Gretchen Bleiler

Gretchen Bleiler has been at the top of female snowboarding since a string of contest wins in 2003. Now, she is moving past the pipe and into the backcountry, where she finds a different kind of challenge-and escapes the Tony Danza’s.

“At first glance you see the girl next door; she could be your favorite fifth-grade teacher or maybe your Tuesday-night yoga instructor. Then you realize the girl next door just pulled up on a 1,200cc Harley-Davidson. Unassuming despite her formidable skill set, you might not see multiple X Games and US Open wins and a 2006 Olympic podium finish. Then again, you might not be paying that much attention to the media. Since she came on the scene with a string of contest wins in 2003, Gretchen Bleiler has been redefining the boundaries of women’s snowboarding, both on the snow and off. With ample exposure beyond the shred world, including covers of FHM and ESPN magazines and an appearance on Good Morning America, Gretchen transcends the boundary between the subculture of snowboarding and the beast that is mainstream American sports marketing. She is one of the few individuals with both the opportunity and drive to take snowboarding to new heights.”

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