X Games is one of the biggest winter sports events in the world.ย The athlete competition is at an all time high along with the skill. To get an invitation to compete in such an event is extremely challenging and a huge honor.
The way the X Games invitation system works starts with the previous seasons podium finishers. Each person who placed on the podium in any venue is invited back to compete. Athletesย that didn’t make the podiumย must be selectedย in order to receive an invitation, which is based upon skill from previous similar competitions, or prior X Games appearances, and the peoples choice.
A notable athlete who will be returning thanks to a tremendous effort and first place finish last year is Jossi Wells.ย Wells has been on the podium four times throughout his 10-years of appearances in both slopestyle and Superpipe, but never claimed the gold. After laying down a stylish and superb run, he managed to take the gold last year in Men’s Ski Slopestyle and will be headed to Aspen in January with Gus Kenworth and Oystein Braaten, the silver and bronze ski slopestyle finishers.
Another star athlete to return to the scene as an automatic invite is Women’s Snowboard Superpipe master Chloe Kim. Defending her 2015 gold medal at X Games in the superpipe, she stepped up and took it again in 2016 giving her back-to-back top spot X Games finishes. In the process, she managed to make history as the first athlete to score two gold medals before turning the age of 16. Keep an eye out for her runs as she battles the returning competition of silver medalist Arielle Gold and bronze medalists Cai Xuetong.
After taking a gap year, Snowmobile Freestyle returned to X Games and the competition was as fierce as the tricks were big. Joe Parson took the gold medal position with his signature Parsby Flip, a trick where the rider dismounts and remounts their seat in a backward position. Heath Frisby and Brett Turcotte will be joining Parson for X Games 2017, as the second and third place finishers from last season.
Most of the competitorsย are well-known, while some are relatively new to the scene. One thing isย forย sure thoughย and that is thatย it will be an awesome show at X Games Aspen 2017.
