Elena was born in Kauai, Hawaii. She surfed tandem with her dad as a tot, but she’s been snowboarding most of her life, having moved from Boise then Lake Tahoe at the age of seven. Elena has many notable accomplishments:

3rd 2010 Mammoth Chicken Jam
10th 2010 Vancouver Olympics
2nd  2010 Mammouth Grand Prix
1st   2010 Snowbasin Dew Tour
1st   2008 Tahoe Van’s Cup, First back-to-back 900s
3rd  2008 US Open, Quarterpipe
1st  2007 Tahoe Van’s Cup
1st  Overall, 2007 Abominable Snow Jam
2nd Overall 2007 Grand Prix halfpipe ranking
3rd 2007 WX — First-ever female backside 900
6th 2006 Winter Olympics Halfpipe Team, age 16
3rd 2003 Breck Grand Prix, First frontside 900, age 13