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Fans Vote on Winter X-Games Big Air Final

J Dogg — Fri, 1 Feb 2008 01:39:34 -0500

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Four world-class skiers duked it out and wowed a capacity crowd on Buttermilk Mountain tonight as ESPN Winter X Games hosted the first-ever Skiing Big Air Final.

Swedish sensation Jon Olsson won the gold medal, soaring over the 65-foot step-up gap with a double kangaroo flip accented with a Japan grab landing switch. Fan voting counted for 50% of the scoring at Big Air, and fans both at home and on-site instantly texted Winter X Games and made their voices heard. Professional skier Mike Douglas served as sports analyst and his expertise counted for the other 50%.

Hayden Christensen, star of the upcoming film “Jumper,” spoke for the people after the text votes were tallied. Olsson beat out Charles Gagnier in the final pairing; Gagnier busted out a switch 1260 with a double grab. Simon Dumont and Jacob Wester tied for third place. There were no silver or bronze medals at this event – just gold.

“I love this competition, because I like flippin’,” Olsson said. “Flippin’s cool because it’s all or nothing.”

See more X-Games 12 results, photos, and videos at www.xgames.com

Rhalves Wins X Games Gold

J Dogg — Fri, 1 Feb 2008 01:34:48 -0500

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Thirty-four-year-old Daron Rahlves, arguably the most accomplished speed skier in American history, began competing in the Skier X event last year. In fact, his run in today’s Skier X Men’s Final marked only his second ESPN Winter X Games appearance – but he surged to the lead early in the final heat and never looked back.
“I just wanted it,” Rahlves said afterwards. “Wanted it really bad.” Rahvles, silver medalist Stanley Hayer, and bronze medalist (and Aspen local) Casey Puckett all finished within a second of each other.
Czech racer Tomas Kraus led early, but fell after Rahlves passed him and took the lead – a lead Rahlves would hold all the way to the finish line. “My start was weak, but I capitalized on the few openings that I had,” Rahlves said. “Key thing was to just not think about the other guys, and ski my race. Our heat was stacked, but you can’t really think about the other guys. You just gotta dig deep and put the hammer down.” More videos, results, and photos from the Winter X-Games 12 at www.expn.go.com

Schiller Takes X-Games Gold

J Dogg — Sun, 29 Jan 2006 00:00:00 -0500

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Mother Nature Plays Havoc With Skiing Slopestyle

It wasn't the event he planned on winning, but TJ Schiller will take the gold anyway. With snowfalls blanketing the Slopestyle course on Buttermilk Mountain at Aspen/Snowmass, the Skiing Slopestyle Final became Skiing Best Trick. Instead of riding the full course, all 20 competitors took two runs on its final jump, taking the best of two scores. Schiller (Vernon, BC, Canada) went big with a switch nose 1080 on his first jump, good enough for a 91.33 and the gold.

"I was pretty bummed we couldn't have Slopestyle. I was really working on my rail tricks," Schiller said. "Then mother nature decided to dump a foot of snow on us, so there's nothing you can do about it. But it was a great show, and it was really great to be here." "We do this kind of thing all the time," he said about Best Trick, "whether it's in competition, or just riding the mountain."

TJ Schiller.
Photo by Tony Donaldson

Charles Gagnier (Victoriaville, QC, Canada), who landed a switch 1080 mute grab to take the silver, believed the elements were definitely a challenge. "The final run was hard because we were waiting so long, I really didn't know what would happen. By the second run, I got over it," Gagnier said. "Watching the other guys doing it, I got really pumped up. I felt I had to go big." Andreas Hatveit (Sundalen, Norway) overcame sore ribs suffered at the US Open of Skiing to take the bronze with a switch true tail 1080 and a score of 87.66. His excitement at finishing with a medal was more than enough to dull the pain. "For the last five years, my goal has been to get to the X Games podium. I was too stoked to feel the pain," Hatveit said.

SKIING BEST TRICK
(Originally Skiing Slopestyle. Due to snow, competition was modified to a Best Trick format with all 20 competitors, in a best of two run format)

Final Results from Aspen/Snowmass on Sunday, January 29, 2006
1. TJ Schiller 505 Vernon, BC, Canada 91.33
2. Charles Gagnier 500 Victoriaville, QC, Canada 89.33
3. Andreas Hatveit 541 Sudndalen, Norway 87.66
4. Candide Thovex 509 La Clusaz, France 83.00
5. Jon Olsson 502 Are, Sweden 82.00
6. John Spriggs 520 Vail, Colo. 81.66
7. Sammy Carlson 512 Tigard, Ore. 80.66
8. Corey Vanular 507 Niagra-on-the-Lake, ON, Canada 79.00
9. Simon Dumont 366 Bethel, Maine 78.33
10. Peter Olenick 506 Carbondale, Colo. 75.00
11. Laurent Favre 510 La Clusaz, France 73.00
12. JF Houle 519 Drummondville, QC, Canada 68.66
13. Derek Spong 513 Woodinville, Wash. 67.00
14. Jacob Wester 516 Stockholm, Sweden 65.33
15. Pep Fujas 511 Sandy, Utah 65.33
16. Steele Spence 514 Aspen, Colo. 64.66
17. Tanner Rainville 515 Squaw Valley, Calif. 54.33
18. Rory Bushfield 517 Balzac, AB, Canada 43.00
19. Josh Bibby 508 Vernon, BC, Canada 14.00
20. Tim Durtschi 521 Bend, Ore. 11.00

Rory Bushfeild in the middle of
his big switch double back-flip.
Photo by Tony Donaldson