Kelly Clark
Encyclopedia
Kelly Clark (born July 26, 1983) is a snowboarder
born in the village of West Dover in the town of Dover, Vermont
. She has been snowboarding since she was 8 years old, and began competing in 1999. She became a member of the US Snowboard team in 2000, and later won a gold medal in the Winter Olympics.
In 2007/2008 she finished World No.3 on the Swatch TTR World Snowboard Tour (Ticket to Ride (World Snowboard Tour)
)
In 2008/2009 Kelly finished World No.1 on the Swatch TTR World Snowboard Tour. (Ticket to Ride (World Snowboard Tour)
)
and graduated in spring 2001. She won a gold medal for women's halfpipe at the 2002 Winter Olympics
and competed in the halfpipe event again in the 2006 Winter Olympics
. Her last run started off in spectacular fashion; however, she missed a landing later in the run and ended up placing fourth behind fellow Americans
Hannah Teter
and Gretchen Bleiler
, as well as Norwegian
Kjersti Buaas
. In the 2010 Vancouver Olympics Kelly won a bronze medal in the halfpipe after placing third behind American silver medalist Hannah Teter
and Australian Torah Bright
.
The TTR World Tour particularly has witnessed her domination first hand. The 2007/2008 season saw Kelly record a staggering eight podium finishes out of 12 contest entries, with five of those as TTR Titles including the 6Star Burton European Open, the 5Star Chevrolet Grand Prix and the 6Star season-ending Roxy Chicken Jam US.
The 2008/2009 World Tour, however, would finally see Kelly rise to the head of the ranks, finishing the season as Swatch TTR World Snowboard Tour Champion. Over the course of her world travels, from the 5Star Burton New Zealand Open to the legendary 6Star Burton European Open to the prestigious 6Star Burton US Open, Clark bagged a podium finish at every turn.
At the start of the 2004-05 FIS Snowboarding World Cup season, Clark overheard a conversation at a competition in which another competitor was upset and that competitor's friend comforted her. Clark returned to her hotel
room and started reading the Bible before seeing the friend of her competitor's wanting to know more about God. Knowing God, according to Clark, freed up her snowboarding and allowed her to enjoy the sport more. She now rides with a sticker on her snowboard proclaiming, "Jesus, I can not hide my love."
Kelly's parents, Terry and Cathy, have their own restaurant in West Dover, Vermont, called TC's. When Kelly was young, she and her family lived in West Dover and for their summers they had a house in Rhode Island. They decided it was too hard, so they permanently stayed and lived in West Dover, Vermont.
Highlights of Swatch TTR 2008/2009 Season
Swatch TTR World Snowboard Tour Champion 2008/09
Victories on the Swatch TTR World Snowboard Tour (status: July 2010)
Career Highlights
Snowboarding
Snowboarding is a sport that involves descending a slope that is covered with snow on a snowboard attached to a rider's feet using a special boot set onto mounted binding. The development of snowboarding was inspired by skateboarding, sledding, surfing and skiing. It was developed in the U.S.A...
born in the village of West Dover in the town of Dover, Vermont
Dover, Vermont
Dover is a town in Windham County, Vermont, United States. The population was 1,410 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 35.3 square miles , all land...
. She has been snowboarding since she was 8 years old, and began competing in 1999. She became a member of the US Snowboard team in 2000, and later won a gold medal in the Winter Olympics.
In 2007/2008 she finished World No.3 on the Swatch TTR World Snowboard Tour (Ticket to Ride (World Snowboard Tour)
Ticket to Ride (World Snowboard Tour)
Founded by Terje Håkonsen and industry innovators in 2002, the Ticket To Ride World Snowboard Tour is a rider-driven organization that aims to represent the progression of snowboarding...
)
In 2008/2009 Kelly finished World No.1 on the Swatch TTR World Snowboard Tour. (Ticket to Ride (World Snowboard Tour)
Ticket to Ride (World Snowboard Tour)
Founded by Terje Håkonsen and industry innovators in 2002, the Ticket To Ride World Snowboard Tour is a rider-driven organization that aims to represent the progression of snowboarding...
