When you first look at Tara Dakides's resume, it looks like she has never lost a competition. When you take a closer look, however, you see that recently perfection has pretty much been the norm. In the past year, Tara has won gold at the Winter X Games, the US Open, the Vans Triple Crown and the Grand Prix of Snowboarding. Add this to a host of other accolades, including appearances in numerous snowboarding films, and it is easy to understand why she is one of the hottest snowboarders around.

For the most part, Tara has excelled at whatever she attempts. In her pursuit of total perfection, she has also driven her friends and competitors to do the same. In Crested Butte at the 1999 Winter X Games, Dakides was the only woman to utilize the rails effectively in the park course. Without fail, one year later, at the 2000 Winter X Games, the entire women's line-up was hitting the rails and the rest of the course. Effective use of rails and jib obstacles is just one form of Tara's impact on snowboarding.

Credited as one of the most innovative female competitors, she pushes women to think in new ways about the entire sport. According to contest announcer Dave Duncan," Tara is by far the toughest and most fearless rider out there right now." His sentiments are not the only ones that praise the talents of the Mission Viejo, Calif. native. Her fellow competitors, both male and female, regard Tara as one of the leading athletes in their sport and credit her for the growing success of snowboarding.

With a background in gymnastics, skateboarding and motocross, and off-seasons typically spent surfing, it is no wonder that Dakides is reaching new heights in the sport. She locked up her first of two gold medals in last year's games with a patented "grabbing backflip" over the showtime kicker. On the final day of the event, she picked up her fourth X Games medal in two years by taking the gold in the Big Air competition. Although she did not medal, she went off in the SuperPipe event as well throwing a backflip for the crowd.

What's next for this 25-year old remains to be seen. However, if she can stay strong and healthy there is no doubt that she will continue her reign atop the snowboarding world. With her participation in the sport, there is no reason the industry should not continue to grow and expand for many more years to come.

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