PARK CITY, Utah (April 13) - Olympic halfpipe gold medalist Shaun White (Carlsbad, CA) has been named winner of the North American Snowsports Journalists Association (NASJA) annual Outstanding Competitor Award.

Before becoming the Olympic champion, the 19-year-old White became the first person to sweep all five events in the Chevrolet U.S. Snowboard Grand Prix - the lone Olympic qualifying series - and the Winter X Games in Aspen, Colo. After the Games of Torino ended, White also won the halfpipe contest at the U.S. Open at Stratton Mountain, Vt.

Announcement of the honor for "The Flying Tomato" was made during the annual NASJA convention in Fernie, B.C.