Michael Michalchuk
Encyclopedia
Michael Michalchuk is a Canadian
professional snowboarder
based in Pemberton, British Columbia
. Michalchuk has competed in two Winter Olympic Games
in 1998
and 2002
along with several world cups but has been often restricted by injury. He is also notable for being one of the first known snowboarders to complete a successful double back flip in a halfpipe competition, has several snowboarding moves named after him and has at times been regarded as arguably the most spectacular, daring half-pipe
rider in Pemberton.
Michalchuk stands 5'8" (1.73 m) tall and he rides with a goofy stance
.
as a member of the Canadian team. During the games he would go on to qualify for the finals with an equal best score but his performance would drop and he would eventually finish in 8th position. During the 1998 season he would achieve his highest honor during that year's world cup in the United States
finishing third in the half-pipe
event.
The following seasons became mostly disappointing ones for Michalchuk after he was plagued by several injuries including blowing out his right knee and a recurring achilles tendon
injury and it would not be until 2001 when he would again compete on a regular basis. His only glory during this time came at the end of 2000 when competing in the Nike All Conditions Gear Indoor competition he would take out first place after landing a "near flawless" double back flip during the quarter-pipe competition and taking home a car and $32,000 dollars in prize money.
2001 saw Michalchuk injury free and compete in nearly a full half-pipe world cup circuit where he would achieve several top ten positions including taking a third placing during the event in Whistler
.
Michalchuk gained 2002 Winter Olympic
qualification after a strong performance in Alpe d'Huez
, France
in early 2002 but after making his second Olympics he performed poorly failing to qualify for the finals in the half-pipe
event and eventually finished a disappointing twenty-seventh.
Since the 2002 Olympics Michalchuk has been further hampered by injury and his performances have suffered, between 2002 and 2005 he only achieved a sole top ten placing on the world cup circuit and then took the entire 2006 season off from professional touring.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
professional snowboarder
Snowboarding
Snowboarding is a sport that involves descending a slope that is covered with snow on a snowboard attached to a rider's feet using a special boot set onto mounted binding. The development of snowboarding was inspired by skateboarding, sledding, surfing and skiing. It was developed in the U.S.A...
based in Pemberton, British Columbia
Pemberton, British Columbia
Pemberton is a village north of Whistler in the Pemberton Valley of British Columbia in Canada, with a population of 2,192. Until the 1960s the village could be accessed only by train but that changed when Highway 99 was built through Whistler and Pemberton.-Climate:The climate of Pemberton is...
. Michalchuk has competed in two Winter Olympic Games
Winter Olympic Games
The Winter Olympic Games is a sporting event, which occurs every four years. The first celebration of the Winter Olympics was held in Chamonix, France, in 1924. The original sports were alpine and cross-country skiing, figure skating, ice hockey, Nordic combined, ski jumping and speed skating...
in 1998
1998 Winter Olympics
The 1998 Winter Olympics, officially the XVIII Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event celebrated from 7 to 22 February 1998 in Nagano, Japan. Seventy-two nations and 2,176 participans contested in seven sports and 72 events at 15 venues. The games saw the introduction of Women's ice...
and 2002
2002 Winter Olympics
The 2002 Winter Olympics, officially the XIX Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event that was celebrated in February 2002 in and around Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. Approximately 2,400 athletes from 77 nations participated in 78 events in fifteen disciplines, held throughout...
along with several world cups but has been often restricted by injury. He is also notable for being one of the first known snowboarders to complete a successful double back flip in a halfpipe competition, has several snowboarding moves named after him and has at times been regarded as arguably the most spectacular, daring half-pipe
Half-pipe
A half-pipe is a structure used in gravity extreme sports such as snowboarding, skateboarding, skiing, freestyle BMX, and inline skating. The structure is wood, concrete, metal, earth, or snow. It resembles a cross section of a swimming pool, essentially two concave ramps , topped by copings and...
rider in Pemberton.
Michalchuk stands 5'8" (1.73 m) tall and he rides with a goofy stance
Footedness
Footedness, similar to handedness, is the natural preference of one's left or right foot for various purposes. While purposes vary, such as applying the greatest force in a kick or stomp, footedness is most commonly associated with the preference of a particular foot in the leading position while...
.
Snowboarding career
Michalchuk first entered the world professional snowboarding circuit in 1998 at the age of twenty-one after he gained qualification for the 1998 Winter Olympics1998 Winter Olympics
The 1998 Winter Olympics, officially the XVIII Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event celebrated from 7 to 22 February 1998 in Nagano, Japan. Seventy-two nations and 2,176 participans contested in seven sports and 72 events at 15 venues. The games saw the introduction of Women's ice...
as a member of the Canadian team. During the games he would go on to qualify for the finals with an equal best score but his performance would drop and he would eventually finish in 8th position. During the 1998 season he would achieve his highest honor during that year's world cup in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
finishing third in the half-pipe
Half-pipe
A half-pipe is a structure used in gravity extreme sports such as snowboarding, skateboarding, skiing, freestyle BMX, and inline skating. The structure is wood, concrete, metal, earth, or snow. It resembles a cross section of a swimming pool, essentially two concave ramps , topped by copings and...
event.
The following seasons became mostly disappointing ones for Michalchuk after he was plagued by several injuries including blowing out his right knee and a recurring achilles tendon
Achilles tendon
The Achilles tendon , also known as the calcaneal tendon or the tendo calcaneus, is a tendon of the posterior leg. It serves to attach the plantaris, gastrocnemius and soleus muscles to the calcaneus bone.- Anatomy :The Achilles is the tendonous extension of 3 muscles in the lower leg:...
injury and it would not be until 2001 when he would again compete on a regular basis. His only glory during this time came at the end of 2000 when competing in the Nike All Conditions Gear Indoor competition he would take out first place after landing a "near flawless" double back flip during the quarter-pipe competition and taking home a car and $32,000 dollars in prize money.
2001 saw Michalchuk injury free and compete in nearly a full half-pipe world cup circuit where he would achieve several top ten positions including taking a third placing during the event in Whistler
Whistler, British Columbia
Whistler is a Canadian resort town in the southern Pacific Ranges of the Coast Mountains in the province of British Columbia, Canada, approximately north of Vancouver...
.
Michalchuk gained 2002 Winter Olympic
2002 Winter Olympics
The 2002 Winter Olympics, officially the XIX Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event that was celebrated in February 2002 in and around Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. Approximately 2,400 athletes from 77 nations participated in 78 events in fifteen disciplines, held throughout...
qualification after a strong performance in Alpe d'Huez
Alpe d'Huez
L'Alpe d'Huez is a ski resort at . It is a mountain pasture in the Central French Alps, in the commune of Huez, in the Isère département in the Rhône-Alpes region.-Tour de France:L'Alpe d'Huez is one of the main mountains in the Tour de France...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
in early 2002 but after making his second Olympics he performed poorly failing to qualify for the finals in the half-pipe
Half-pipe
A half-pipe is a structure used in gravity extreme sports such as snowboarding, skateboarding, skiing, freestyle BMX, and inline skating. The structure is wood, concrete, metal, earth, or snow. It resembles a cross section of a swimming pool, essentially two concave ramps , topped by copings and...
event and eventually finished a disappointing twenty-seventh.
Since the 2002 Olympics Michalchuk has been further hampered by injury and his performances have suffered, between 2002 and 2005 he only achieved a sole top ten placing on the world cup circuit and then took the entire 2006 season off from professional touring.