The energy was electric at Buttermilk Mountain as a sold-out crowd witnessed history on Day 2 of X Games Aspen 2025 on Friday (January 24). Nine competitions went down, but the final event of the day — Men’s Snowboard Knuckle Huck — was all about style, creativity, and pushing the limits.
For those who don’t know, Knuckle Huck uses the same course as the Big Air jump, however instead of hitting the jump, athletes utilize the rollover or “knuckle” to throw their most stylish tricks. According to X Games, Knuckle Huck is judged on execution and difficulty of maneuvers, variety, progression of attempt, originality and style.

In a field packed with innovative riders, it was Ziyang Wang (CHN) who took home gold with a mind-blowing triple tame dog in Run 3 — essentially a three-flip front flip with precise knuckle taps that had fans losing their minds. Patrick Hofmann (SUI) secured silver, while Dusty Henricksen (USA) rode away with bronze, showing off his signature flair in one of the most unpredictable and exciting disciplines in snowboarding.
Henricksen, known for his laid-back style and insane board control, embraced the spontaneous nature of Knuckle Huck. Unlike other events with structured runs, Knuckle Huck is all about flow, feel, and throwing down in the moment.
“There’s only about five runs of practice, so you just have to go out there, have fun, and figure it out along the way, Henricksen told Celeb Secrets host Juliet Schroder after the contest.
And figure it out, he did. The 21-year-old stomped a variety of stylish and technical tricks throughout the 20-minute jam session, earning himself a well-deserved spot on the podium in a fall flannel.
Despite the frigid temps, Henricksen was all about the good vibes. “The crowd’s insane, the music’s insane, and yeah, the tricks are insane, so no complaints,” he said.
X Games is more than just a competition for these riders, it’s a week of progression, camaraderie, and straight-up sending it. “It’s always a fun week. Everybody gets a little extra mojo in them to go bigger and push themselves,” Henricksen added.

The season is far from over for the Mammoth Lakes, CA rider, who’s locked in for more competitions over the next month. But outside of contests, he’s got a creative side. When he’s not snowboarding, he’s filming street spots, riding backcountry, surfing, and even painting.
With another X Games medal to his name and an undeniable passion for progression, Dusty Henricksen continues to be one of the most exciting riders to watch in snowboarding. And if the Knuckle Huck showdown was any indication, we can expect plenty more jaw-dropping moments from him this season.
WATCH THE FULL MEN’S SNOWBOARD KNUCKLE HUCK COMPETITION BELOW:
For more coverage from X Games Aspen 2025, click here.