A graduate of the Waterville Valley snowboarding program, it's not the technique that keeps Michelle Gorgone snowboarding; it's the speed. Nicknamed 'Pirelli' after Italian racing tires, she burned her way through the junior ranks scoring five Junior World Championship Teams ('98, '99, '01, '02, '03) before making the jump to the World Cup and the 2006 Olympic Team. Originally thought of as the youngster on the team, Michelle took over veteran leadership status after the retirement of Olympic bronze medalist Rosey Fletcher.

Feisty Bostonian Gorgone criss crossed the globe in World Cup competitions in 2008, but she decided to save the best for last when she nailed a second in the parallel giant slalom during World Cup finals in Valmalenco, Italy.
"It's cool to get a good result at the end of the season. I hope I continue like this in the next one. It was kind of my day. My coaches said that I could do it and it just worked out," Gorgone said. But with a taste for victory, Gorgone had to pull in two more before the season's end. She went on to retain her national PSL title and also added national parallel giant slalom champion to her resume.

FIRST TRACKS
Michelle picked up snowboarding thanks to a cousin Loryn, but she credits former coach Bill Enos with plugging her into the competition scene. After three years of tutelage from Enos at Waterville Valley, N.H., Michelle moved to Colorado and joined the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club. She then made her first U.S. Snowboarding Team in '03 and immediately went full-time on the World Cup tour.
Career Highlights

* 2006 Olympian
* 2008: U.S. PGS and PSL Champion
* 2008: 2nd in Valmalenco World Cup finals
* 2007: Four NorAm podiums
* 2007: Won U.S. PSL title
* Five career World Cup podiums
* 2005: 1st at Breckenridge Grand Prix
* 2004: PGS National champ
* Two-time Juniors Worlds medalist
* 2002: Olympic forerunner