Off the slopes, Olympians look up and out for a larger cause

Olympic gold-medalist snowboarder Kelly Clark was standing in a lift line when she felt a tug on her sleeve.

Chloe Kim, then age 8, had spotted her snowboarding hero and was asking to ride up together.

Clark said sure.

Today Kim won her own Olympic gold. And Clark was there to see it – because she is still competing.

When Clark stood at the top of the pipe on the third and final run today, she was up against not only the best snowboarders from other countries but also her own legacy: the strength of the US women’s halfpipe team, which she has helped to mentor. Her teammates – some just