Minor Threat: Elena Hight

Hawaii seems like the last place the next great female snowboard prodigy would spawn from. Still, Kauai’s 15-year-old Elena Hight has found herself in the board sport’s spotlight and she didn’t have to get her arm bit off by an ocean-borne predator to do so. Behind Elena’s deceptively benign Invisalign smile lays a fierce competitor who is well on her way to glory in Torino, Italy. If she can set down her backside 900 in the ultimate arena, the Olympic halfpipe, she will become the youngest medalist in snowboarding history.

WORD ASSOCIATION
Say the first thing that comes to mind:

iPod: Great

Mary-Kate and Ashley: Twins

Tindies: Awesome

Helmets: Good

Kevin Pearce: Hmmm

Hawaii: Warm

Da Hui: Never heard of that before

Backside 900: Hard

Chanelle Sladics: Slow

The Olympics: Interesting

Finding Nemo: Cute

Kristi Leskinen: Tall

Driver’s License: Soon

School: Never ending

VITALS Elena Hight
Home Mountain: Mammoth, California
Age: 15
Height: 5’ 1”
Weight: 115 lbs.
Stance: Goofy, 21” wide, 15˚ front, -9˚ back
Board: Burton Troop 146
Binding: Burton P1
Boot: Burton Sapphire
Foot Size: 5
Years Riding: 8
Years Sponsored: 5
Sponsors: Burton, Oakley, Hurley, US Snowboarding
Crew: Kimmy Fasani, Chanelle Sladics, Molly Aguirre, Amanda Mourant, Mercedes Nichol