pros
Feb 2, 2017
This winter is already shaping up to be a big one for Elena Hight. Fresh off promoting her amazing riding in the critically acclaimed Full Moon film, she is back to competition, and its paying dividends instantly. This week, we caught up with the longtime GoPro team athlete just days after she secured her first X Games gold medal in Aspen, Colo. This weekend, she heads to Mammoth, Calif., to compete in the USSA Grand Prix, an Olympic qualifying event, but she still made time for a chat.
In case you missed it, check out Elena's winning run at X Games HERE.
GoPro: You've competed in 13 X Games, medaled five times (three silver and two bronze), and your last X Games podium was in 2013. How did it feel to win your first X Games Gold at Buttermilk this year?
Elena: I am beyond stoked right now! I went into the event more focused on riding well than the actual results. I wanted to put down that run and do the best I could. At the end of the day, I'm happy with how I rode, and the winning results were the cherry on top.
We understand you've been super focused on the fundamentals of snow training. What are you concentrating on the most?
Over the past six months, I took it back to the basics. It's easy to get caught up, wanting to learn the next trick and step up my game. I needed to focus on actual snowboarding-my edging, gaining speed into the walls of the pipe, and focusing on the lines I want to take. To make everything cleaner, I needed to better my on-snow riding because, once I'm in the air, it goes back to the tricks I've learned and mastered.
As the first female in history to land a 900 in the halfpipe and the only female who has landed a double cork in the halfpipe, do you plan to pull out the double cork this weekend in Mammoth? Or are you saving the double cork for the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics?
The 900 is in my run right now. It's awesome, but has a been a bit tricky over my career. That said, I'm now more confident than ever. I've learned the double cork and done it a bunch, but it's still a scary trick. It has to be a good time and place for me to want to throw it. I hope to have more time to dial in over the summer and really lock it down. Mammoth has a solid halfpipe and the USSA Grand Prix is a great event. You can't beat the Cali sun. Maybe if its nice and warm, I'll throw the double.
As a two-time Olympian, how are you training for PyeongChang?
I'm using this season to build my fundamentals and dial in new tricks. I'll spend the summer working on amping up my run a bit. All the girls are riding so well-it's cool to be part of the progression of the sport-so I know the skill level is going to be high going into the Olympics. It's cool to see the girls of snowboarding stepping it up across all disciplines-from slopestyle to halfpipe to backcountry to filming. Women's snowboarding has skyrocketed over the past two years. The girls are going to keep pushing it. Its great to see the next generation and continue to make snowboarding great. There are no limits.
What's next for you after training for the Olympics?
I love competing in halfpipe, so I'll want to do a little of that for a few more years. I'll still want to compete in my favorite events and be part of the scene. That said, I want to get more into backcountry riding and filming.
Speaking of filming, congrats on your success with the Full Moon project! What was your favorite part of filming?
Thank you! It was the turning point for girls in snowboarding films because the level of riding was so high, the story telling was great, and it was inspiring to everyone, no matter who was watching it. Being out there in the backcountry with seasoned veterans, as someone who is new to film world, I picked their brains and learned a ton from them. I am honored to be part of the project because it represents women's snowboarding so well.
And last but not least, what are you most looking forward to in the 2017 season?
I'm excited to ride in Mammoth this weekend. Then I head to Baker for the Baker Banked Slalom-one of my favorite events-then the US Open. I'll spend the spring filming in BC and Alaska with the Full Moon girls. Then after competing, I'm looking forward to riding a bit of powder in the backcountry in Whistler and heading back to Alaska.
Best of luck in Mammoth, Elena!
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
07/10/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, today announced the latest Long-Term Supported (LTS) release of Dalet Flex. Build...
06/09/2026
June 9 2026, 23:00 (PDT) Dolby and MagentaTV Bring Fans Closer to the FIFA Worl...
19/08/2026
As the cost of IP nears price parity with traditional SDI, Reynolds argues that ...
19/08/2026
A private 5G bubble was chosen instead of traditional broadcast RF for the race ...
19/08/2026
(L-R) Rafael Manuel and Isabel Sicat attend the Filipi ana premiere during the 2026 Sundance Film Festival at The Ray Theatre on January 23, 2026, in Park Cit...
19/08/2026
Studio owners invited to have their say on rates cuts
The Music Producers Guild (MPG) are inviting UK-based studios to take part in an in-depth survey that ...
19/08/2026
Vintage-inspired desktop interface revealed
Harrison's latest hardware offering sees them head into the world of audio interfaces, delivering a 10-in/12...
19/08/2026
Granular effect remains locked to scale and tempo
Described as your dream granular effect , Minimal Audio's latest creation is capable of turning any s...
19/08/2026
First polyphonic SWAM instrument incoming
Audio Modeling's latest physical-modelling orchestral instrument is just around the corner, and is now availab...
