Shaun White Won’t Skateboard In 2013

Shaun White likely won’t skateboard professionally in 2013 but not because of laziness or a lack of wanting. White has plenty of work ahead of himself in 2013 as he prepares for two Winter X Games, the World Cup qualifiers, and the Sochi Winter Olympics.

You might recall that back in 2010 Shaun White also took approximately 14 months off from Skateboarding so he could focus on his Olympic hopes on the halfpipe at Vancouver, Canada. This time around, Shaun White says he will once again take time off to focus on the Snowboard Halfpipe and Slopestyle in Sochi.

Speaking about his plans to skip skateboarding in 2013, White revealed:

“That’s the one thing that upsets me the most is that I had knee surgery [in August 2012] so I couldn’t really skate that much this past summer and then coming up, I don’t intend to skateboard the year before the Olympics. It’s just one of those things where a twisted ankle can put you out of the Games. I don’t like taking that chance. So I usually lay low on it. See what else fills my time. I have other plans.”

The last time Shaun White competed in a major skateboard competition was October 2011 when he finished second at the Dew Tour Championship in Las Vegas. That season Shaun White also finished second overall on the Dew Tour.

Before his injury, White managed to score his second Vert title in the Summer X Games after defeating five-time champion Pierre-Luc Gagnon.

Do you think Shaun White is making the right decision as he prepares to go for the gold in the 2014 Winter Olympics?