If there’s one name that owned X Games Aspen 2026 from the very first drop-in, it was Scotty James — and nowhere was that more obvious than at the Monster Energy Men’s Snowboard SuperPipe Final on Saturday (January 24).
The buzzing crowd at Buttermilk Mountain already made it the most electric event of the weekend, but when James stomped his now-iconic combo — including a never-before-seen switch backside 1440 to backside 1440 — the mountain basically shook. By the end of the night, he’d secured his eighth X Games gold medal and 11th SuperPipe medal overall, officially tying Shaun White and Chloe Kim for the most X Games gold medals in skiing or snowboarding history.
And yet, when we spoke to him moments later after the medal ceremony, James was still taking it all in.
“Yeah, I’m… I’m speechless, honestly,” he told Celeb Secrets host Juliet Schroder. “It feels like a lot’s happened since just finishing the pipe and now getting another medal. Being in Aspen, the crowd was unbelievable — probably one of the best ones I’ve seen ever. So it was awesome.”
Heading into the final, everyone knew the Monster Energy SuperPipe was going to be a battle of innovation, power, and progression — and James delivered on all three. His winning third run scored a 95.00, packed with back-to-back double corks and capped off by that historic backside combo that pushed halfpipe riding into new territory.
After the event, James reflected on what motivated him to swing big not just for medals, but for the sport itself.
“All my competitors that I ride against, every year, they get better,” he said in a press statement. “When I look at the greats that have come before me… Shaun [White] doing the first back 12, Mark McMorris doing the first triple… I really felt like I wanted to do something for myself and for halfpipe and push backside riding as much as I can. I wanted to come out and do the first ever back-to-back backside 14s.”
But if you ask James, it’s not about chasing tricks. It’s about chasing perfection when it counts most.
“Coming into X Games, it’s always a really hard event to win,” he told Celeb Secrets. “So I go for the best run I can possibly do, and see how it unfolds over the three runs. And today I was able to stand on top.”
That mindset has turned him into one of the most dominant halfpipe riders of all time, with Monster Energy SuperPipe officially his personal highlight reel. The 31-year-old is hitting milestones that change how history books get written, so when we asked him what it meant to now be in the same gold-medal conversation as White, he didn’t hesitate.
“It’s unbelievable,” he said. “To be in the same conversation as Shaun and the greats is really cool. I always looked up to him as a kid, and yeah, it’s nice to be in the same room with him in the gold medal count — but I look forward to what’s next.”
That “what’s next” energy is exactly why James keeps rewriting the ceiling of what’s possible in halfpipe — and why X Games Aspen 2026 felt less like a victory lap and more like the launchpad for his biggest season yet.
Next month, the Aussie legend will touch down in Italy for the 2026 Milano-Cortina Olympics — marking his fifth Olympic Games since his debut in Vancouver in 2010. The two-time medalist — who earned bronze at PyeongChang 2018 and silver at Beijing 2022 — has one very clear goal: completing his halfpipe medal set with gold. And yes, he’s fully owning that ambition.
“Yeah, I feel great going into the Games,” he told Celeb Secrets. “It’s been a really good prep for me and obviously this really helps building some momentum. It’s going to be a really fierce competition, but I look forward to another one.”
Considering the level he just showed in the Monster Energy SuperPipe, “momentum” might be an understatement.
Even cooler? James isn’t just chasing medals — he’s chasing longevity. We’re hearing the Red Bull athlete isn’t not ruling out sticking around into Salt Lake City 2034, potentially matching Shaun White’s legendary Olympic longevity.
But despite the hardware, the history, and the headlines, James remains one of the most refreshingly grounded athletes in action sports. When we asked what advice he’d give himself looking back over the last decade, his answer was pure Scotty.
“I would tell myself to keep smiling, enjoying it. Don’t take any day for granted. Don’t take any competitors for granted — ’cause everyone’s riding unbelievably. And yeah, just soak in this moment, ’cause it’s a special one.”
And in between it all, he still makes time for what matters: his F1 heiress wife Chloe Stroll and their son Leo Harry James.
“Next week my little boy’s back home in Europe, so I’ll go see him and then I’ll get straight back into training in Switzerland and get ready for the Games,” he shared.
If he manages to sneak in some downtime at Milano-Cortina? He hopes to catch some bobsled racing or even ski jumping.
“Honestly, probably bobsled,” he laughed. “I’ve never been before. I obviously love the sport. Or ski jumping.”
For more on Scotty’s historic win, you can watch our full interview with the snowboarder below. Don’t forget to let us know if you’re hyped for this moment by either leaving a reaction at the bottom of the post or by sliding into our DMs on Instagram at @celebsecrets.
For more coverage from X Games Aspen 2026, click here.
