All eyes were on the women during day two of X Games Aspen 2024, as the most talented ladies in ski and snowboard set the stage for two brand new disciplines and new records.
Women’s Ski SuperPipe star Eileen Gu (CHN) again proved why she’s the best in the world as she walked away with her second X Games gold medal in Superpipe and fourth overall medal. The event also put a spotlight on a more playful approach to competitive snowboarding with the OKX Web3 Street Style competition and addition of Women’s Ski and Snowboard Knuckle Huck. In Snowboard Big Air, the highly anticipated 1800 showdown continues to unfold the progression in Big Air snowboarding at the highest level.
To kick off day two, the 10-man lineup showcased Slopestyle skills at its finest, bringing on the highest level of style, technicality and creativity.
After finishing just off the podium in Big Air last night, two-time X Games Ski Big Air gold medalist Birk Ruud of Norway found redemption as he took home his first Slopestyle gold medal in dramatic fashion. Maximizing the rail and jump sections of the course from top to bottom took him from a score of 34.00 to 96.00 in his last attempt, with a memorable back-to-back right double cork 1620 safety grab, switch left side double cork 1620 and ending with a left double cork bio 1800.
“I’m feeling amazing now. After doing Big Air last night, I was so tired and kind of beaten up, and I was very down. It’s the first time I kind of felt like I just failed myself for two years. But to be back here and getting the redemption and putting down one of the best slopestyle runs I’ve ever done just feels truly amazing. I’m very, very happy,” said Ruud.
Eleven-time gold medalist Alex Hall (USA) took second and last year’s silver medalist Mac Forehand (USA) took third.
In a field predominantly new to X Games, the Knuckle Huck competition featured a lighter vibe, utilizing just the last roller element of the slopestyle course and emphasizing technicality, creativity and style. Friday’s Snowboard Slopestyle silver medalist Kokomo Murase added gold for her second medal of the weekend and eighth X Games medal.
“She’s very happy to be invited to this Knuckle Huck. It means you have to be really good at everything and she’s very happy to get this result. She just wanted to focus on her own snowboarding, show how she’s snowboarding and express that with her riding,” said Murase through a translator.
Annika Moran (GER) and Ellie Weiler (USA) came in second and third respectively.
The skiing portion of the Knuckle Huck competition saw five rookies, including Taylor Lundquist (USA), who is widely considered as one of the pioneers of the women’s street skiing movement. X Games Aspen 2023 Ski Big Air bronze medalist Olivia Asselin (CAN) came out swinging in search of her first X Games gold. Saving her signature trick for her last attempt, Asselin dropped a variation of tricks that included a nose butter, tail butter and hand drag that was good enough to take first.
“Taking gold in the first Knuckle Huck event means the world to me.This is such a fun, creative event and I’m all about that. I love these events. I think they’re the most fun to watch. And it was so fun to see it with all the girls. It was just such a good vibe out there and all the girls crushed it,”said Asselin. “One of the hardest things is to come up with ideas because this is such a different feature than what we’re used to. So you have to come up with different tricks, obviously, and get creative with it.”
X Games Aspen 2018 Big Air gold medalist Sarah Hoefflin (SUI), the oldest woman competing at X Games Aspen 2024 at age 33, was sitting high in second position until X Games rookie Rell Harwood (USA) upped her game to squeak past Hoefflin to lock up the silver medal. Hoefflin earned bronze.
Showcasing some of the best rail riders in the world, Street Style highlights the roots of snowboarding in a jam including unique rails and features commonly found on the street. The winner of the Nixon watches were awarded to first-time X Games rider Grace Warner (USA) and Pat Fava (USA) who exuded the most style in the 20-min jam session, making the most difficult tricks look easy.
Warner, who’s winning run was a boardslide pretzel on the kink rail said, “This is my first X Games. I never imagined that I would be able to come and even watch this event, so competing in it is such a treat. And walking away with a medal is the most insane thing ever! I don’t even have words to describe how I feel right now. I never even had competing as a goal. So I think this is way beyond anything I ever imagined.”
