Like Freestyle Skiing, Snowboarding is another young sport and another one of those popular ones with youngsters, especially. It is a sport that has made it's way up the extreme sports ladder.
From 1998 onwards, 2 events have been included in the Olympic games: Giant Slalom (2002 brought in the "Parallel" version of this event) and Halfpipe.
Here's a brief description of both events from FIS' site:

• Giant Slalom: Times from two runs on different courses are added together in a discipline requiring precise turns.
• Parallel Giant Slalom: Riders race head to head on Parallel Giant Slalom courses with the winner advancing to the next round.
• Halfpipe: Riders perform a series of jumps, tricks and manoeuvres in the Halfpipe that are judged for their degree of difficulty and execution.

Other events are popular on the Snowboard circuit: Parallel Slalom (Riders race head to head on Parallel Slalom courses with the winner advancing to the next round.), Big Air (A "Big Jump" is judged according to the criteria: control of the trick, amplitude, landing.) and Snowboard Cross (Riders race against each other in groups of four on a specially built Snowboard Cross course that includes banked turns, jumps, waves and terrain.). The future may see the inclusion of these in the Olympic program.

[doHTML]<center><table width="600" border="0" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1" class="tableborder2">
<tr><td class="titlemedium" width="100%" colspan="10"><center><font color="blue">1998 - Nagano, Japan</font></center></td></tr>
<tr><td class="row1" width="100%" align="center" colspan="10"><b><u>Men's Giant Slalom</u></b></td></tr>
<tr><td class="row1" width="15%" align="left" colspan="2"><img border=0 src="http://209.85.12.231/2170/46/emo/winner_first_h4h.gif"> Gold</td><td class="row1" width="85%" align="left" colspan="8">Ross Rebagliati (Canada) - 2:03.96</td></tr>
<tr><td class="row1" width="15%" align="left" colspan="2"><img border=0 src="http://209.85.12.231/2170/46/emo/winner_second_h4h.gif"> Silver</td><td class="row1" width="85%" align="left" colspan="8">Thomas Prugger (Italy) - 2:03.98</td></tr>
<tr><td class="row1" width="15%" align="left" colspan="2"><img border=0 src="http://209.85.12.231/2170/46/emo/winner_third_h4h.gif"> Bronze</td><td class="row1" width="85%" align="left" colspan="8">Ueli Kestenholz (Switzerland) - 2:04.08</td></tr>
<tr><td class="row1" width="100%" align="center" colspan="10">-------------------------------------------</td></tr>
<tr><td class="row1" width="100%" align="center" colspan="10"><b><u>Men's Halfpipe</u></b></td></tr>
<tr><td class="row1" width="15%" align="left" colspan="2"><img border=0 src="http://209.85.12.231/2170/46/emo/winner_first_h4h.gif"> Gold</td><td class="row1" width="85%" align="left" colspan="8">Gian Simmen (Switzerland) - 85.2 pts.</td></tr>
<tr><td class="row1" width="15%" align="left" colspan="2"><img border=0 src="http://209.85.12.231/2170/46/emo/winner_second_h4h.gif"> Silver</td><td class="row1" width="85%" align="left" colspan="8">Daniel Franck (Norway) - 82.4 pts.</td></tr>
<tr><td class="row1" width="15%" align="left" colspan="2"><img border=0 src="http://209.85.12.231/2170/46/emo/winner_third_h4h.gif"> Bronze</td><td class="row1" width="85%" align="left" colspan="8">Ross Powers (USA) - 82.1 pts.</td></tr>
<tr><td class="row1" width="100%" align="center" colspan="10">-------------------------------------------</td></tr>
