Shiho Nakashima
Shiho Nakashima (Japanese中 岛 志 保, Shiho Nakashima, born August 12, 1978 in Yoro, Yoro District, Gifu Prefecture) is a Japanese snowboarder.
Nakashima's first appearances at FIS races began in January 2003, in March of that year, they launched the first time in the World Cup in Sapporo and was Sixteenth. Then they came for the Japanese championships on the second rank. In the following two years she took part in the World Cup though, but missed most of the Top 10, while they often achieved good results in the lower class FIS races and won once.
In the World Cup Nakashima get the first success in their specialty halfpipe in 2005, when she came several times in March in the top ten and in December triumphed for the first time. After she proved her good performances during the season 2005/2006, she was allowed to compete in the Japanese team at the 2006 Olympics in Turin, where she was also ninth.
After a successful winter 2005/2006, in which she had become Japanese champion half pipe and fourth in Halfpipeweltcup, Nakashima began the 2006/07 season strongly again and reached the World Cup several good placings. They also won two FIS races. At the end of the season was sixth place in the halfpipe and the 27th place in the overall World Cup for them.
In the following season 2007/ 08 she was only three times in the World Cup at the start, but again there reached Top 10 rankings. The first World Cup of the season 2008/ 09 could Nakashima then decide for themselves, so they currently lead the Halfpipe World Cup. (As of 15 October 2008)