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Sunday’s snowstorm transformed Central Park into an impromptu winter sports venue, and one very famous visitor made the most of it.
Shaun White, the retired Olympic snowboarding champion, strapped on his board and carved through the fresh powder in the Cedar Hill area near the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The 39-year-old, who won three Olympic gold medals during his competitive career, was spotted launching off makeshift jumps and executing flips to the delight of onlookers who had gathered to enjoy the rare heavy snowfall.
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White wasn’t alone in his urban snow adventure. Comedian Shane Gillis, fresh off a Madison Square Garden performance over the weekend, joined in the fun alongside fellow actor Chris O’Connor. In one memorable moment captured on video, White sailed cleanly over both men as they sat grinning at the base of a hastily built ramp, Gillis with a beer in hand.
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The park received more than 11 inches of snow on Sunday, creating conditions the city hasn’t experienced in years. White shared footage of the day on social media.
Though White hung up his competitive boots after the 2022 Beijing Olympics, where he finished fourth in his fifth Games appearance, he clearly hasn’t lost his touch. The athlete, who also holds the record for most X Games gold medals with 13, will return to the Olympic stage next month in a different capacity, serving as a broadcaster for NBC’s coverage of the Milan-Cortina Winter Games beginning February 6.
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