)
Bio
Kelly Clark trained for competitive snowboarding at Mount Snow Academy in VermontVermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
and graduated in spring 2001. She won a gold medal for women's halfpipe at the 2002 Winter Olympics
2002 Winter Olympics
The 2002 Winter Olympics, officially the XIX Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event that was celebrated in February 2002 in and around Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. Approximately 2,400 athletes from 77 nations participated in 78 events in fifteen disciplines, held throughout...
and competed in the halfpipe event again in the 2006 Winter Olympics
2006 Winter Olympics
The 2006 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XX Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated in Turin, Italy from February 10, 2006, through February 26, 2006. This marked the second time Italy hosted the Olympic Winter Games, the first being the VII Olympic Winter...
. Her last run started off in spectacular fashion; however, she missed a landing later in the run and ended up placing fourth behind fellow Americans
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Hannah Teter
Hannah Teter
Hannah Teter is an American snowboarder from Belmont, Vermont. She is an Olympic champion, having won the gold medal in halfpipe at the 2006 Winter Olympic Games in Torino, Italy. She also won bronze at the 2005 FIS World Championships at Whistler, British Columbia, and has six World Cup victories...
and Gretchen Bleiler
Gretchen Bleiler
Gretchen Bleiler is an American professional halfpipe snowboarder. She currently resides in Aspen, Colorado and is married to Chris Hotell.-Career:...
, as well as Norwegian
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
Kjersti Buaas
Kjersti Buaas
Kjersti Østgaard Buaas is a Norwegian snowboarder from Trondheim. She placed 4th in women's half-pipe at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah. She received a bronze medal at the 2006 Winter Olympics in women's half-pipe in Turin, Italy...
. In the 2010 Vancouver Olympics Kelly won a bronze medal in the halfpipe after placing third behind American silver medalist Hannah Teter
Hannah Teter
Hannah Teter is an American snowboarder from Belmont, Vermont. She is an Olympic champion, having won the gold medal in halfpipe at the 2006 Winter Olympic Games in Torino, Italy. She also won bronze at the 2005 FIS World Championships at Whistler, British Columbia, and has six World Cup victories...
and Australian Torah Bright
Torah Bright
Torah Jane Bright is an Australian snowboarder. She turned pro at age 14 and finished fifth in snowboarding at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Torino, Italy. She lives and trains in the area of Salt Lake City, Utah, USA...
.
The TTR World Tour particularly has witnessed her domination first hand. The 2007/2008 season saw Kelly record a staggering eight podium finishes out of 12 contest entries, with five of those as TTR Titles including the 6Star Burton European Open, the 5Star Chevrolet Grand Prix and the 6Star season-ending Roxy Chicken Jam US.
The 2008/2009 World Tour, however, would finally see Kelly rise to the head of the ranks, finishing the season as Swatch TTR World Snowboard Tour Champion. Over the course of her world travels, from the 5Star Burton New Zealand Open to the legendary 6Star Burton European Open to the prestigious 6Star Burton US Open, Clark bagged a podium finish at every turn.
At the start of the 2004-05 FIS Snowboarding World Cup season, Clark overheard a conversation at a competition in which another competitor was upset and that competitor's friend comforted her. Clark returned to her hotel
Hotel
A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. The provision of basic accommodation, in times past, consisting only of a room with a bed, a cupboard, a small table and a washstand has largely been replaced by rooms with modern facilities, including en-suite bathrooms...
room and started reading the Bible before seeing the friend of her competitor's wanting to know more about God. Knowing God, according to Clark, freed up her snowboarding and allowed her to enjoy the sport more. She now rides with a sticker on her snowboard proclaiming, "Jesus, I can not hide my love."
Kelly's parents, Terry and Cathy, have their own restaurant in West Dover, Vermont, called TC's. When Kelly was young, she and her family lived in West Dover and for their summers they had a house in Rhode Island. They decided it was too hard, so they permanently stayed and lived in West Dover, Vermont.
