For the 13th consecutive year, the Winter X-Games were help in Aspen, Colorado. This year it was announced that the X-Games will continue being held in Aspen for at least 5 more years. As usual, repeat goal medalists caused great excitement during this 4 day event.
Both women’s and men’s events saw repeat winners this year. David Wise won a gold medal in men’s super pipe for the third consecutive year. Wise scored a 92.00 on the most technically difficulty run and became the favourite for the half pipe in Sochi. Super pipe threat and Frenchman Kevin Rolland took the silver with a score of 88.66. Aspen’s own, 19-year-old Alex Ferreira also medalled taking the bronze. Alex Ferreira was a last minute replacement for Torin Yater-Wallace who was injured in December and trying to heal for the Olympics.
Maddie Brown, the women’s super pipe gold medallist of 2013 took the gold again this year with a score of 88.66. Tahoe native bowman clinched her run with an inverted 900. Roz Groenewoud from Canada took the silver and Marie Martinod from France took the Bronze.
The slope style course saw a second straight gold medal for Nick Goepper who proved he was a force to be reckoned with. Because of a broken wrist he completed his third run of the slope stylepoleless. He scored a well-earned 95.00 for his stylish triple, techy rail tricks, and the money booster. McRae Williams from Park City medalled for the first time this year when he earned the silver. Bronze winner and legend from Andreas Hatveit announced that this year was his last X-Games.
The women’s slope style gold was taken by Canadian Kaya Turski. Turski had ACL surgery just 5 months before the X-Games and came away with it with her fourth consecutive gold with a score of 91.33. This year’s slope style event saw the women’s silver go to the new kid on the block. Fifteen year-old Maggie Voisin from Montana earned second place with a score of 90. Voisin threw more than the typical 5’s and 7’s that most women throw. Third place was taken by Canadian Kim Lamarre with a score of 85.00.
The Big Air event saw another defending champion take the gold. Sweden’s Henrik Harlaut took a second consecutive gold with his triple, nose butter, and after bang. The silver was taken by Canadian Vincent Gagnier who did some radical grabs on his run. Switzerland’s Kai Mahler also podiumed when she took the bronze.
Four of the X-Games competitors this year are representing the United States in Sochi. Gus Kenworthy is in Sochi competing in the slope style event. Also competing is this year’s Olympics are David Wise and Alex Ferreira in the Men’s Super pipe and Maddie Brown in the Women’s Superpipe. Two others will also be participating as representation of their own countries. Marie Martinod from France and Roz Groenewoud from Canada will compete with Brown in the Women’s Super pipe.
If you have got the Winter Sports buzz then grab your mates and try out these fantastic disciplines you self on a friends ski outing and see you on the slope.