Louie Vito

Louis Philip "Louie" Vito III (born March 20, 1988[1]) is an Italian-American professional snowboarder. He is an Olympian, Winter X Games, and U.S. Grand Prix Champion.

Louie Vito
Personal information
Full nameLouis Philip Vito III
Born (1988-03-20) March 20, 1988
Bellefontaine, Ohio, U.S.
Height5 ft 5 in (165 cm)
Weight150 lb (68 kg)
WebsiteLouieVito.com
Sport
Country United States/ Italy
SportSnowboarding
Event(s)Superpipe
Turned pro2005
Achievements and titles
World finals2012 World Snowboarding Championships, 3rd Place
2009 FIS Snowboard World Cup, 2nd Place
2006 World Superpipe Championships, 5th Place
National finals2012 U.S. Grand Prix Champion
2011 U.S. Grand Prix Champion
2009 U.S. Grand Prix Champion
2008 U.S. Grand Prix Champion
Olympic finals5th Place, Men's Halfpipe
Medal record
Men's snowboarding
Representing the  United States and later  Italy
Winter X Games Europe
Gold medal – first place 2011 Tignes Superpipe
Gold medal – first place 2013 Tignes Superpipe
Silver medal – second place 2012 Tignes Superpipe
Bronze medal – third place 2010 Tignes Superpipe
Winter X Games
Silver medal – second place 2014 Aspen Superpipe
Bronze medal – third place 2011 Aspen Superpipe
Winter Dew Tour
Gold medal – first place 2010 Breckenridge Superpipe
Gold medal – first place 2011 Overall
Gold medal – first place 2011 Killington Superpipe
Gold medal – first place 2012 Overall
Gold medal – first place 2012 Snowbasin Superpipe
Silver medal – second place 2011 Breckenridge Superpipe
Silver medal – second place 2012 Breckenridge Superpipe
Silver medal – second place 2012 Killington Superpipe
U.S. Snowboarding Grand Prix
Gold medal – first place 2008 Overall
Gold medal – first place 2008 Killington Superpipe
Gold medal – first place 2008 Copper Mountain Superpipe
Gold medal – first place 2008 Tamarack Mountain Superpipe
Gold medal – first place 2009 Overall
Gold medal – first place 2009 Tamarack Mountain Superpipe
Gold medal – first place 2010 Copper Mountain Superpipe
Gold medal – first place 2011 Overall
Gold medal – first place 2012 Overall
Gold medal – first place 2012 Mammoth Superpipe
Silver medal – second place 2007 Overall
Silver medal – second place 2007 Tamarack Mountain Superpipe
Silver medal – second place 2007 Mount Bachelor Superpipe
Silver medal – second place 2009 Boreal Superpipe
Silver medal – second place 2009 Copper Mountain Superpipe
Silver medal – second place 2010 Overall
Silver medal – second place 2010 Mammoth Superpipe
Silver medal – second place 2011 Copper Mountain Superpipe
Bronze medal – third place 2013 Copper Mountain Superpipe
Burton Global Open Series
Gold medal – first place 2005 Australian Open Superpipe
Silver medal – second place 2006 New Zealand Open Superpipe
Silver medal – second place 2007 Australian Open Superpipe
Silver medal – second place 2010 U.S. Open Superpipe
Silver medal – second place 2011 New Zealand Open Superpipe
Silver medal – second place 2012 U.S. Open Superpipe
Bronze medal – third place 2010 New Zealand Open Superpipe
Bronze medal – third place 2013 U.S. Open Superpipe
Vans Cup at Tahoe
Silver medal – second place 2008 Superpipe
Jeep King Of the Mountain Tour
Gold medal – first place 2008 Squaw Valley Superpipe
Garnier Fructis Pro Challenge
Gold medal – first place 2006 Superpipe

Early life

Louis Vito was born in Columbus, Ohio, but grew up in the nearby city of Bellefontaine. In his teenage years, he moved to Vermont to pursue his love of snowboarding by enrolling in the Stratton Mountain School – a ski and snowboarding academy. He spent his high school years snowboarding in the morning, studying in the afternoons, and traveling to competitions when time permitted. After graduating high school, he moved to Sandy, Utah.

Career

Louie Vito has won four of the past five U.S. Snowboarding Grand Prix Overall Championships, six X Games medals, and two Winter Dew Tour Overall Championships, among many other accolades.

He rose to prominence on the professional snowboarding scene at age 17 by completing a backside 1080 at the Australian Open Snowboarding Championships – making him the first rider to pull off the complex move in an Australian competition successfully. This helped propel Vito to the top of the podium, capturing his first of two consecutive championships there.

