Top Five Extreme Athletes of 2003
Shaun White: Skateboarding and Snowboarding
The world's number one ranked snowboarder became the first athlete to compete at both the Summer and Winter X Games in 2003. Shaun White picked up two gold medals at the Winter X Games and finished sixth in the skateboarding vert competition. The boarder behind the massive mop of red hair also helped the United States win the gold medal at the Global X Games.Bethany Hamilton: Surfer Girl
The 13 year-old surfer was nearly eaten for lunch by a shark on Halloween, while she was riding waves in Hawaii. While the shark ended up snagging her left arm, Bethany Hamilton has become a national celebrity. Hamilton has made appearances on 20/20 and Good Morning America and will be chatting with Oprah in January, 2004. Besides planning a return to surfing, Bethany Hamilton is also considering a reality show, a clothing line and a book. For more on Bethany Hamilton, head to www.bethanyhamilton.com.Travis Pastrana: Freestyle Motocross
2003 was another year of big air and big wipeouts for Travis Pastrana. Pastrana took the gold medal at the 2003 Summer X Games after landing a huge backflip and a massive 360. Travis Pastrana suffered a concussion and finished second at the Gravity Games, after he crashed hard while attempting a one-footed backflip. However, it was Pastrana's first-ever loss at a major competition, and he finished 2003 as the top rider in the world of freestyle motocross.Dallas Friday: Wakeboarding
Dallas Friday is only 17, but she's already considered one of the best wakeboarders of all time. Friday blew the competition out of the water at the 2003 Summer X Games and performed the best run in the history of women's wakeboarding at the 2003 Malibu Open. You can expect even bigger things from Dallas Friday in 2004. She plans to buy a dirtbike and start riding motocross.Tony Hawk: Skateboarding
Tony Hawk doesn't skate competitively any more, but he's still one of the most revolutionary skaters on the planet. He made a guest appearance at the 2003 X Games, where he won the best trick contest. The Hawkman also gets bonus points for helping design Tony Hawk's Underground and bringing back the Boom Boom HuckJam for another year.
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