An incredible Winter X Games 2012
As if a triple cork by Mark McMorris to win the Big Air, and then gold in the slopestyle wasn't enough, Shaun White scores a perfect 100 to win the halfpipe competition and brings out his new frontside double cork 1260
Halfpipe
The 108,000 people that witnessed Winter X Games Aspen 2012 saw some amazing feats over the four days. However those that stuck around for the final event Sunday night saw history in Snowboard SuperPipe.
Shaun White competes Men's Snowboard SuperPipe Finals during Winter X Games 2012
Photo: Christian Pondella/ESPN Images
Shaun White - one of the most decorated X Games athletes in history - scored a perfect score of 100.00 on his final run to capture his fifth-consecutive Snowboard SuperPipe gold. He is the first athlete to win five consecutive SuperPipe gold medals and is just the third athlete to win five consecutive in a discipline.
"It's unreal, I have wanted that 100 forever," White said trying to catch his breath from excitement.
Before his third run, White had already sealed the gold medal but he had more to prove. He wanted to land the back-to-back double McTwist 1260 after missing it on his second run.
"For me, it (the competition) wasn't complete until I landed that run," White said. "I am glad I did. I have been to so many X Games now, and I will forever remember this. Getting that 100 score, the perfect score. It is crazy."
Swiss rider Iouri Podladtchikov, or Ipod as he is known on the mountain, scored a 93.00 winning the silver. Ipod said that although he didn't win, he was very happy with his performance.
"I am really happy actually because I have never put that run down so clean," an exhausted Podladtchikov said following his last run. "I wish I had another run because I was just getting warmed up. It was my personal best run so far but it wasn't enough today."
Japan's Ryo Aono took home the bronze with a top score of 86.00
"I had good coaching and I am so very happy," Aono said.
Slopestyle
Coming into his second Winter X Games, Mark McMorris had zero gold medals. When he leaves Winter X Games Aspen 2012, he will be a double gold medal winner after winning Snowboard Slopestyle on Saturday night to go along with his Big Air victory.
Mark McMorris competes competes in the Men's Snowboard Slopestyle Finals at Winter X Games 2012
Photo: Christian Pondella/ESPN Images
"I didn't have any expectations coming in this year," the 18-year old said. "I just wanted to ride like I can and land my tricks. That is all I come out to contests to do is to have fun and try and land the run I have in my head. That was able to happen two nights in a row and it was able to happen on a good weekend at X Games. Now I have a big smile on my face."
That big smile came from a high score of 93.00, five points higher than the silver medalist Sage Kotsenburg.
"When you ride with the people you love to ride with it makes it so much fun. All those guys up there are my friends so it was so much fun," McMorris added.
Kotsenburg moved into second on his final run with a score of 88.00. The Park City, Utah native said that he thrives on pressure.
"I was really bad on my first two runs," Kotsenburg said. "So I guess I am good under pressure, which kind of helps some times."
Finland's Peetu Piiroinen finished third and grabbed his first Winter X Games medal in four appearances.
Big Air
Mark McMorris overcame a perfect run by Torstein Horgmo to capture his first Winter X Games gold medal in Snowboard Big Air to close out Friday night at Winter X Games Aspen 2012.
Torstein Horgmo competes in the Men's Snowboard Big Air Final at Winter X Games 2012
Photo: Matt Morning/ESPN Images
"X Games is something that I have watched since I was super young and all of my idols have been here," an energetic and excited McMorris said. "To end up on top of the podium in the biggest event in snowboarding is such a good feeling. All the support has been insane."
Both McMorris and last year's gold medalist Horgmo pulled off the vaunted Triple Cork, with Horgmo scoring a perfect 50. But McMorris' collection of work put him on top of the medal stand.
"It was amazing," silver medalist Horgmo said. "I am so stoked for Mark. It seemed like we kept pushing each other. It was just a good session out there."
The man known affectionately known as "Seb Toots," Sebastien Toutant took home the bronze to go along with his silver from last year's event.
Boarder-x
In the womens event, To say that Snowboarder X was dominated at Winter X Games Aspen 2012 by Dominique Maltais would be an understatement.
She was easily the fastest rider in the each of the preliminary rounds and when the finals came around it was no different, as she pulled away from the pack to capture her first Winter X Games gold medal.
"I am really happy," an emotional Maltais said. "I was really looking forward to winning this year. I have been racing really well on the World Cup circuit and I was being positive about this competition. I didn't look back until the end of the race and I was really surprised when I saw that I was so far in front. I was really happy to win and it was a good race."
The pride of Bulgaria, Alexandra Jekova, won the silver medal. The medal is the first Winter X Games medal for her country. Maelle Ricker rounded out the medalists finishing third.
Britains Zoe Gillings did fantastic to continue her fine set of results this season, by making the finals, but unfortunately fell when being passed by Maelle Ricker and finished sixth.
In the mens, Nate Holland is back on the podium's top spot joined by two fellow Americans.
"It always feels great to be on top," Holland said. "I knew I just had to ride my heart out and back my words up and I was able to do that. I am fired up to be back on top."
Holland hung in second through most of the race just behind Norway's Stian Sivertzen. As the riders approached the final leg of the race Sivertzen caught an edge, fell, and took out himself and hard-charging Pierre Vaultier.
"I was able to catch up to Stian but I wasn't able to pass him," Holland said as he recounted the final turns of the race. "Then Pierre Vaultier came up and I knew it was going to be a battle. We went in the next turn and Stian went down and I made it out of the carnage. It was so beautiful to see the finish line without Nick Baumgartner in front of me."
Last year's gold medalist Baumgartner said it wasn't an ideal way to finish second, but one he will gladly accept.
"I was doing everything I could to hang on and get myself in position where if something should happen I could capitalize on it," the Iron River, Michigan native said. "It wasn't the way I wanted to get second, but I will take it."
The USA sweep was wrapped up by bronze medalist Jayson Hale, returning to the podium after a six-year absence.
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