Olympic send-off for Brad Martin

Sitting in a busy Ancaster pub streaming with friends and well-wishers, Brad Martin had one last day to celebrate his upcoming Olympic appearance.
He knows the spotlight will only intensify when he steps on the snowboard at North Vancouver’s Cypress Mountain on Feb. 17, carrying the hopes and dreams of a community on his snowboard.
If Martin is feeling the pressure heading into his second Olympic appearance, he wasn’t showing it on Thursday night. After a 16th place finish in the men’s halfpipe at the 2006 games, Martin, and his fans are anticipating a medal performance this year with Canadian fans cheering the way to victory.
“I’m just going to go there, have fun and see what I can do,” said Martin as he prepared to attend an Olympic send-off party at the Brassie Pub.
Martin will compete at a familiar venue in North Vancouver. In 2007 he won a Canadian championship at Cypress Mountain. Last February he finished seventh at a world cup event there.
Fans who attended Martin’s send-off will be glued to the TV on February 17 when the snowboarder competes in the halfpipe qualifying rounds at 1 and 5:15 p.m. If he advances to the finals, Martin will compete for a medal at 7:15 p.m.
Combining the skills of skiing and skateboarding, snowboarders execute tricks that require years of preparation and flawless execution. To land a spot on the podium, Martin must nail his frontside 1260 jump, which includes an aerial spin of 3.5 rotations.
The halfpipe event uses a ramp, literally shaped like a giant pipe, cut in half. Each run is scored by a panel of judges based on multiple criteria including execution, risk, precision and height. The Cypress Mountain course features a 22-foot wall on both sides.
Martin knows all too well that one small mistake on the halfpipe can spell disaster. Competing at the 2008 X Games, Martin missed his landing on a jump and fell head first, 20-feet down to the base of the halfpipe.
After spending three weeks in recovery, Martin returned to action, winning his next event. Today he believes that experience has made him a stronger competitor heading into the Vancouver games.
Martin’s mother, Nancy, expects a big cheering section for Brad when he steps onto the halfpipe next week.
“I don’t think I’ll be as nervous for him as I was before,” she said.
As an Olympic athlete, Martin has grown accustomed to random drug testing. He knows the sport has garnered somewhat of a reputation since Canada’s Ross Rebagliati nearly lost his gold medal at the 1998 Olympics.
He’s been tested five or six times in the last two months by Olympic officials who ensure athletes are drug-free.
At the 2006 Olympics, Martin said the reality didn’t really set in until he entered the stadium for the opening ceremonies, surrounded by thousands of fans and athletes.
“There’s so many countries. It’s going to be ridiculous in there,” he said.
Martin was slated for pre-Olympic training in Calgary for the week of Feb. 8. The 2010 Olympic Games begin with the opening ceremonies on Feb. 12.