Soko Yamaoka is a 31-year-old halfpipe rider from Japan. She has a hard-charging style and a smooth flow to her run which sets her apart from many women halfpipe riders. She was ranked 1st in the world in halfpipe by FIS in 2004 and 3rd in the world in 2005. She is a member of the Japanese Olympic Snowboard Team and in Dec. '05 she kicked off her 2006 season with a win at the World Cup in Whistler, BC, CAN. This will be her second appearance at WX.
Soko is the reigning FIS World Cup champion, taking the halfpipe title in 2004. She is known for her abilty to go big and also her smooth and stylish spins. A relative newcomer to the sport of snowboarding, she started at age 23, it didn't take her long to make a name for herself. After her second year competing in FIS events, 2003, she was ranked 2nd in the world. Her first WX will be 2005.