Shaun White | Biography, Snowboarding, Olympic Medals, & Facts

Beyond the snowboard

White’s success was not limited to snowboarding. Having entered the professional skateboard circuit in 2003, he was the first athlete to compete in both the Winter and the original (summer) X Games, where he managed to win gold medals in the vertical, or vert, skateboarding event in 2007 and 2011. Meanwhile, his athletic prowess and relaxed charm led to widespread media exposure and lucrative endorsement deals. He released a snowboarding DVD, The White Album, in 2004 and was a central figure in a 2005 documentary on snowboarders, First Descent.

Quick Facts In full: Shaun Roger White (Show more) Byname: the Flying Tomato (Show more) Born: September 3, 1986, San Diego, California, U.S. (age 39) (Show more) Awards And Honors: Winter Olympic Games (Show more) See all related content Access for the whole family! Bundle Britannica Premium and Kids for the ultimate resource destination. Subscribe

After retiring, White shifted his focus from competition to shaping the future of the sport. In 2024 he founded The Snow League, a professional snowboarding and freeskiing circuit with major prize money, and is active as a mentor for young athletes. He has also been developing his lifestyle and snowboarding brand Whitespace, which promotes the protection of public lands and climate awareness. He will serve as a special correspondent for NBC’s coverage of the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games.

Other NBC Commentators for the 2026 Winter Games Lindsey Jacobellis Picabo Street Snoop Dogg Stanley Tucci Tara Lipinski Scott Hamilton