And it’s another gold medal for Scotty James!
The 29-year-old professional snowboarder found himself back on top of the podium after throwing down a mind-blowing run during the Monster Energy Snowboard SuperPipe competition on Friday (January 26) at X Games Aspen 2024 in Aspen, CO. The win makes this his sixth X Games gold medal in the eight times he’s competed in the discipline.
“I’m pinching myself. I’m super excited,” James tells Celeb Secrets host Juliet Schroder at the base of Buttermilk Mountain moments after his big win. “It’s always an amazing atmosphere here at X Games, and gold medals are hard to come by, so I don’t take it for granted. I’m really excited and gonna hold onto it tight tonight. I’m just really stoked.”
X Games Aspen 2024 Day 1 Recap – January 26, 2024
Being the last event during a jam-packed day at X Games Aspen, Scotty knew he had to not only defend his gold medal, but deliver for the fans who patiently waited all night to see their favorite snowboarder. Coming in with his signature red boxing gloves, the 29-year-old Aussie put up a fight from the beginning as he made difficult tricks look easy from the second he dropped in for his first run.
Going into more detail about how he plans his runs, James says that keeping things exciting and engaging is super important and key to staying in the number one position.
“I think every year for me it’s really important to keep it fresh for myself,” he shares.”I’ve been in the game for a while now, so keeping it exciting and engaging for me is important. New tricks are a big part of that.”
Rounding out the podium was Ruka Hirano (JPN), who earned his first spot on the podium since winning bronze at X Games Aspen in 2021 and Kaishu Hirano (JPN), younger brother to Ayumu Hirano (JPN), who boasted the highest air of the night that registered at 22 feet, 10 inches above the deck on the huck-o-meter in his third run to take third place.
While Scotty’s win set the bar high for the future of men’s SuperPipe snowboarding, it marks an incredible day in history for the most-anticipated X Games contest. Last night’s win marked the Olympic snowboarder’s third consecutive gold medal, which has only been accomplished by legend Shaun White… until now.
“Shaun has an incredible history, and to stand against him with that — or with him I should say with that — three-peat is pretty special,” he says. “I always respected Shaun’s riding, so it’s good company. I think a celebration is due.”
Celeb Secrets caught up with Scotty moments after winning the competition, where he talked about his gold medal finish, becoming a household name in the sport and what’s next for the rest of the season. Check out the full interview below and let us know if you’re hyped for the snowboarder’s big finish by leaving a reaction at the bottom of the post.
For more coverage from X Games Aspen 2024, click here.
