User:PeteBura/sandbox/Olga "Olya" Smeshlivaya

Olga "Olya" Smeshlivaya (born October 4, 1990) is a Russian professional snowboarder, who specializes in the disciplines of Big Air, Slopestyle & Half-Pipe. She is multiple Champion of Russia and winner of the European Cup. She was member of the Russian national team and nominated for the Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia. In 2010, she was honored with the title Master of Sports of Russia. In 2015, 2016 and 2017 she was part of Nine Queens event.

Early life and professional career
Born into a sports family, Smeshlivaya was confronted with extreme sports from the early age already. Her dad was a professional water polo player and member of the Russian national team. Her mom & her grandparents have been professional cyclists for the Russian national team. Her older brother was a professional diver.

In young age Smeshlivaya started dancing. She competed on a national level and won several competitions.

At the age of 14, she saw a snowboard for the first time. During the next years, Smeshlivaya spent her weekends on a small slope in Moscow city, where a coach noticed her. Soon she started competing in the disciplines slalom & freestyle. She won several competitions and decided to focus on freestyle. At the age of 16, Smeshlivaya was invited to the Russian national team. She won several national & international competitions.

In 2009 Smeshlivaya got Russian Champion & won the Russian Cup for the first time. She was nominated for the Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia. In 2010 she was honored with the title Master of Sports of Russia.

After Smeshlivaya's knee injury in 2014 she decided to focus less on competitions, but more on riding for her own pleasure. Nowadays also surfing & wake surfing belong to her professions.

Media and business ventures
TV & several magazines like Men's Health or RedBull described Smeshlivaya as "adrenaline beauty". Her visual appearance in combination with her passion for extreme sports and the meaning of her name ("The Funny One") were often mentioned in media.

Major brands like Vans, RipCurl, BabyG, JBL or DopeSnow chose Smeshlivaya as brand ambassador. Smeshlivaya participated in movies like "The Search" & "Miles (by RipCurl) and many other. Smeshlivaya is also ambassador of Russia's ski-resort Roza Khutor in Sochi.

In 2016 Smeshlivaya started her own headwear-collection named SmiLife.

Influence
Smeshlivaya is considered as an icon of an entire generation of the snowboard-scene. Several inspired fans already tattooed Smeshlivaya's face on their bodies.