has a sister, Sarah, who is a massage therapist)... Wescott has completed a year and a half at Colorado's Western State; wherever he returns, he may study journalism. "I've always tried to do as many things in snowboarding as I can, and I plan to continue on that path even though I'll focus on SBX for the Olympic year." Favorite place to ride: the Chugach Range in Alaska with Points North Hell Adventures.