Shannon Dunn-Downing is an American snowboarder and Olympic medallist. She received a bronze medal in the halfpipe event at the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, becoming the first American woman to win a medal in snowboarding. The model is a Burton Balance developed by Terje Haakonsen, Burton's leading rider and arguably the most influential snowboarder of the 1990s. It is made in a lightweight laminated wood core. The board has a sintered base. It features a base made from compressed polyethylene pellets, resulting in a durable and fast surface that absorbs wax effectively for enhanced performance on the slopes. Snowboarding was developed in the United States in the 1960s as people across the country began to seek out new winter activities. Men’s and women’s snowboarding made their Olympic debuts at the Nagano Games in 1998 with giant slalom and halfpipe competitions. The discipline proved an instant success and returned to Salt Lake City four years later with parallel giant slalom and halfpipe competitions. Snowboard cross made its debut in Turin.