Shaun White to push the limits further in Vancouver

From Sportsbeat staff, in Vancouver

 DEFENDING Olympic snowboarding champion Shaun White has slammed suggestions the halfpipe discipline has become too dangerous.

DAREDEVIL: Shaun White of United States explains a trick at the United States Olympic Committee Snowboard Halfpipe Press Conference at the Main Press Centre ahead of the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics on February 11, 2010 in Vancouver, Canada. (Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)

The 23-year-old Californian arrived in Vancouver as the red-hot favourite to defend the title he won in Turin four years ago - not least because of flowing copper locks.

White is without doubt the marquee name in the world of snowboarding and made an estimated $8m in sponsorship last year, while according to Forbes magazine he tops the Winter Olympian rich list.

White, who has 15 Winter X-Games gold medals to his name, was the first half pipe competitor to land the daredevil trick, the double corkscrew - a manoeuvre that has come in for criticism for being too high risk.

It was a trick attempted by fellow American Kevin Pearce in Utah last month which saw the 22-year-old left in a critical condition, after failing to land.

Meanwhile, the opening day of the Vancouver Games has seen the tragic death of Georgian luger Nodar Kumaritashvili, who was killed during training on Friday at the Whistler Sliding Centre.

But White, who plans to use the Double McTwist 1260 - what he labels his most daring trick yet - in a bid to defend his crown is adamant snowboarding is not getting out of hand.

"For me, every single season I look at what I have done in the previous one and what I can do to beat it," he said.

"Being the guy that's had a big hand in inventing these tricks, I'd say the idea of banning them is outrageous."

"We fall, we get back up. That's the best part of our sport.

 "I think I can speak for everyone saying that's just what we do. 

"We drive around in cars and that's pretty dangerous but we still do it."

White, who admitted he has grown tired of his nickname, the Flying Tomato, successfully landed the Double McTwist 1260, an inverted aerial in which he flips head over heels twice while spinning 3.5 times and holding the board, to win the Winter X-Games two weeks ago. 

But in his first attempt, White failed to land the trick, suffering a heavy crash but insists removing it from his routine has never crossed his mind.

"I'd be lying to say that crash didn't shake me up. My first thought was I have to get back up to the top and try it again," he said.

 "It was an amazing thing for that to happen to me, to shake that off and win the event."

 "I just think for me, it's my trick. It's something that's been plaguing me in a way. I feel confident with that trick. I'd feel somewhat disappointed if I didn't keep it in the run."