Hannah Teter
On her publicappearances after winning gold in the women's halfpipe
Letterman was rad.He was so nice, and he gave me one of those black jackets that says LATENIGHT on the back. I heard that he hasn't given a jacket to one of hisguests in, like, three years. Then I went to Daytona to wave the green flag.Sometimes I need to just take 10 seconds to breathe and take it all in.
On growing up inBelmont, Vt. (pop. 328), with four older brothers
My favorite thingwas bouncing on a trampoline. When my brother Abe was 12, he wanted one bad,but my parents couldn't afford one, so Abe baked and sold apple pies around theneighborhood until he saved enough for one. There's this fantastic picture wehave at home of all five of us bouncing on the trampoline at the same time. Ourfamily has a really good foundation.
On her maple syrupmoments
The family wouldgo in the woods together and collect the sap out of the buckets that we hung onthe trees. Then we would bring it back to the sugar shack in our yard and hangout with my dad while he boiled it down. Once it was done, we'd get a bowl ofsnow and pour the syrup on it. It's a supergood treat. We still do it everyyear.
On snowboardingrules
Rules?Snowboarding is free. You make up your own rules. Sure, you have to do acertain number of airs and rotations, and to qualify for the Olympics you haveto get a top 25 spot in a World Cup, but once you hit the pipe you can prettymuch do your own thing.
On misconceptionsabout snowboarders
People think we'repartyers and that it's just a party sport. It's not. We train like everyoneelse and take things seriously.
On the dangers ofsnowboarding
I was in Japan fora contest once, and I bent down to strap in, and someone aired out and landedon me. I was O.K., but it shows snowboarding can be dangerous. I started offthis season visiting my brother Elijah [also a pro snowboarder] in theemergency room. He was at Whistler during a first snow, so everything was stillbarely covered, and he aired out and landed on a rock. He's O.K. now, but itwas intense and made me think about snowboarding in a new way. You have to stayfocused and know who's in front of you and what's at your feet. You have to beaware of your surroundings.
On her workoutregimen
In the winter Ihit the mountain. In summer I weight train and work on my agility. I'llskateboard, surf, do yoga. I do different types of yoga. Meditational is goodto chill, but if I need a bit more of a workout and don't have a ton of time,I'll power through some sun salutations.
On the music shehad pumping through the stadium for her gold medal ride
Strive Roots--thehottest band out there. All right, it's actually my boyfriend's band [guitaristEli Lieberman]. He was hanging out in Cali and couldn't make it to theOlympics.
On what she'll dowith her medal
It'll go to myparents' house. We have a room called the playhouse that has all my othertrophies and awards in it.
On when she'll behitting the mountain again
Mountain? I'm allabout beach time for a while first. I'm thinking Hawaii.
TETER, 19, WILLCOMPETE AT SNOWBOARDING'S U.S. OPEN IN STRATTON, VT., MARCH 14-19
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PHOTO
Photograph by Monte Isom
ILLUSTRATION