Intro:

Team USA snowboarder Shaun White spoke on Monday ahead of the halfpipe at the Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia.

Script:

SOUNDBITE (English) Shaun White, USA
"I guess this is interesting for me because I never really taken the time before a competition to thanks my fans and everybody that has supported me along the way. I can't do it without you. I mean, you are the best. You support me through the decisions I make, the training regiment, you show up to the contest, you guys watch it on tv and I feel the support and I want to say thank you, guys. The halfpipe finals are tomorrow. And I am beside myself - not only for myself - but also for you guys so wish me luck. And here we go."

SOUNDBITE (English) Shaun White, USA
"I am feeling pretty good. It's hard to tell because I am excited and then I am not excited because not nervous but kind of antsy and it builds and snowballs into other things. It is just a lot of mixed feelings rolled up into one. It is the day before the big day. The halfpipe finals are tomorrow. I can't describe it. I am just here. The only comfort that really soothes me is that I can't slow down time. It's going to happen. It's going to be here. It's going to be gone. Whatever happens, happens. That is the only real comfort that I can have. You can build confidence once you get to the halfpipe and you start doing runs and you start feeling it. You see the competition and other things. But until that point, even the car ride to the gondola, even the gondola up, I don't feel anything until I get there and then it turns on. So I am just kind of waiting. I am trying to fill my time. It's nice having the family around and my friends and all of the people that support me because that it what really makes me a normal person and and the end of the day. They don't care what happens. They don't really care what the media has to say or anything about anything. It's just family so I think it is really nice that they are out here and their support has an unbelievable effect on me so thank you, guys."