Hannah Teter Courtesy of USSA

Breaking News: Hannah Teter Wins 2006 Winter Olympic gold!
» Teter's gold medal run video
» Gretchen Bleiler's silver medal run video
» Olympic halfpipe photos

Destined to carry on the Teter family legacy, Hannah has evolved from a little girl with amazing skills to a driving force behind the progression of women's halfpipe. She juggles a demanding school schedule along with double-overhead airs, frontside 900s, and a surge of media attention. Hannah's potential is almost limitless thanks to her strong support staff including brothers Abe and Elijah, who climb plenty of podiums themselves, and oldest bro Amen, who makes sure she handles her business.

This season, Teter has won the Chevy Grand Prix halfpipe at Breckenridge, and most recently, the Vans Cup at Northstar-at-Tahoe.

USSA: You've had an excellent season this year - what do you think has been the key to your success?

Teter: There are so many things that lead an athlete to success...for some it's all about effort and commitment, for others it's all about having a drive to achieve, and I feel like for me it's all about living in the moment. For in this moment we can be calm and content, quiet and still and on our own without our beckoning; wisdom and understanding can come together with love and compassion and we grow, and you know there's little else that needs to be done 'cept to stay in the moment, in the present.

USSA: What do you do in the summer when there's no snow? How do you train?

Teter: In the summertime I skate a lot, I like to wakeboard, and just live on my own time because the winter is pretty much a solid schedule.

USSA: What's your favorite HP trick? What's the hardest trick?

Teter: I love the feeling of spinning lofty Fs (frontside) 5s...ya know, just floating through the air crabbing melon. I try not to label any trick as "hard to do," but if I had to pick one, I would say it's hard to motivate sometimes to do the good 'ol 9.

USSA: Are you working on any new tricks?

Teter: There are so many new tricks that I want to learn, in pipe, on rails, and off jumps. I feel like all the time I'm working on new things, even just concentrating on the littlest things which are aimed to help and improve the most difficult.

USSA: If you were stranded on an island, what are three things you could not live without?

Teter: If I was stranded on an island, I'd make sure I had my camel for transportation, my psychic to tell me what was going to happen next, and my tooth brush just in case there were any cute island boys.

USSA: What goes through your head when you are about launch into a difficult trick?

Teter: "Let's do this" is what I normally think. Sometimes I imagine a huge crowd cheering me on, although most of the time they're there doing the job.

USSA: Does your stomach ever drop when you go high?

Teter: I can't say I've ever felt my stomach drop, actually I take that back...At super park in Breckinridge last year they had the largest jumps ever, and I had maybe a slight feeling of some dropage of the tummy.

USSA: How old are you now? Are you taking any classes? Do you have plans for school?

Teter: I am seventeen and I attend a snowboarding school called Okemo Mountain. I can't say that I am there too often but they send me with work as I travel the world, and are so cool and supportive. I think at some point I want to attend college, but I haven't exactly taken any specific time into consideration.

USSA: How long do you plan to compete in snowboarding - what are your future goals and dreams?

Teter: I've never thought about how long I'd attend the competition circuit. I've been having so much fun with it, so hopefully I'll be in it for a while. When I think about the future though I feel success, and that's how I go about it, no visualizations, just living on a good feeling.

USSA: Describe your scariest moment in the HP?

Teter: I've felt many scary moments in HP, pretty much the scariest is when I'm way up high and I know that I've messed up and am going to land wrong and hard. Yea, those moments aren't that rad.

USSA: Tell us something most people don't know about you.

Teter: Something somebody doesn't know about me? Well...

"As I take steps into new places and meet new faces
I feel like I've been handed a key to grace
I've been so blessed with the life I lead
All I want to do is good deeds
And give back as much as I receive
keep myself focused in the now
and be good in this life, so in the next
I'm not a cow.

USSA: What's happening with the rest of the Teter tribe (Abe, Amen, Elijah, and Josh)?

Teter: The Teter clan is all over the place right now. Elijah just went to Italy, Amen is getting the feel for his new place moving to Portland for Palmer, Abe is ripping it up somewhere cool, and Josh is working and keeping the good ol' parents company as the rest of us do our thang in different places.

USSA: What board and boots are riding with right now?

Teter: I am on the Burton Ravin, and am in the Supreme boots.

-- Courtesy of USSA