Tess Ledeux Earns Second Gold in 22 Hours; Mark McMorris Reclaims Snowboard Slopestyle Gold; Zoi Sadowski-Synnott Earns First Big Air Gold; Sena Tomita Becomes First Japanese Women’s Snowboard SuperPipe Winner; Alex Hall Wins Big Air Gold with 2160; Marcus Kelevland Defends Big Air Gold
The second day of competitions on Saturday included six medaled events on a sunny day in Aspen Snowmass. With two Slopestyle, a SuperPipe and three Big Air events, X Games history was made throughout the day.
In less than 22 hours, Tess Ledeux became the first female skier to win double gold in Big Air and then Jeep Women’s Ski Slopestyle. The first female skier to land two doubles in a run at X Games, her third run was the best. In the rail section she landed a switch pretzel 270, switch rightside 270 continuing 270 and a blind 450 safety. Then through the jumps Tess stomped a switch leftside 1080 Japan, switch rightside bio 900 safety and a left double 1260 Weddle grab. Mathilde Gremaud won her second Slopestyle medal with a silver and Megan Oldham earned her second Slopestyle bronze after capturing her third Big Air medal on Friday.
After missing X Games Aspen 2021, Mark McMorris earned his spot back atop the Jeep Men’s Snowboard Slopestyle podium to take home his sixth gold medal. Mark now has 12 medals in 14 competition starts at X Games and is tied for fifth-most X Games medals. The only rider to throw three triple corks on the jump line, Mark’s fourth run launched him into gold medal position with a 50-50 backside 270 transfer, switch lipslide transfer to switch boardslide 270 out, switch backside 270 to fakie through the rails into a switch backside triple cork 1620 stalefish, frontside triple cork 1440 Weddle and backside triple cork 1620 Indy on the jump line. Marcus Kleveland earned his first silver and Sven Thorgren bronze. Although he finished in fifth place, Rene Rinnekangas landed a competition-first 1980.
Adding to her Friday Slopestyle gold, Zoi Sadowski-Synnott earned her first-ever Big Air gold medal with frontside double cork 1080 melon and a backside 1260. The entire field going frontside double cork 1080 on their first runs, Pacifico Women’s Snowboard Big Air. The defending Big Air gold medalist, Jamie Anderson earned a silver medal, to re-tie her with McMorris for the most medals in X Games winter history. Miyabi Onitsuka stayed podium perfect in her Big Air appearances, landing a cab 1260 and frontside 1080 for bronze.
Sena Tomita made X Games history, becoming the first Japanese gold medalist in Women’s Snowboard SuperPipe. After taking a hard fall on her first run, Sena returned to the top to land a run that included a frontside 900 on the first hit, into a backside 540, frontside 720, cab 720 and ending with a frontside 1080. Although X Games 2020 gold medalist Queralt Castellet landed a solid run, it was not enough to catch Sena and she settled for silver. In the very last run of the contest, Haruna Matsumoto landed her first full run which included a frontside 1080 and a frontside 900 for bronze.
In the Men’s Ski Big Air competition, the spin was king with riders landing 1800s and 1900s. In his first competition of three this weekend, Alex Hall earned his third Big Air gold with tricks that included a 1980 and a 2160. In the sixth round of runs, Mac Forehand was sitting in first place position with a switch 1800 double grab and 1800 tail grab, but Alex cleanly landed the first 2160 for gold. X Games rookies Mac Forehand and Teal Harle both earned their first X Games medals with silver and bronze.
The day closed with Men’s Snowboard Big Air, where defending gold medalist Marcus Kleveland earned his second medal of the day. Not to be outdone, the snowboarders also joined the 1800 and 1900 clubs. Marcus’ best tricks were a backside quad cork 1800 Indy and a Cab 1800 Weddle. Big Air specialist Max Parrot returned to X Games after missing Aspen 2021 to earn his 11th Big Air medal, a silver. Max’s best tricks were a Cab triple cork 1800 Weddle and a frontside triple cork 1800 Weddle. Fan favorite Rene Rinnekangas opened up the contest with the 1980 in the first run, however he eventually earned bronze.
X Games Aspen continues tomorrow with Jeep Women’s Ski Slopestyle, Jeep Men’s Snowboard Slopestyle, Pacifico Women’s Snowboard Big Air, Women’s Snowboard SuperPipe, Men’s Ski Big Air and Men’s Snowboard Big Air. Visit XGames.com for the full telecast schedule and how to watch information.
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Video News Release
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Jeep Women’s Ski Slopestyle
1. Tess Ledeux (FRA)
2. Mathilde Gremaud (SUI)
3. Megan Oldham (CAN)
4. Johanne Killi (NOR)
5. Kirsty Muir (SCO)
6. Maggie Voisin (USA)
7. Kelly Sildau (EST)
Gold – Tess Ledeux
Silver – Mathilde Gremaud
Bronze – Megan Oldham
Jeep Men’s Snowboard Slopestyle
1. Mark McMorris (CAN)
2. Marcus Kleveland (NOR)
3. Sven Thorgren (SWE)
4. Red Gerard (USA)
5. Rene Rinnekangas (FIN)
6. Darcy Sharpe (CAN)
7. Max Parrot (CAN)
8. Ståle Sandbech (NOR)
9. Mons Røisland (NOR)
10. Dusty Henricksen (USA)
Gold – Mark McMorris
Silver – Marcus Kleveland
Bronze – Sven Thorgren
Pacifico Women’s Snowboard Big Air
1. Zoi Sadowski-Synnott (NZL), 85.00
2. Jamie Anderson (USA), 82.00
3. Miyabi Onitsuka (JPN), 78.00
4. Kokomo Murase (JPN), 65.00
5. Laurie Blouin (CAN), 51.00
Gold – Zoi Sadowski-Synnott
Silver – Jamie Anderson
Bronze – Miyabi Onitsuka
Women’s Snowboard SuperPipe
1. Sena Tomita (JPN)
2. Queralt Castellet (ESP)
3. Haruna Matsumoto (JPN)
4. Kurumi Imai (JPN)
5. Maddie Mastro (USA)
6. Summer Fenton (USA)
7. Elizabeth Hosking (CAN)
Gold – Sena Tomita
Silver – Queralt Castellet
Bronze – Haruna Matsumoto
Men’s Ski Big Air
Gold – Alex Hall
Silver – Mac Forehand
Bronze – Teal Harle
Men’s Snowboard Big Air
Gold – Marcus Kleveland
Silver – Max Parrot
Bronze – Rene Rinnekangas
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