Recent Competition History
Highlights of Swatch TTR 2009/2010 Season- 1st – Halfpipe – 5Star Burton New Zealand Open (Ticket to Ride (World Snowboard Tour)Ticket to Ride (World Snowboard Tour)Founded by Terje Håkonsen and industry innovators in 2002, the Ticket To Ride World Snowboard Tour is a rider-driven organization that aims to represent the progression of snowboarding...
) - 1st – Halfpipe – 6Star Burton US Open (Ticket to Ride (World Snowboard Tour)Ticket to Ride (World Snowboard Tour)Founded by Terje Håkonsen and industry innovators in 2002, the Ticket To Ride World Snowboard Tour is a rider-driven organization that aims to represent the progression of snowboarding...
) - 1st – Halfpipe – 6Star Roxy Chicken Jam US (Ticket to Ride (World Snowboard Tour)Ticket to Ride (World Snowboard Tour)Founded by Terje Håkonsen and industry innovators in 2002, the Ticket To Ride World Snowboard Tour is a rider-driven organization that aims to represent the progression of snowboarding...
)
Highlights of Swatch TTR 2008/2009 Season
Swatch TTR World Snowboard Tour Champion 2008/09
- 3rd – Halfpipe – 5Star Burton New Zealand Open (Ticket to Ride (World Snowboard Tour)Ticket to Ride (World Snowboard Tour)Founded by Terje Håkonsen and industry innovators in 2002, the Ticket To Ride World Snowboard Tour is a rider-driven organization that aims to represent the progression of snowboarding...
) - 1st – Halfpipe – 6Star Burton European Open (Ticket to Ride (World Snowboard Tour)Ticket to Ride (World Snowboard Tour)Founded by Terje Håkonsen and industry innovators in 2002, the Ticket To Ride World Snowboard Tour is a rider-driven organization that aims to represent the progression of snowboarding...
) - 1st – Halfpipe – 5Star Nissan X-Trail Asian Open (Ticket to Ride (World Snowboard Tour)Ticket to Ride (World Snowboard Tour)Founded by Terje Håkonsen and industry innovators in 2002, the Ticket To Ride World Snowboard Tour is a rider-driven organization that aims to represent the progression of snowboarding...
) - 2nd – Halfpipe – 6Star Burton US Open (Ticket to Ride (World Snowboard Tour)Ticket to Ride (World Snowboard Tour)Founded by Terje Håkonsen and industry innovators in 2002, the Ticket To Ride World Snowboard Tour is a rider-driven organization that aims to represent the progression of snowboarding...
) - 1st – Halfpipe – 6Star Roxy Chicken Jam (Ticket to Ride (World Snowboard Tour)Ticket to Ride (World Snowboard Tour)Founded by Terje Håkonsen and industry innovators in 2002, the Ticket To Ride World Snowboard Tour is a rider-driven organization that aims to represent the progression of snowboarding...
)
Victories on the Swatch TTR World Snowboard Tour (status: July 2010)
| TTR Star Level | Number of victories |
|---|---|
| 6Star Event | 7 victories |
| 5Star Event | 4 victories |
| 4Star Event | 2 victories |
Career Highlights
- 2009 Winter Dew Tour – Dew Cup – 1st Place
- 2010 Winter X Games – Superpipe – 1st Place
- 2008 Chevy Grand Prix – Tamarack – Halfpipe – 1st Place
- 2008 Winter X Games – Halfpipe – 2nd Place
- 2007 New Zealand Open – Quarterpipe – 1st Place
- 2007 New Zealand Open – Halfpipe – 2nd Place
- 2007 Burton Abominable Snow Jam – Overall – 2nd Place
- 2007 Burton Abominable Snow Jam – Halfpipe – 2nd Place
- 2006 US Grand Prix – Halfpipe – 1st Place
- 2006 Burton New Zealand Open – Quarterpipe – 1st Place
- 2006 Burton New Zealand Open – SuperpipeSuperpipeA superpipe is a large halfpipe structure used in extreme sports such as snowboarding, freestyle skiing, skateboarding, freestyle BMX and inline skating....
– 1st Place - 2006 Chevorlet Grand Prix – Halfpipe – 2nd Place
- 2005 FIS World Cup – Halfpipe – 1st Place
- 2005 Grand Prix #3- Halfpipe – 2nd Place