19/08/2026
World Cup Games Generate 84 Billion Minutes Across FOX, Fox Sports 1 and NBCU...
19/08/2026
July brought typical peak-holiday drops in viewership, driven primarily by viewers stepping away from screens and a visible decline in reach across both traditi...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Henry joins BCE as the company accelerates its commercial strategy and expands its international presence across the media, broadcast and technology markets. He...
19/08/2026
iWedia, a leading provider of software solutions for connected TV devices, today announced a major milestone in Android platform optimization with the successfu...
19/08/2026
NTP Technology announces that ST 2110-30 audio-over-IP connectivity with AES67 and RAVENNA capabilities is now available for the brand's world-class audio i...
19/08/2026
Net Insight has been selected to provide its Nimbra platform by the service provider Big Blue Marble, formerly ORS Group, as the core media transport solution f...
19/08/2026
LiveU has supported Coventry City FC and several other top-flight UK football clubs through one of their most demanding live production challenges of the year, ...
19/08/2026
Nature Seekers Documentary Shot with Blackmagic URSA Cine 12K LF
Brie Clayton August 18, 2026
0 Comments
Filming endangered turtles required camera...
19/08/2026
Neyrinck Brings D-Control Consoles Back to Life on Apple Silicon with D-Control ...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Riedel Communications today announced that Edith Cowan University (ECU) in Perth, Australia, implemented a comprehensive communications infrastructure that brin...
19/08/2026
QuickLink, a leading provider of award-winning video production and remote guest contribution solutions, will spotlight a major leap forward in remote guest con...
19/08/2026
Integrated platform melds media asset management, playout automation and newsroom workflows
EMAM, PlayBox Neo and SNEWS have officially launched Nuvex, a conne...
19/08/2026
Screen Australia releases the Private Investment Toolkit to strengthen screen in...
19/08/2026
Do Aussies truly value local content? Unpacking Screen Currency 2026 with Deirdr...
19/08/2026
There's an early Christmas gift for Bookish fans, as UKTV confirms the re-commission of the hit U&alibi drama, created by and starring Mark Gatiss. Viewers ...
19/08/2026
Wednesday 19 August 2026
Sky gives sports fans the chance to watch multiple liv...
19/08/2026
On Saturday September 5 Katie Taylor will step into the ring for the fight of her life against Flora Pili in front of 80,000 fans in Croke Park. A legendary fig...
18/08/2026
SportStream 2026, a free three-day virtual event, will take place September 15-17. One registration provides access to all three days of live programming and on...
18/08/2026
BeckTV will introduce BeckFlow to the European market at IBC2026, demonstrated on the Providius stand (10.F53).
BeckFlow is a web-based schematic documentation...
18/08/2026
Boland Communications will introduce a SMPTE ST 2110 input option for its 4K monitors at IBC2026, along with a new 55-inch super-narrow bezel display for video ...
18/08/2026
Dolby Laboratories and the Seattle Seahawks have announced a partnership integrating Dolby OptiView into the Seahawks' live streaming coverage, making the S...
18/08/2026
For BMG Executive Producer of Sports Production, Graham Taylor, producing live s...
18/08/2026
TMRW Sports has appointed Rufus Hack as President of Golf, a newly created role in which he will lead the company's golf businesses including TGL presented ...
18/08/2026
SMT will provide race technology for FOX Sports' coverage of the Freedom 250 Grand Prix of Washington, D.C. on August 23, when the NTT INDYCAR SERIES races ...
18/08/2026
The live, YouTube-native roundtables combine fan voices, credentialed reporters,...
18/08/2026
Behind The Mic provides a roundup of recent news regarding on-air talent, includ...
18/08/2026
The industry legend sounds off on replacing the Heat's iconic Medusa score...
18/08/2026
William F. Rasmussen, the sports fan-turned broadcaster and entrepreneur whose out-of-the-box idea of a 24-hour cable sports network, ESPN, changed forever the ...
18/08/2026
DAZN Group has completed its acquisition of ViewLift, a provider of streaming and digital solutions for sports content owners. The acquisition was first announc...
18/08/2026
The American Association of Professional Baseball (AAPB) has added SI TV, Sports Illustrated's 24/7 streaming channel, as a broadcast partner for the remain...
18/08/2026
The Esports Foundation has announced that the inaugural Esports Nations Cup (ENC), originally scheduled for November 2026 in Riyadh, will be postponed to Novemb...
18/08/2026
Diversified has announced a new Global Managed Services Practice, consolidating the company's managed services capabilities into one organization. Rob Mello...
18/08/2026
Appear has completed a proof of concept with Thoroughbred Racing Productions (TRP), demonstrating multi-camera remote live production over bonded 5G cellular an...
pros 
