Holland named to Olympic team

SANDPOINT — Sandpoint native Nate Holland will be an Olympian for the second time, as the U.S. Olympic Committee announced the 2010 Olympic Snowboarding team on Monday.

The four-time X Games Gold Medalist is gunning for success after an unfortunate fall in the 2006 Winter Olympics. He’s one of four snowboardcross riders on the talented U.S. team, along with Sun Valley’s Graham Watanabe, defending Gold Medalist Seth Wescott and Nick Baumgartner.

“It was a huge battle to make this men’s SBX team. Six different U.S. riders have already been on the World Cup podium this season, and only four of them make the Olympic Team,” U.S. snowboarding coach Peter Foley said. “Vancouver is going to be an incredible fight for the podium, and our guys are ready for it.”

Like Holland, who was an all-state safety at Sandpoint, Baumgartner is a former football player. The physical background serves them well in a sport which features plenty of contact.

As a final tune-up, Holland will join his younger brother Pat in Aspen on Saturday, gunning for a record fifth consecutive X-Games title. The races will be televised Saturday, at 1 p.m. on ESPN 2.

Parents Rebecca and Don Holland plan to be at the finish line in Aspen with their “Holland Brothers” sign.

“Don’s in shape for another hurdle over the barrier for the win,” said Rebecca Holland. “I gotta’ pinch myself that it’s all for real.”

Lindsey Jacobellis, who settled for silver in 2006 after falling while grabbing her snowboard to celebrate what looked like was going to be an easy victory, also earned a spot on the U.S. Snowboard team Monday, along with Gold Medalists Shaun White and Chris Klug.

2010 U.S. OLYMPIC SNOWBOARDING TEAM

Halfpipe Men

Greg Bretz, Mammoth Lakes, CA

Scotty Lago, Seabrook, NH

Louie Vito, Sandy, UT

Shaun White, Carlsbad, CA

Halfpipe Women

Gretchen Bleiler, Aspen, CO

Kelly Clark, Mt. Snow, VT

Elena Hight, South Lake Tahoe, CA

Hannah Teter, Belmont, VT

SBX Men

Nick Baumgartner, Iron River, MI

Nate Holland, Squaw Valley, CA

Graham Watanabe, Sun Valley, ID

Seth Wescott, Sugarloaf, ME

SBX Women

Callan Chythlook-Sifsof, Girdwood, AK

Faye Gulini, Salt Lake City

Lindsey Jacobellis, Stratton Mountain, VT

Parallel Giant Slalom Men

Tyler Jewell, Steamboat Springs, CO

Chris Klug, Aspen, CO

Parallel Giant Slalom Women

Michelle Gorgone, Boston