Vito is currently the reigning Winter Dew Tour Overall Champion and U.S. Grand Prix Overall Champion.

In September 2009, Vito competed on the ninth season of Dancing With the Stars.[2] Partnered with professional dancer Chelsie Hightower, he rehearsed for the show at the same time that he was training for the Olympics. Three months later, he represented the United States at the 21st Olympic Games in Vancouver. In 2022, Vito represented Italy in the halfpipe at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing.[3]

Charity

Each year Vito holds the "Louie Vito Rail Jam" in his hometown at Mad River Mountain. The event is held to mentor young riders who are given the opportunity to compete without an entry fee and get outfitted in Vito’s premium gear. The Rail Jam supports local charity St. Vincent De Paul through money raised from auction items and food donated to the food bank by everyone who attends.

Results
  • U.S. Olympic Team Member 2010
  • Italian Olympic Team Member 2022
  • Gold Medalist – Winter X Games Europe 2013
  • Gold Medalist – Winter X Games Europe 2011
  • Overall Champion – Dew Cup 2011/2012
  • Overall Champion – Dew Cup 2010/2011
  • Overall Champion – U.S. Grand Prix 2011/2012
  • Overall Champion – U.S. Grand Prix 2010/2011
  • Overall Champion – U.S. Grand Prix 2008/2009
  • Overall Champion – U.S. Grand Prix 2007/2008
  • Silver Medalist – Winter X Games Europe 2012
  • Bronze Medalist – Winter X Games 2011
  • Bronze Medalist – Winter X Games Europe 2010
  • 1st Place – Dew Tour, Snowbasin, UT 2012
  • 1st Place – Dew Tour, Killington, VT 2011
  • 1st Place – Dew Tour, Breckenridge, CO 2010
  • 1st Place – Grand Prix, Mammoth, CA 2012
  • 1st Place – Grand Prix, Copper Mtn, CO 2010
  • 1st Place – Grand Prix, Tamarack Mtn 2009
  • 1st Place – Grand Prix, Killington, VT 2008
  • 1st Place – Grand Prix, Copper Mtn, CO 2008
  • 1st Place – Grand Prix, Tamarack Mtn 2008
  • 1st Place – Jeep King Of the Mountain, Squaw Valley 2008
  • 1st Place – Garnier Fructis Pro Challenge, Australia 2006
  • 1st Place – Burton Australian Open 2005
  • 2nd Place – Burton U.S. Open 2012
  • 2nd Place – World Cup, Spain 2009
  • 2nd Place – Burton U.S. Open 2010
  • 2nd Place – Overall U.S. Grand Prix 2009/2010
  • 2nd Place – Overall U.S. Grand Prix 2006/2007
  • 2nd Place – Dew Tour, Breckenridge, CO 2012
  • 2nd Place – Dew Tour, Breckenridge, CO 2011
  • 2nd Place – Dew Tour, Killington, VT 2012
  • 2nd Place – Grand Prix, Copper Mtn, CO 2011
  • 2nd Place – Grand Prix, Mammoth, CA 2010
  • 2nd Place – Grand Prix, Boreal 2009
  • 2nd Place – Grand Prix, Copper Mtn, CO 2009
  • 2nd Place – Vans Cup Superpipe, Tahoe, CA 2008
  • 2nd Place – Grand Prix, Tamarac 2007
  • 2nd Place – Grand Prix, Mt. Bachelor 2007
  • 2nd Place – Burton New Zealand Open 2011
  • 2nd Place – Burton New Zealand Open 2006
  • 2nd Place – Burton Australian Open 2007
  • 3rd Place – World Snowboard Championships, Norway 2012
  • 3rd Place – Burton U.S. Open 2013
  • 3rd Place – Grand Prix, Copper Mtn, CO 2013
  • 3rd Place – Burton New Zealand Open 2010
  • 5th Place – Olympics, Vancouver 2010
  • Dancing With The Stars, Season 9
  • The Challenge: Champs vs. Pros

References
  1. "Louie Vito". NBC Olympics. Retrieved 2010-02-07.
  2. "Louie Vito 'Bummed' to be off Dancing with the Stars".
  3. Graham, Pat (February 8, 2022). "Snowboarding an Italian job for Vito at Beijing Olympics". The Washington Post. Washington, D.C. Associated Press. ISSN 0190-8286. OCLC 1330888409. Archived from the original on 11 February 2022.
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