Ranked! A list of the top 20 best snowboarders of all time

For die-hard fans, watching the seemingly invincible snowboarders is the ultimate experience. In addition, the Olympic sport allows athletes to showcase incredible skill on high-speed mountain descents. Dig into this article to discover some of the best snowboarders of all time.

Since the era of the Vikings, snowboarding has continually developed into the modern sport it is now. This article will rank the top 20 most influential snowboarders of all time based on achievement in freestyle, half-pipe, or alpine styles.

Top 20 greatest snowboarders of all time

Snowboarding pioneers, such as Sherman Poppen, led the development of modern snowboards with the innovation of the Snurfer in the 1960s. Since then, further developments have allowed athletes to scale unimaginable heights of the sport. Read on to discover the top 20 best snowboarders ever who have achieved different levels of success in the field.

20. Daniel Franck

The Norwegian half-pipe specialist is a two-time Olympian. He emerged second during his first appearance on the Olympic stage in 1998 and tenth on his second appearance at Salt Lake City in 2002.

19. Hannah Teter

The World Junior half-pipe champion dominated the 2002 Salt Lake City half-pipe event by winning gold. The 2006 Olympic gold medalist has won numerous titles, including the 2005 FIS World Cup half-pipe, 2004 Winter X super-pipe, the 2004 U.S. Overall Grand Prix half-pipe title, and the 2010 Vancouver Olympic silver medal.

18. Torah Bright

From age two, Bright was an active amateur athlete in skiing and boarding before turning pro at fourteen. At 16, she came close to taking the 2003 World Cup title. Later the tenacious athlete won several titles in the half-pipe and superpipe categories before crowning her career with the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics gold.

17. Jeremy Jones

In addition to shredding imposing mountains, pioneer boarder Jeremy Jones takes on climate change through his organisation, Protect Our Winters. The businessman who also produces sustainably made snow gear received the Champion of Change commendation from former U.S. President Barack Obama in 2013.

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16. Max Parrot

Canadian boarder Maxence "Max" Parrot is the reigning Olympic champion in slopestyle. Although controversy shrouds his 2022 Winter Olympic gold, he has displayed his talent on various occasions as the first boarder to successfully land a backside triple cork, consecutive triple jumps, and a switch quadruple at XGames Slopestyle events.

15. Gretchen Bleiler

Half-pipe pro Gretchen Bleiler began snowboarding at 11 years of age before turning pro at 15. In addition to her Turin Olympic silver, Bleiler has won eleven World Cup medals, four X Games gold medals, and the 2010 Grand Prix gold, among others. She is also the first woman to complete a perfect inverted backside 540.

14. Jamie Anderson

After winning the Sochi and PyeongChang Olympic gold medals, Anderson became the only female Olympic champion in the slopestyle event and the first woman to win double gold in snowboarding. She is well-versed in big air and has also distinguished herself as the slopestyle queen. She is the most decorated slopestyle boarder at the Winter X Games.

13. Terje Hakonsen

Regarded as one of the best half-pipe snowboarders of all time, the Norwegian has amassed several accolades in the half-pipe category. The creator of the Arctic Challenge competition set the world record for the highest air ever on a quarter-pipe after launching 9.8 meters above the deck in 2007.

12. Todd Richards

The half-pipe veteran turned podcaster and commentator began his career as a skateboarder before migrating to the snow. Richards was a member of the first U.S. Half-pipe Team at the Winter Olympics in Nagano in 1998. Multiple X Games medals and U.S. Open half-pipe titles mark his successful career.

11. Mark McMorris

McMorris, regarded as the best Canadian snowboarder, has distinguished himself in the sport's backcountry, slopestyle, and big air disciplines. With numerous titles to his name, including 21 X Games medals, three Olympic medals, and four U.S. Open Championship titles, there is no doubt that McMorris is one of the most decorated snowboarders of all time.

The top 10 best snowboarders of all time

Would you like to find out who the most accomplished snowboarders of all time are? Scroll down and learn more about the accolades, titles, and records set by the best snowboarders ever.

10. Torstein Horgmo

Born in Trondheim, Norway, Horgmo is a master at almost all categories of the sport. The three-time X Games gold medalist and three-time Dew Tour champion has taken to a career in producing and directing movies aimed at inspiring a generation of young athletes in the sport.

9. Jeff Brushie

Brushie is one of the original pro athletes in the 1990s whose influence changed the style of the sport. Despite taking a backseat in the sport, his influence is still seen in freestyle riding and pipe riding that hold fluid lines and skateboarding tricks he applied.

8. Kelly Clark

Olympic gold medalist Kelly Clark began skateboarding at seven years of age. Since then, the 2002 Action Sports Athlete of the Year has won many titles, including the most X Games medals won by a female athlete.

In addition to dominating quarter-pipe, half-pipe, and super-pipe events, she became the first woman to land a 1,080-degree spin in a competition in 2011. Throughout her career, Clark has set herself apart as one of the best female snowboarders of all time.

7. Danny Kass

Daniel Kass is a former half-pipe, super-pipe, and slopestyle guru turned coach. Considered one of the best U.S. snowboarders, the two-time Olympic silver medalist has five U.S. Open Championship titles, seven Winter X Games medals, and a Chevy Grand Prix title.

6. Zeb Powell

Are there any black professional snowboarders? Minority faces are a rare find on the slopes of the action sport. However, slopestyle specialist Zeb Powell is intent on changing that. He is keen on following in the footsteps of early athletes in the sport, such as Gabrielle Maiden and sports commentator Selema Masekela.

5. Gigi Rüf

One of the most famous snowboarders, Gigi Rüf, is known for influencing the younger generation of athletes. Over the years, the Austrian boarder and businessman has infused a blend of style, grace, and playfulness in freestyle and big mountain riding.

4. Anna Gasser

Compared to most athletes, the big air pro began snowboarding at 18 years of age. Since then, she has won over 20 titles, including two Olympic gold medals. In 2017, she became the first woman to land a backside double cork 1080 mute in a competition which is an inverted triple rotation while holding the front of the board.

3. Travis Rice

Before he retired from active competition, Rice dominated the sport, winning over 30 Grand Slam titles and four X-Game medals. In 2017, Rice survived an avalanche while filming the Fourth Phase movie. Since then, he has devoted himself to an avalanche awareness program that champions big-mountain safety.

2. Chloe Kim

Before Goan Choi entered the scene, Chloe Kim was the youngest person to win a gold medal in snowboarding. In addition, the young star is the first athlete ever to dominate the sport's major titles in the Olympics, Worlds, Youth Olympics, and X Games. Undoubtedly, the two-time Olympic gold medalist is one of the best half-pipe snowboarders of all time.

1. Shaun White

Who is the best snowboarder of all time? As one of the best male snowboarders of all time, Shaun White has amassed numerous titles, including three Olympic gold medals and over ten X Games gold medals. Nicknamed the Flying Tomato, the athlete also competes actively in skateboarding, winning several awards, including two X Games gold medals in 2007 and 2011.

Snowboarding has produced some incredible athletes over the years. The top 20 best snowboarders of all time have achieved remarkable success in their respective styles. Their legacies will undoubtedly continue to influence and shape the sport for years.

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