Early Life and Family
Bahrke was born in Reno, Nevada to Dick and Trilla Bahrke, and raised in Tahoe City, California. The Bahrke family name originates in Norway; her paternal grandparents are from a town near Oslo. She began skiing at the age of three, and skied different resorts around Lake Tahoe while growing up. When she was 13, her talent was recognized by the coach of the freestyle team at Squaw Valley Ski Resort who convinced her to join the team. Besides skiing, Bahrke also participated in soccer, softball and track, and played trumpet in her high school bands.
After high school, she moved to Salt Lake City and attended the University of Utah. In December 1998, she earned a spot on the U.S. Freestyle Ski Team.
Her younger brother, Scotty Bahrke, also competes with the US Freestyle Team as an aerialist. He joined the US Olympic Team for the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver on short notice, replacing teammate Dylan Ferguson who was recovering from an emergency appendectomy shortly before the Games began.
Bahrke is engaged to longtime boyfriend, Matt Happe, with whom she co-founded Silver Bean Coffee Company in 2008. She announced that following the 2010 Olympics, she would retire from competition, wed Happe on October 10, 2010 (10/10/10), and concentrate on their business.
Read more about this topic: Shannon Bahrke
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