SAM Magazine--July 15, 2010--Last night, July 14, ESPN presented its annual ESPY awards, honoring athletes across all sports, and skiing and snowboarding came out on top. Out of 35 awards chosen by the viewers, winter sports took home five:

Best Female Athlete: Lindsey Vonn

Best Male Action Sport Athlete: Shaun White

Best Female Action Sport Athlete: Torah Bright

Best Female U.S. Olympian: Lindsey Vonn

Best Male U.S. Olympian: Shaun White

In fact, during Seth Meyers' opening monologue, Shaun White, for better or for worse, was used an example of why swearing is bad on live TV (the ESPYs were aired live for the first time) further putting him in the spotlight.

Editor's Note: As we sit back and watch our visitors age, it seems that we have been handed a golden opportunity as never before to reach younger audiences. Lindsey Vonn and Shaun White have crossed over from mountain obscurity onto the national scene, but where is the industry? We should be taking full advantage of this brief window, this perfect storm, when both sports have been thrust in front of millions and are suddenly viewed as cool. If we let our sports recede back into a snowy abyss, we've nobody but ourselves to blame. Seize the moment--who knows when it will happen again. If not, you'll be playing bridge with your guests in the base lodge in no time. Just ask Landon Donovan what it is to finally get a sport recognized on a national, and more important, popular level.

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