WHITE AND WRONG

Brit Fuller a huge fan of USA legend Shaun but insists he has it easy from the judges

SHAUN WHITE is the biggest star in snowboarding – but Brit-girl Aimee Fuller believes he gets special treatment.

Fuller claims to be a big White fan, but she also believes his reputation holds too much sway with judges.

Last month, double Olympic halfpipe champion White made headlines when he earned a perfect 100 score at the US Grand Prix, to qualify for a fourth Games in PyeongChang.

And Fuller, 26, who starts her campaign in tomorrow’s women’s Slopestyle, believes he gets special treatment.

“Shaun White has a glow,” said Fuller, the only Brit involved, following the injury to top medal hope Katie Ormerod.

“He walks in the room and everyone looks at him and

that’s the same with his riding, he does stand out from the crowd.

“Every snowboarder starts from the bottom and they earn their points. Shaun White starts at the top and they deduct his points, so, unless he does anything in particular wrong, he’s staying at the top – he’s got ‘Shaun White Points’.

“It’s not particularly fair, is it?”

White’s main rival, Australian Scotty James, is another who believes judges are not playing fair, setting up an interesting war of words ahead of the men’s halfpipe next week.

White, nicknamed the “Flying Tomato”, as a result of his flaming red hair, punched his ticket to his fourth Games last month with a perfect 100 score at the US Grand Prix.

But Fuller (in action below and inset bottom) was also at pains to point out her appreciation of White’s contribution to snowboarding, which has helped him bank a $40million (£29m) fortune.

The American (inset top), 31, has transcended the sport and mixed it with Hollywood A-listers, popping up alongside Justin Timberlake and Mila Kunis in Friends With Benefits, as well as voicing a character in the second Smurfs movie. “He’s an action sports hero in most young children’s eyes. My brother is a huge Shaun White fan,” Fuller added. “For Christmas, I bought him two tickets to the Olympic halfpipe final and he was elated. “I’m a Shaun White fan, I rate him. Look how old he is and he’s still going. He doesn’t need to be doing it, I have a lot of respect for that. Shaun is a true athlete.”

Watch Aimee Fuller compete tomorrow on Eurosport 1 and Eurosport Player. Don’t miss a moment of the Olympic Winter Games on Eurosport and Eurosport Player. Go to www.Eurosport. co.uk