Going to the X degree; Steve Fisher raises money for prostate cancer research

Going to the X degree

Steve Fisher’s competition this week will include 2006 Olympic gold medalist Shaun White. Fisher has aspirations of his own for the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver.
St. Louis Park native Steve Fisher hopes to take his snowboarding talents to new heights this week in Colorado.

Many a snowboarder lives to ride, and few things energize Steve Fisher like a high-flying trip down a halfpipe. Still, when one reaches a certain age, the trappings of adulthood begin to keep those feet on the ground when they're not catching big air.

The St. Louis Park native owns a townhome in Breckenridge, Colo. He, his girlfriend and his dog recently added a Samoyed puppy to their household. Fisher also has taken on a serious cause, joining an athletes' group that raises money for prostate cancer research to honor his father's successful fight against the disease.

None of this has dimmed Fisher's ageless zeal for this most youthful of sports. His season, highlighted by this weekend's X Games, has revolved as much around the future as the present. With the 2010 Olympic team in his sights, Fisher has been putting in extra work on the new, bigger superpipe, still looking to forge new trails in a sport that remains his passion while providing his paycheck.

"Well, I am 26 now," Fisher said, laughing. "Snowboarding has been a tremendous thing for me. To be able to own a home before some of my friends, to be able to live this kind of life with the travel and competing in this sport, it's been great.

"Our sport is getting more and more competitive, and I want to stay on the podium. This has been a jam-packed year, and a good one so far."
Fisher, a two-time X Games halfpipe champion, will compete in the men's superpipe elimination round Saturday at Aspen's Buttermilk Mountain. The top riders qualify for Sunday's finals. The 18-man international field includes 2006 Olympic gold medalist and multiple X Games champion Shaun White, Duluth native and 2006 Olympian Mason Aguirre, and top U.S. athletes such as Louie Vito, Scotty Lago and Kevin Pearce.