Despite navigating an aggravating injury, heavy favorite Eileen Gu (CHN) came out of the gates with her sights locked on gold for Women’s Ski SuperPipe.
Since 2019, the full-time Stanford University student and model has been virtually unstoppable in the discipline with 15 superpipe starts, 14 podiums and 13 wins. Gu sealed her victory from her very first run, including a 10 foot, 6 inch air out of the pipe with technical variations, back-to-back 900s, and alley oop backside 540 safety grab. Judges awarded her performance, upping her score in her final run to a 95.66 to secure her second superpipe gold, adding to her three X Games medals in SuperPipe and Slopestyle, and Big Air bronze – all which she secured in her rookie X Games appearance in 2021.
“I’m so honored to win X Games again. To me, I’ve always said this event really epitomizes everything that action sports are,” said Gu. “I want to recognize the athletes missing tonight, including Sarah Burke who paved the way for us. And thank you, X Games time and time again, for all the support who got me through this week. X Games is magic. I love all the skiing, I love all of it. Thank you Aspen!”
The biggest threat to Gu was fellow Stanford University sophomore Zoe Atkin (GBR) who went 12 feet above the pipe, but a fall in her last run landed her in second position. Amy Fraser (CAN) took home the bronze.
The Women’s Ski Big Air competition did not disappoint as Tess Ledeux (FRA) cemented her dominance with her third gold medal in Big Air, making it her ninth career X Games medal (Big Air and Slopestyle).
New to this year’s format, competitors were judged on style points on the first kicker dubbed the style jump, followed by their level of technicality on the second and third tricks. Tess’ first style hit was flawless and earned a perfect score of 10. Her technical portion consisted of a double cork 1620 safety grab in Run 2 and switch double cork 1440 safety grab in Run 3.
”Wow, This is amazing. Five gold medals. I can’t believe it and I’m just so happy. (The perfect 10) was a big surprise for me. I’m super proud of this trick!” said Ledeux.
History was made when Anastasia Tatalina (RUS) earned silver, the first time Russia has taken home an X Games medal. USA’s Rell Harwood claimed bronze.
Ledeux’s biggest challenger and co-Big Air favorite Mathilde Gremaud (SUI), who hasn’t missed a podium this season, took the risk of opting out of safety runs to go big and was unable to stick any of her runs.
With standing room only, the annual history-making competition of Men’s Snowboard Big Air did not disappoint with 1800s being the standard in order to have a chance of podium contention. The night belonged to 18-year-old Taiga Hasegawa (JPN) who committed the entire competition to stomping a clean backside 1980, a trick he’s mastered in all four directions, to win his first gold medal in four X Games appearances.
“I’m so happy. I can’t believe this happened.I thought this was just a thought. Thanks for coming,” said Hasegawa.
Hiroaki Kunitake (JPN) and stylemaster Mons Røisland (NOR), who entertained fans with show-stopping tricks including a jump over the fence for one of his dismounts, finished in second and third.
The Thayers Men’s Ski Knuckle Huck capped off the last competition under the lights, where expression and creativity across the knuckle were received by an energetic fan base. Colby Stevenson (USA) put down an epic nose butter into 720 and 1440 to ensure gold was his and became the first to repeat gold for X Games Knuckle Huck.
“The energy was X Games mode 100%! Everyone is so good so I just tried to do my tricks planned and maybe try new stuff. This was the ultimate progression session. I saw the craziest knuckle stuff I’ve ever seen and that was the best knuckle they built for us, to give us more airtime and also be able to butter normally on the other side was cool.” said Stevenson.
Henrik Harlaut (SWE) celebrated each run with his signature dog barks and flair while Jesper Tjader (SWE) exuded flavor to secure third.
The final day of X Games Aspen 2024 will conclude tomorrow (January 28) with the Men’s Snowboard Slopestyle, Women’s Ski Slopestyle, Men’s Ski SuperPipe and Pacifico Women’s Snowboard Big Air finals, which you can catch on ABC and ESPN throughout the day.
For more coverage from X Games Aspen 2024, click here.
