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Sildaru Wins Three Medals at X Games Aspen; Bodin Takes Second Gold in Snowmobile Freestyle; Otsuka Defends The Real Cost Snowboard Big Air Gold
Action continued on the slopes of Buttermilk Mountain for day two of X Games Aspen 2019, where 16-year-old Kelly Sildaru added two additional medal wins in Ski Slopestyle and Big Air to become just the third athlete to win three medals in the same event. A packed house experienced a full day of competition, along with interactive games and giveaways in X Fest before Grammy Award winning Lil Wayne closed out the evening at the GEICO music stage.
Estonian phenom Kelly Sildaru kicked off the day by adding a gold medal in Jeep Women’s Ski Slopestyle to the Ski SuperPipe silver medal she won Thursday night. With a score of 99.00 in her final run that included a right side cork 900, a leftside 1080 and switch right 1080, Sildaru beat out her opponents by nearly 10 points. Sarah Hoefflin took silver and Maggie Voisin took bronze. The last five contests of X Games Women’s Ski Slopestyle have been won by teenagers.
The Real Cost Men’s Ski Big Air added five more competitors to the final slated for Saturday evening with an elimination today. Canadian Evan McEachran led the pack with a score of 87.00 and a run featuring a leftside 1800 and a right side triple cork.
Jeep Men’s Snowboard Slopestyle also added seven competitors to tomorrow’s final, where four-time X Games medalist Sebastien Toutant took the top spot with a score of 92.66. His run included a cab 1200 and backside triple.
Daniel Bodin took home his second gold in Snowmobile Freestyle, beating out the defending gold medalist Brett Turcotte on his second run, which included a huge tsunami flip, a Cordova flip and a Shaolin backflip. Turcotte, who will also compete in Wendy’s Snow BikeCross and Snow Bike Best Trick later this weekend, took home silver while six-time X Games medalist Justin Hoyer took bronze.
Switzerland’s Mathilde Gremaud took home her second gold in Women’s Ski Big Air, throwing a switch leftside double cork. Sildaru returned to the Big Air course to take home her third medal of the event, a bronze with a score of 79.00. Only two other athletes have medaled in three disciplines at the same X Games winter event (Joe Parsons in 2013 and Jennie Waara in 1997). Johanne Killi found herself on the podium yet again, taking silver.
After a surprise gold medal in his rookie appearance at X Games Norway 2018, 17-year-old Takeru Otsuka proved he’s the new king of Big Air with a repeat gold in The Real Cost Men’s Snowboard Big Air. Dropping a frontside triple cork 1800 tail grab on his second run, Otsuka added a cab triple 1620 indy grab on his final run to take the gold. The youngest rider in the field, Otsuka bested Big Air podium mainstay Mark McMorris and Sven Thorgren.
X Games Aspen continues tomorrow with Jeep Women’s Snowboard Slopestyle, Adaptive and Para Snow BikeCross, Jeep Men’s Snowboard Slopestyle, Wendy’s Snow BikeCross, Wendy’s Snowboard Knuckle Huck, The Real Cost Men’s Ski Big Air and SoFi Women’s Snowboard SuperPipe. In the afternoon, Chicago-based DJ and production duo Louis the Child continues the music entertainment on the GEICO stage before Grammy Award-winners, The Chainsmokers, close out the evening. Schedules and TV listings available at XGames.com.
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Media Contacts:
Danny Chi ESPN Communications, 310-642-1509, [email protected]
Grace Coryell ESPN Communications, 818-585-3696, [email protected]
Olivia Wilson ESPN Communications, 904-303-3538, [email protected]
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