PARK CITY, UT - The U.S. Snowboarding halfpipe roster just got a little more stacked with talent with the announcement that Olympic gold medalist Kelly Clark (West Dover, VT) would be joining its ranks.
"Having Kelly back on the U.S. Snowboarding halfpipe roster is awesome," said U.S. Snowboarding Program Director Jeremy Forster. "She is one of the best halfpipe athletes in the world and we're looking forward to having her compete with us this season and in 2010."
U.S. Snowboarding Halfpipe Head Coach Mike Jankowski is amped to have Clark back and thinks she will influence the halfpipe crew in a positive way.
"Kelly completes the women's side of our team in a most spectacular way. She is one of the best female riders out there and to have her back riding with us is going to be good in so many ways," Jankowski said. "It will be good for her and it will be good for the rest of our squad because of her professionalism, drive and focus. Those qualities will rub off on the rest of the team and I think she's going to thrive off the other women on the team."
For Clark, who rode with the halfpipe squad from 2000 to 2003, being back with the program is a move she's happy about.
"I'm really excited about joining the U.S. Team again. I'm excited to have that type of support and I think it will make for a really fun season," Clark said. "I think being a part of U.S. Snowboarding again will really help me to keep my goals. I'm looking forward to the coaching and all the different things that I know are going to accelerate me towards my goal."
According to Clark, who has won the U.S. Snowboarding Grand Prix overall title four times, she will focus on her riding this season and if she happens to win competitions, it will be an added bonus.
"For me this season is all about my snowboarding whether I do well in events or not. I will be at all the events. My goals are really personal this year to get my riding to a level where I know it's going to need to be for next year," Clark said.
Clark, who just won the first stop of the U.S. Snowboarding Grand Prix, presented by Sprint, will look to dominate the pipe at the Winter Dew Tour in Breckenridge, CO, on Sunday.
