Gretchen Bleiler

Gretchen Bleiler is quite possibly the most high profile woman in snowboarding. In addition to winning events like the X Games and grabbing an Olympic silver medal in Torino, Gretchen has appeared in national advertising campaigns, on numerous talk shows, and the cover of FHM. But she is known for not just her good looks, but her impressive, consistent halfpipe riding including giant cripplers and stylish 900s.

Gretchen was born in Ohio, but luckily for her, at age 12 her family relocated to Aspen, CO, where she got her start on a snowboard. It wasn’t until she attended snowboard camp in Oregon that she found her true love, the halfpipe. Within a few years, Gretchen had made the US Snowboard team, and went on a winning streak that included eight halfpipe competitions in a row. Although a knee injury kept her out for the entire next season, it didn’t take Gretchen long to return to the top.