If you look at the 2026 U.S. Olympic snowboard team, you’ll find the mountainous states of Colorado, Utah, Oregon, and Maine well represented. Amongst the 22 members, only two are from the Midwest, and they’re both from Michigan. One of those snowboarders is Pinckney resident, Jake Vedder.
Homegrown Talent
Like many of his out-west counterparts, Vedder started out early — skiing by age 2, and snowboarding at 5. Growing up in Pinckney meant he was a short drive away from Mount Brighton, a local hill with little elevation. Vedder spent most days during the winter there, with both the hill and his older brother, Mitchel, acting as babysitters.
“It was a good spot for my parents to just drop us off,” Vedder says. “It was kind of like daycare on the hill and gave us something to do in the wintertime.”
Vedder quickly fell in love with snowboarding and began to compete in weekend races when he was 8. Initially, he competed in slope style, halfpipe, and boardercross, before choosing to focus on boardercross in high school.
Local competitions quickly turned into national ones, with Vedder competing in the yearly tournament each year in Colorado. The highest he placed at the national stage was third, reaching the podium for the first time at age 13. The U.S. snowboard team quickly took notice, and he was invited to train with the team. From there, the sky was the limit for Vedder.
While he continued to compete nationally, Vedder also raced for his school, Pinckney High School, his freshman and sophomore years. He won a state championship his sophomore year, but by then it was clear his skills outclassed his hometown hill.
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Early Olympic Dreams
Vedder began competing on the North American Cup circuit, where he reached the podium multiple times. His big break, however, came during the 2016 Winter Youth Olympic Games in Norway. The only American selected to compete in boardercross, the 17-year old Vedder won gold in a photo finish.
“That was when we were like, alright, this is kind of the real deal,” Vedder says. “I started getting some good international and national attention, and then I got put on the U.S. national team, which meant I was fully funded.”
As a member of the team, Vedder’s gold streak continued, placing first at the Junior World Championship in 2018. And just six years after his victorious outing in Norway, Vedder made his adult Olympic debut in Beijing in 2022. Vedder was named an injury replacement for Alex Deibold, who won bronze at the 2014 Sochi Olympics.
Competing in men’s boardercross, Vedder would place sixth out of 32 competitors. Alongside teammate Faye Gulini, the pair would round out the 2022 Olympics, placing ninth in mixed boardercross. Finishing just outside of the podium, Vedder was only encouraged to work harder.
The Journey Continues
Despite his success in Beijing, Vedder still had to earn his way back to the Olympic stage in 2026. One month after placing sixth, he was back on the World Cup circuit, working to accumulate enough points to qualify for this years’ games. The moment of truth came in January during his last two qualifying races in China. Prior to qualifiers, he was sitting in a good spot, but after solid performances in both, his spot was solidified.
“I knew when those events ended, that I made the team,” Vedder says. “The coaches called a meeting and picked the team. They said, ‘You’re going to the Olympics.’”
Vedder’s event is scheduled for Feb. 12, where he will compete in a six-man race. The mixed boardercross race will take place on Feb. 15.
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