Age: 31

Birthplace: Sandpoint, Idaho

Resides in: Truckee, Calif.

Years in X Games: 9

2010 Events: Boardercross

Nate Holland figures his luck will run out sooner or later.

Just hopefully not in the next few weeks.

Holland, one of Squaw Valley’s finest, is gunning for his fifth consecutive X Games gold on the snowboarder X course this year, which would be a Winter X record. Soon after, he heads to the Great White North to chase Olympic hardware with Team U.S.A.

Holland seemed at ease describing his situation Wednesday.

“It was one heck of an accomplishment to four-peat,” he said. “To five-peat would only be the cherry on top.”

Like most X Games riders, Holland had only nice things to say about the courses that X Games and Aspen Skiing Co. personnel put together for the big show.

This year’s snowboarder X track is “hands down the best ever,” he said, following a “steady progression of improvement over the years.”

The course might even be a little intimidating, Holland said.

From the lip of the last hit coming down to the finish area, all you can see is the lodge and the parking lot, he said.

“It honestly feels like you are going to land in the parking lot,” he said.

Holland said he feels lucky to have the success he has had at Winter X.

“It has definitely helped define my career,” he said, crediting his ability to “race smart” and not force anything.       

He’s also not putting too much pressure on himself for the Olympics, which he notes won’t define his career in the way X Games has.        

The five-peat would be “something very special,” Holland said.

“At some point my luck has got to run out,” he said.

For his sake, let’s hope it’s not before Saturday afternoon’s snowboarder X showdown.
 

Photo by Heather Rousseau, www.hrousseau.com

Tahoe-based Nate Holland hopes to make history at Winter X 14 with his fifth consecutive snowboarder X gold.

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