Shaun Palmer
Shaun Palmer | |
|---|---|
| Born | 14 November 1968 |
| Occupation(s) | Snowboarding, Skiing, Mountain Biking, Motocross |
| Website | ShaunPalmer.com PalmerSnowboards.com |
| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
| Snowboarding | ||
| Winter X Games Medal Record | ||
 |
1997 | Snow Mountain Bike Racing |
|
1997 | Snowboard Cross |
|
1998 | Snowboard Cross |
|
1999 | Snowboard Cross |
|
2000 | Ski Cross |
|
2001 | Ultracross |
| Gravity Games Medal Record | ||
|
2002 | Ski Cross |
| Snowboard World Cup Medal Record | ||
 |
2006 | Snowboard Cross |
|
2008 | Snowboard Cross |
| Swatch World Halfpipe Championship | ||
|
1990 | Halfpipe |
| Mountain Biking | ||
| World Championships | ||
|
1996 | Downhill |
|
1999 | Dual Slalom Biking |
Shaun Palmer (born November 14, 1968) is an American professional snowboarder, skier, mountain biker, and motocross rider. "Palm Daddy" is known as one of the forefathers of extreme sports.
Early life
Shaun Palmer was born in South Lake Tahoe, California on November 14, 1968.
From a young age, Shaun maintained a strong interest in all things fast. His mother told People Magazine in 1999 "Whether it was on wheels or on a board, it had to be superfast—he had no fear. I remember once when he was 13, I had grounded him. Well, he jumped out of his second-floor bedroom window, got on his bike and took off. He was like that—always pushing the limits." [1]
While Palmer showed potential in both skiing and baseball, Shaun grew enamored with the still-infant sport of snowboarding. At the age of 12, Shaun built his own snowboard.
Snowboarding career
Palmer taught himself to snowboard, as he was never formally schooled in the sport. In an interview with People Magazine, Palmer stated: "I didn't watch tapes or study other guys—I just figured out what felt right." Just three years after building his own board, Palmer dropped out of high school to become a professional snowboarder.[1]
Throughout his snowboarding career, Palmer received various accolades, including USA Today's World's Greatest Athlete, Details Magazine's Athlete of the Year in 1998, and the NEA Extreme Athlete of the Year in 2000.[2] In February 2001, Shaun Palmer was awarded the ESPY Awards' Action Sports Athlete of the Year.[3]
In 2006, Palmer earned himself a spot on the 2006 U.S. Olympic Snowboarding Team. Palmer was a long shot, qualifying for the team after an 11th-hour World Cup podium finish in Bad Gastein, Austria, just one month before the 2006 Winter Olympics.[4] Unfortunately, Palmer tore his Achilles heel just two weeks later, rendering him unable to represent the United States.[5]
In 2010, Shaun Palmer was left off the 2010 U.S. Olympic Snowboarding Team. Palmer had sought to fill the last spot on the 18-member squad, but was bumped in favor of Nick Baumgartner.[6] Shaun would have been the oldest man to qualify for the Winter Olympics in history.[4]
Palmer Snowboards
Palmer began Palmer Snowboards in 1995, as an offshoot of one of the most popular names in extreme sports. Palmer currently acts as CEO of Palmer Snowboards, as well as the captain of its snowboarding team.[1]
Mountain biking
In 1995, Palmer took up the sport of mountain biking, spending time around some of the sport's foremost authorities. Just one year later, Shaun began competing in the professional mountain biking circuit. Palmer shocked the mountain biking world by proving to be a more than worthy competitor. Shaun placed seventh in downhill at the second 1996 World Cup event of the year, before finishing second in downhill at the 1996 NORBA Championships, missing the top spot by just .15 seconds.[3] The event drained Palmer so completely that he could hardly speak after placing.[1]
By the end of the biking season, Palmer was number five in the World Cup rankings and seventh in the NORBA National Championship Series.[1] Palmer's debut year landed him a $300,000 annual contract with Mountain Dew Specialized Bicycles team, making Palmer the highest-paid mountain biker in the world.[7]
In the 1999 Mountain biking season, Palmer won the NORBA downhill championship.[4]
Motocross
Palmer is a professional motocross racer. Palmer claims that motorcross is his favorite sport, dubbing it "the best sport in the world." [2]
In 2003, Shaun began his professional motocross career racing on the Supercross Tour. Palmer qualified for the tour on his first 125cc Supercross main event, an almost unheard of feat.[3]
Other achievements
Between the snowboarding and mountain biking seasons, Palmer took up two new sports, reaching similar levels of success.
In 1998, Palmer won the Toyota Celebrity Grand Prix auto race.[3] His interest in auto racing continued, winning the Pike's Peak Hill Climb auto race in 2000 as well as the Jeep King of the Mountain championship in 2008.[4]
In 2001, Palmer went head to head with the world's best professional skiers, winning the Skier cross event at the 2001 Winter X Games, as well as the Skier cross gold at the Gravity Games of the same year.
Personal life
In his spare time, Palmer collects vintage Cadillac cars and enjoys all types of water sports and golf.[3]
Throughout the 90's, Palmer was the lead singer of a punk band called Fungus.[8]
Palmer teamed up with Activision, publishers of Tony Hawk's Pro Skater, to create Shaun Palmer's Pro Snowboarder for the PlayStation in 2001.
References
- ^ a b c d e "Shaun Palmer". Novelguide.com. 2004. Retrieved 2010-02-25.
- ^ a b "Shaun Palmer - I Ride". Dirt Rider Magazine. 2009-11. Retrieved 2010-02-25.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ a b c d e "About Shaun Palmer". Palmer Snowboards. Retrieved 2010-02-25. [dead link]
- ^ a b c d Willoughby, Scott (2009-12-21). "Snowboarder Palmer looks for another peak after some valleys". The Denver Post. Retrieved 2010-02-25.
- ^ "Snowboarder Palmer looks for another peak". Diesel Bikes. 2009-12-21. Retrieved 2010-02-25.
- ^ "U.S. Olympic Team - Palmer misses the cut". Palmer Snowboards. 2010-01-28. Retrieved 2010-02-25. [dead link]
- ^ "Shaun Palmer's Run at Olympic Gold". Outside Online. 2009-02. Retrieved 2010-02-25.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Marshall, John (2008-01-25). "The latest incarnation of Shaun Palmer: elder statesman". USA Today. Retrieved 2010-02-25.