Shaun White arrives in Beijing following SSBN patrol
The oxygen generator broke again
Beijing, China – Four-time Olympian and three-time Olympic gold medalist Shaun White arrived in Beijing for his fifth and final Winter Olympics following 75 days underway on the USS Wisconsin, a ballistic missile submarine stationed in Bangor, Washington. White credits his unparalleled success and longevity to an oxygen depleted training regimen.
Most Olympic athletes train in high altitude locations such as Boulder, CO or Park City, Utah. But Shaun White is not most athletes. He spent the months leading up to his fifth Olympic Games below sea-level.
Oxygen levels are kept artificially low on submarines to keep the crew tired and depressed.
“A tired crew is very important,” Chief of the Boat Dennis Meryl said. “When the crew is tired, they spend more time in their racks [beds] and less time spreading dust. This really minimizes the amount of filth in our hard-to-reach places.”
While most of the crew does not benefit from low oxygen levels, White thrives under these adverse conditions.
“Twenty-one percent [normal oxygen level] is weak sauce,” White said. “I was down there for 75 days running in a 110-degree engine room that had AT BEST 16.8 percent oxygen.”
White looks forward to returning to the USS Wisconsin prior to the 2023 X-Games.
The rest of the crew feels otherwise.
“Classic NUB [non-useful body]. He breathes our air, fills up our SAN tanks, eats our food, uses our workout equipment, and doesn’t stand watch. He’s been on six patrols and isn’t even qualified messenger,” said the Mid-watch Helm U/I MMAFN (SU) David Gasper 13 days into his first underway.