Article continues below advertisementAlessandro BarbieriSource: @alessandro_pdx/InstagramAlessandro Barbieri earned the nickname 'The Chef.'Although he began skiing at age 3, Alessandro Barbieri soon found himself snowboarding on the slopes of Mount Hood.The 17-year-old USA snowboard halfpipe star from Portland, Ore., just got his nomination before the 2026 Winter Olympics, becoming one of the youngest members of Team USA. He previously competed and won a silver medal at the Youth Olympic Winter Games Gangwon 2024 before joining the Calgary Snow Rodeo in February 2025, where he placed third.