U.S. Snowboard Team boardercross racer
Leslee Olson of Bend, Ore.

   Leslee Olson, a 26-year-old Olympic snowboarder and entrepreneur, doesn’t take life for granted. Boardercross, a discipline that combines traditional snowboarding with a series of jumps and tricks, can be dangerous, and no one knows it better than her.

   A key figure in women’s snowboarding since the 1990s, Olson suffered a severe head injury in 2001, when another snowboarder sliced in front of her during a race. When she finally healed six months later, Olson walked away from pro snowboarding to become a nurse.

   However, she’s decided to give pro snowboarding one more go in hopes of making the 2006 Olympics in Torino, Italy, where boardercross will make its debut. This year’s Olympic snowboard squad will be stronger than ever, and athletes are currently vying for the team’s 17 coveted spots.  

   Olson recently returned from the World Cup series in Europe, where her resolve was tested once again. “I sprained my ankle and didn’t get to compete,” she says ruefully. “But I’ve been cleared by my doctor to race again.” Olson is now anticipating the Olympic qualifying races in Whistler, B.C. this December.

   Olson has competed in every snowboard discipline from freestyle to big air. Born and raised in Bend, Ore., Leslee still practices at Mount Bachelor, where she first learned to ride.

   Leslee has been competing since age 11, and among her accomplishments are her first-place win at the women’s boardercross final at the 2005 Winter Gravity Games, her first-place win at the 2000 X-Games (where she was the only person to compete in all four disciplines), a second place finish at the1999 X-Games, and her title as the 1997 Junior World’s Champion. She has been featured in countless videos, magazines and even video games.

   But Olson is more than a world class athlete. Last year, Olson’s Riders for the Cure, held on Mount Hood, raised $9,000 for a local breast cancer charity. Olson has also donated her time over the summer at High Cascade Snowboard Camp as a guest coach to encourage young riders.

   She is also co-founder of Chorus USA – the first company to exclusively design snowboards for women. In recent years, Chorus underwent some re-structuring and these days she plays a smaller role in the company. In fact, she has gone back to riding for Burton snowboards, the company that sponsored her before Chorus.

   After her Olympic run, Olson’s busy life won’t slow down much.  As of July, she’ll be a full-time nursing student at Oregon State University.  After graduating, she plans to become a geriatric nurse practitioner and wants to own a nursing home. “Oh, and I’m getting married in June!” she adds excitedly. 

  We wish Leslee the best of luck in her Olympic pursuit. To track her progress, see www.ussnowboarding.org.