U.S. Olympic halfpipe snowboarding qualification starts Thursday. Shaun White hopes it goes a little smoother than four years ago — and much smoother than his preseason training.
White is expected to earn one of three automatic Olympic men’s spots once the four-event selection process finishes in mid-January. He’s arguably the Olympic gold-medal favorite.
The two-time Olympic champion will clinch his fourth Winter Games berth if he wins two of the four events, starting with a Grand Prix in Copper Mountain, Colo., this week.
Qualifiers are Thursday. The final is Saturday. A full broadcast schedule is at the bottom of this story.