Shaun White Stunned in Sochi Olympic Halfpipe Final

By Colleen Curry

Feb 11, 2014 1:10pm

Shaun White lost out on a medal in the Sochi Olympics Halfpipem competition this afternoon to rivals from Switzerland and Japan, ending his quest to three-peat in the event.

Shaun White of the U.S. reacts to his first run in the men's snowboard halfpipe Final at the Rosa Khutor Extreme Park during the Sochi Winter Olympics, Feb. 11, 2014. (Franck Fife/AFP/Getty Images)

White, a two-time halfpipe gold medalist, put up major tricks during his second run in the halfpipe finals but scored only a 90.25, not enough to catch the leaders, Switzerlands Ioiuri Podladtchikov, who took the gold medal, and Japans Ayumu Hirano and Taku Hiraoka, who took silver and bronze.

On his first run, White nearly snapped his snowboard in half as he faltered twice coming down from a trick in his first run, scoring a mere 35.

He tried to make up for the miss on his second run but briefly sat on the snow coming down from one trick and ran his hand along the snow to steady himself as he came away from his final jump.

Shaun White of the United States hits the edge of the half pipe during the men's snowboard halfpipe final at the Rosa Khutor Extreme Park, at the 2014 Winter Olympics, Feb. 11, 2014, in Krasnaya Polyana, Russia. (Getty Images)

The American had gotten off to an incredible start when he soared 17 feet into the air during his first run, but faltered on the landing for second trick, a switch double 1440, and slid to the ground.

White popped back up immediately and launched into a third trick, a double cork, but as he spun toward the landing White hit the edge of the halfpipe with his backside, nearly sitting down on top of it and bending his snowboard in half in the process.

: Shaun White of the U.S. crashes during the snowboard men's halfpipe finals on day four of the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics at Rosa Khutor Extreme Park, Feb. 11, 2014 in Sochi, Russia. (Al Bello/Getty Images)

White slid down the side of the pipe from there and finished the run without any other tricks, scoring only 35 points for that run.

After the event, White posted a pre-taped message to his fans on Youtube and Twitter, telling them, I cant do it without you, youre the best.

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Source: http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headlines/2014/02/shaun-white-nearly-snaps-board-as-he-falters-twice-on-halfpipe/