<tr><td class="row1" width="100%" align="center" colspan="10"><b><u>Women's Giant Slalom</u></b></td></tr>
<tr><td class="row1" width="15%" align="left" colspan="2"><img border=0 src="http://209.85.12.231/2170/46/emo/winner_first_h4h.gif"> Gold</td><td class="row1" width="85%" align="left" colspan="8">Karine Ruby (France) - 2:17.34</td></tr>
<tr><td class="row1" width="15%" align="left" colspan="2"><img border=0 src="http://209.85.12.231/2170/46/emo/winner_second_h4h.gif"> Silver</td><td class="row1" width="85%" align="left" colspan="8">Heidi Renoth (Germany) - 2:19.17</td></tr>
<tr><td class="row1" width="15%" align="left" colspan="2"><img border=0 src="http://209.85.12.231/2170/46/emo/winner_third_h4h.gif"> Bronze</td><td class="row1" width="85%" align="left" colspan="8">Brigitte Köch (Austria) - 2:19.42</td></tr>
<tr><td class="row1" width="100%" align="center" colspan="10">-------------------------------------------</td></tr>
<tr><td class="row1" width="100%" align="center" colspan="10"><b><u>Women's Halfpipe</u></b></td></tr>
<tr><td class="row1" width="15%" align="left" colspan="2"><img border=0 src="http://209.85.12.231/2170/46/emo/winner_first_h4h.gif"> Gold</td><td class="row1" width="85%" align="left" colspan="8">Nicola Thost (Germany) - 74.6 pts.</td></tr>
<tr><td class="row1" width="15%" align="left" colspan="2"><img border=0 src="http://209.85.12.231/2170/46/emo/winner_second_h4h.gif"> Silver</td><td class="row1" width="85%" align="left" colspan="8">Stine Brun Kjldaas (Norway) - 74.2 pts.</td></tr>
<tr><td class="row1" width="15%" align="left" colspan="2"><img border=0 src="http://209.85.12.231/2170/46/emo/winner_third_h4h.gif"> Bronze</td><td class="row1" width="85%" align="left" colspan="8">Shannon Dunn (USA) - 72.8 pts.</td></tr>
</table></center>[/doHTML]
[doHTML]<center><table width="600" border="0" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1" class="tableborder2">
<tr><td class="titlemedium" width="100%" colspan="10"><center><font color="blue">2002 – Salt Lake City, USA</font></center></td></tr>
<tr><td class="row1" width="100%" align="center" colspan="10"><b><u>Men's Parallel Giant Slalom</u></b></td></tr>
<tr><td class="row1" width="15%" align="left" colspan="2"><img border=0 src="http://209.85.12.231/2170/46/emo/winner_first_h4h.gif"> Gold</td><td class="row1" width="85%" align="left" colspan="8">Philipp Schoch (Switzerland) - won the final<br>1st Rd: Alexander Maier (Aut) | QF: Mathieu Bozzetto (Fra) | SF: Klug (USA)</td></tr>
<tr><td class="row1" width="15%" align="left" colspan="2"><img border=0 src="http://209.85.12.231/2170/46/emo/winner_second_h4h.gif"> Silver</td><td class="row1" width="85%" align="left" colspan="8">Richard Richardsson (Sweden) - lost the final<br>1st Rd: Mathias Behounek (Ger) | QF: Dejan Kosir (Slo) | SF: Huet (Fra)</td></tr>
<tr><td class="row1" width="15%" align="left" colspan="2"><img border=0 src="http://209.85.12.231/2170/46/emo/winner_third_h4h.gif"> Bronze</td><td class="row1" width="85%" align="left" colspan="8">Chris Klug (USA) - beat Nicolas Huet (Fra.)<br>1st Rd: Jerome Sylvestre (Can) | QF: Walter Feichter (Ita) | SF: lost Schoch (Sui)</td></tr>
<tr><td class="row1" width="100%" align="center" colspan="10">-------------------------------------------</td></tr>
<tr><td class="row1" width="100%" align="center" colspan="10"><b><u>Men's Halfpipe</u></b></td></tr>
