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Scotty Lago could potentially become a household name throughout the country by the end of the day.
The 22-year-old Seabrook native will make his Olympic debut this afternoon in the snowboarding halfpipe. Lago enters the event as the second-ranked American and a favorite to win a medal, according to an Internet site that places odds on each Olympic event.
According to www.thespread.com, defending gold-medalist Shaun White of the United States is the overwhelming favorite to win a gold medal with 1:4 odds. Russian snowboarder Iouri Podladtchikov has the next best odds at 5:1. Lago, who was the 2009 U.S. Open top performer, has the third-best odds at 10:1, giving him a slightly better chance than teammate Louie Vito (12:1).
The Americans have won six out of the nine Olympic medals awarded in the men's halfpipe since the sport became an Olympic event in 1998. An American won gold in each of the last two Olympics, and in 2002, the Americans swept the medals.
"A lot is expected of the Americans," Lago said last week prior to leaving for Vancouver. "The pressure's on, but it's nothing we can't handle."
White, 23, has become the face of the sport over the last four years. The red-haired California native is also one of the world's top skateboarders and, according to Forbes.com, netted $7.5 million in endorsements in 2009. One of White's sponsors, Red Bull, built him his own superpipe in Silverton, Colo., last summer. The project was estimated at $500,000 and drew criticism from people who felt it would give the reigning Olympic champion a competitive advantage over his competition.
White placed first in the world in four of the five Olympic qualifying events this winter.
Lago is a first-time Olympian along with teammates Vito and Gregory Bretz. He served as an alternate in 2006 but did not attend the games in Torino, Italy, choosing instead to compete in another international event. He had three top-three finishes in the five Olympic qualifiers.
Lago, who was discovered at the age of 8 by Scott Millette, then the director of Amesbury Sports Park, turned professional at 14. He also has his share of sponsors, which include Flow Snowboarding, Billabong, Smith Optics, Grenade Gloves, Rockstar Energy Drink and Matador Action Sports. Millette, Lago's former manager, was responsible for securing all of the endorsements with the exception of Rockstar and Matador. He believes Lago is the best snowboarder in the world.
"For years, I've been telling people he's the best," Millette said last week before joining Lago in Vancouver. "Those that don't know think it's Shaun. Those who do will tell you it's Scotty. He's the best all-around snowboarder. He defines the sport with his personality. He goes out there and has a good time. Although he'll be disappointed if he doesn't medal, he's more concerned with pushing the limits of the sport."
Vito, a 21-year-old Columbus, Ohio, native, attended Stratton Mountain School in Stratton, Vt., before turning professional in 2005. At the age of 17, he was the first snowboarder ever to perform a backside 1080 in competition. The former gymnast was a contestant on Season 9 of the reality television series, "Dancing With the Stars."
Bretz, 19-year-old California native, started snowboarding at 5 and competing at 10. He became a member of the U.S. national team in 2008 and was the fourth man to qualify for the U.S. team this winter. According to www.thespread.com, Bretz has 20:1 odds of winning a gold medal.
The Russian Podladtchikov (4:1 odds) won the halfpipe World Cup title in 2008 and placed second behind White in the 2009 X Games.
With the exception of the U.S., Japan and Finland boast the deepest men's teams in the halfpipe. Japan's Ryo Aono captured gold at the 2009 World Championships and won the World Cup halfpipe title during the 2008-09 season. Teammate Kazuhiro Kokubo, who placed 23rd at the 2006 Olympic Games at the age of 17, won silver at the 2007 World Championships.
Finland's Markku Koski is the only non-American to win a medal in either of the last two Olympics, capturing bronze in 2006. Most recently, he placed sixth at the World Championships in 2009.
"I've competed against everyone in the Olympics at one point or another," Lago said last week. "I'm not going to see anyone for the first time. I'm ready to throw down and let the chips fall where they may."
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