BIOGRAPHY:
Raised in Bristol Bay, out in what Alaskans call the ''bush''—some 400 miles from Anchorage and accessible only by air or boat—Callan Chythlook-Sifsof landed on the boardercross scene in 2007 by winning the Visa U.S. Snowboardcross Championships and taking third in the first World Cup of her career. After improving year by year, an injury took Chythlook-Sifsof out for the 2009 season, but she was determined to make it to Vancouver. She trained in Park City for months before returning to the World Cup circuit in 2010 and landed a spot on the 2010 Olympic team, becoming the first native Alaskan to do so. Chythlook-Sisof, who's a Yupik/Inupiaq Eskimo, then backed up her Olympic season with some solid results in 2011, including a silver at the Winter X Games and the second World Cup podium of her career in Switzerland.

CALLAN SAYS:
This past year I felt huge progression and ended the season feeling solid and ready for more. I gained a lot of confidence, which made a huge impact on my riding. I had so much fun this winter and am already excited for next winter, to begin where I left off and step it up to the next level.

FIRST TRACKS:
''When I lived out in rural Alaska, my brother and I would just mess around on snowboards on a small hill near the house,'' says Callan. A few years and competitions later, she's an Olympian and X Games medalist.

OFF THE SNOW:
I'm usually just hiking around a lot!