<tr><td class="row1" width="15%" align="left" colspan="2"><img border=0 src="http://209.85.12.231/2170/46/emo/winner_first_h4h.gif"> Gold</td><td class="row1" width="85%" align="left" colspan="8">Ross Powers (USA) - 46.1 pts. (1st Run: 46.1 pts. | 2nd Run: 32.0 pts.)<br>Qualif: 42.1 (3rd, 2nd Run)</td></tr>
<tr><td class="row1" width="15%" align="left" colspan="2"><img border=0 src="http://209.85.12.231/2170/46/emo/winner_second_h4h.gif"> Silver</td><td class="row1" width="85%" align="left" colspan="8">Danny Kass (USA) - 42.5 pts. (1st Run: 42.5 pts. | 2nd Run: 41.5 pts.)<br>Qualif: 42.7 pts. (2nd, 2nd Run)</td></tr>
<tr><td class="row1" width="15%" align="left" colspan="2"><img border=0 src="http://209.85.12.231/2170/46/emo/winner_third_h4h.gif"> Bronze</td><td class="row1" width="85%" align="left" colspan="8">Jarret Thomas (USA) - 42.1 pts. (1st Run: 33.2 pts. | 2nd Run: 42.1 pts.)<br>Qualif: 43.5 pts. (1st, 2nd Run)</td></tr>
<tr><td class="row1" width="100%" align="center" colspan="10">-------------------------------------------</td></tr>
<tr><td class="row1" width="100%" align="center" colspan="10"><b><u>Women's Parallel Giant Slalom</u></b></td></tr>
<tr><td class="row1" width="15%" align="left" colspan="2"><img border=0 src="http://209.85.12.231/2170/46/emo/winner_first_h4h.gif"> Gold</td><td class="row1" width="85%" align="left" colspan="8">Isabelle Blanc (France) - won the final<br>1st Rd: Steffi von Siebenthal (Sui) | QF: Julie Pomagalski (Fra) | SF: Marczulatis (Pol)</td></tr>
<tr><td class="row1" width="15%" align="left" colspan="2"><img border=0 src="http://209.85.12.231/2170/46/emo/winner_second_h4h.gif"> Silver</td><td class="row1" width="85%" align="left" colspan="8">Karine Ruby (France) - lost the final<br>1st Rd: Maria Tikhvinskaya (Rus) | QF: Lisa Kosglow (USA) | SF: Trettel (Ita)</td></tr>
<tr><td class="row1" width="15%" align="left" colspan="2"><img border=0 src="http://209.85.12.231/2170/46/emo/winner_third_h4h.gif"> Bronze</td><td class="row1" width="85%" align="left" colspan="8">Lidia Trettel (Italy) - beat Jagna Marczulajtis (Pol.)<br>1st Rd: Jana Sedova (Svk) | Isabella Dal Balcon (Ita) | SF: lost Ruby (Fra)</td></tr>
<tr><td class="row1" width="100%" align="center" colspan="10">-------------------------------------------</td></tr>
<tr><td class="row1" width="100%" align="center" colspan="10"><b><u>Women's Halfpipe</u></b></td></tr>
<tr><td class="row1" width="15%" align="left" colspan="2"><img border=0 src="http://209.85.12.231/2170/46/emo/winner_first_h4h.gif"> Gold</td><td class="row1" width="85%" align="left" colspan="8">Kelly Clark (USA) - 47.9 pts. (1st Run: 40.8 pts. | 2nd Run: 47.9 pts.)<br>Qualif: 42.1 pts. (1st, 1st Run)</td></tr>
<tr><td class="row1" width="15%" align="left" colspan="2"><img border=0 src="http://209.85.12.231/2170/46/emo/winner_second_h4h.gif"> Silver</td><td class="row1" width="85%" align="left" colspan="8">Doriane Vidal (France) - 43.0 pts. (1st Run: 43.0 pts. | 2nd Run: 36.5 pts.)<br>Qualif: 38.3 pts. (3rd, 1st Run)</td></tr>
<tr><td class="row1" width="15%" align="left" colspan="2"><img border=0 src="http://209.85.12.231/2170/46/emo/winner_third_h4h.gif"> Bronze</td><td class="row1" width="85%" align="left" colspan="8">Fabienne Reuteler (Switzerland) - 39.7 pts. (1st Run: 39.7 pts. | 2nd Run: 29.3 pts.)<br>Qualif: 40.4 pts. (1st, 2nd Run)</td></tr>
</table></center>[/doHTML]