Vancouver, B.C. – Thirty minutes from the Pacific Ocean, on a mountain called Cypress, forty snowboarders took to the pipe, the half-pipe, for their first taste of the Vancouver Vibe.
Among them, stomping, bonking and hucking herself off booters was 22-year old Torah Bright, a 2006 Olympian who finished fifth in Turin, Italy, and seeking a return in 2010.
On Valentine's Day, this sweetheart on snow would finish a disappointing sixth at the LD Snowboard FIS World Cup. Her coach says she had too much speed.
“Benny was like ‘you we're truckin' over that,'” Torah said in a slope side interview after the race.
Torah tore through the 600 foot snow-filled ditch that will be the site of next years' Olympic snowboard venue. The 2007 World Champion used the 22-foot frozen banks to launch her patented McTwist maneuver; an inverted 540, a backflip with a twist.
“No pressure,” she said through an infectious smile. “I pretty much just have fun with it.”
“It's something I've always wanted to do. Since I was a Sunbeam,” said the daughter of Peter and Marion Bright who is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
“Mum and dad drove us to the mountains every weekend (in her hometown of Cooma , Australia ). Dad loved skiing and got the whole family hooked,” she said.
Four siblings. An older sister, Rowena, competed in ski racing at the 2002 Olympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City . Her older brother, Ben, is now her coach.
“We grew up riding together,” he said. And now he coaches a World Champion.
During the one year countdown to the Games it was noted that more spectator tickets have been sold to the Olympic half-pipe final than any other event except opening ceremonies and the men's and women's gold medal hockey games. No pressure.
“I always want to do my best at everything I do,” said Torah. “The only pressure is self-pressure.”
Judged by amplitude, difficulty, variety and ‘using the pipe,' Torah says her personal beliefs help her to be a better person on and off the snow.
“I have strong beliefs and they never waiver,” she said. “(The gospel) keeps me grounded and gives me purpose to what I am doing.”
“It's hard when I am on the road because I go to church every Sunday,” said Torah, “but the lifestyle suits me. I love the traveling. I'll be in (Lake) Tahoe next week and Morocco the week after that. I like to let my personality come through, but I don't indulge in the social side,” said Torah referring to the clubbing and bar-hopping.
“I'm the sober driver,” she says. “At the end of the night, everybody loves a sober driver. I go out and dance all night with them and then I am usually the last one standing on the dance floor.”
Amidst an environment not always conducive to Latter-day Saint ideals, Torah credits her parents for helping her to establish the pattern of living.
“Seems to be one of the easier things for me. Mum always said she'd teach us correct principles and let us make our own choices. She did a good job raising us. She's a strong lady,” said Torah who now lives in Salt Lake City .
She doesn't dismiss but downplays the role model reference.
“I think the way we believe as Latter-day Saints is amazing. Especially in the world today.”
Snowboarders enter the pipe one at a time to perform a physically demanding series of jumps, twists and tricks. Torah says there are real world benefits associated with living the Word of Wisdom.
“I made the decision that I wasn't going to drink (alcohol) when I was around 14.” A reference to the code of conduct contained in Section 89 of a book of scripture known as the Doctrine and Covenants: “(They) shall run and not be weary, and shall walk and not faint.”
American snowboarder Gretchen Bleiler, who won a silver medal at the Winter Games in Turin, Italy, praised the shredder from Down Under.
“Torah has become, hands-down, one of the most technically gifted riders out there,” said Torah's runner-up at Winter X Games 12.
The leader of the Australian Olympic delegation anticipates 25 to 35 athletes will compete for Team Australia.
“We are targeting a few medals at the Vancouver Games. Torah Bight and Holly Crawford in the halfpipe and Lydia Lassila and Jacqui Cooper in the aerials have really good chances,” said Ian Chesterman, Chef de Mission. “All up we are going to have a very strong team across a fairly big range of sports.”
“I can't wait to come back here in one year's time for the Olympic events,” said Jacque Rogge, President of the International Olympic Committee.
Neither can Torah.
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