Winter X Games unimpeded by Olympics
“I think it is really important,” says Scotty Lago, a member of the U.S. Olympic snowboard team. “I’d love nothing more than to go to Aspen and get a medal at Winter X.”
There will be 42 Olympians in the Winter X Games, including 2006 snowboard cross silver medalist Lindsey Jacobellis and all eight from the U.S. halfpipe team.
The X Games, broadcast on ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC, open today in Aspen, Colo., and run through Sunday.
Last year’s Winter X Games telecast reached more than 7.5 million homes with 68,100 on-site attendees.
Medaling at Winter X Games is a different challenge than doing so at the Olympics.
While Vancouver will have the top four riders from countries around the world, Winter X has the world’s top riders, regardless of nationality.
“When you go to the X Games, you know all the best riders are going to be there,” says Norwegian snowboarder and five-time medalist Andreas Wiig.
The best riders are not just aggressive young men; Winter X also fields an expanding segment of top female athletes.
Freeskier Sarah Burke is considered the queen of women’s superpipe and is expected to defend her gold medal status Saturday night.
“They’ve always been really progressive. It’s the biggest, most important one to all of us by far.”
Winter X Games unimpeded by Olympics
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