Photo: John Vandervalk
Sarah Burke, the winningest halfpipe skiier in
history, could be famous beyond the X Games crowd if
the IOC approves the sport for the Sochi Olympics.

On June 4, the International Ski Federation (FIS) held their annual meeting in Antalya, Turkey. One of the main items on the agenda was a joint proposal from the United States and France to add men's and women's ski halfpipe as events for the 2014 Olympics. This measure was unanimously approved, and the FIS will move forward with an official proposal to the International Olympic Committee.

Those who advocate halfpipe skiing for the Olympics believe that the sport will appeal to a worldwide audience. The sport is exciting and innovative, which will draw a youthful audience. This new fan base can also draw advertisers seeking to market to a young population. Snowboard halfpipe in the Olympics has been very popular and has helped to launch the international careers of already successful boarders like Shaun White. The FIS hopes to generate similar momentum by pushing ski halfpipe into the mainstream.

Halfpipe skiiers are psyched about the opportunity to compete in the Olympics, and hope that more media coverage will earn more respect and legitimacy for their sport. The FIS expects a decision from the IOC as early as 2011, as they hope to add the sport to the lineup for the next Winter Olympics in 2014 in Sochi, Russia.

In addition to this proposal, the FIS voted to accept snowboarding slopestyle and team snowboardcross into the FIS World Championships. Ski halfpipe has been an event in the FIS World Championships since 2005, so if the IOC approves ski halfpipe, then there is a good chance that these new events could be on the track to becoming Olympic sports in the future.

Read the full article at Boardistan.