The Rookie Takes It
Winter X Games Rookie Danniels Takes Gold in Mono Skier X
To say that Samson Danniels was excited about his gold medal in Mono Skier X would be an understatement. As he crossed the finish line, he let out a yell that was audible throughout the Roaring Fork Valley.
“Oh my god it doesn’t even feel real. This is unbelievable,” Danniels exclaimed.
The Winter X Games rookie had a great start out of the blocks, but was passed by Gregory Peck. As they approached the final turns, Danniels found an inside line and took a lead he wouldn’t give up.
“I just came out and gave it everything I got and skied hard,” said Danniels, who became a paraplegic after a mountain bike accident and is paralyzed from the armpits down. “I blew up a ski this week in practice and I am using a ski that is not even mine. I cannot believe it; this goes out to my friends back home in Whistler (B.C., Canada).
Peck was able to remain in second after being passed by Danniels to capture silver. The bronze went to last year’s gold medalist Josh Dueck.
Mono Skier X takes place on the same course as Skier X. This discipline is open to disabled or adaptive athletes. The adaptive skiers race over a course of tabletop jumps, banked turns, rollers and gaps using a sit ski. A mono ski is a bucket seat fastened to a metal chassis that is shock-mounted on a single alpine ski. Athletes use hand outriggers for balance while racing.
For Winter X Games media information, including press releases, logos and additional images from past events, log on to www.espneventmedia.com. To view medalist runs, visit the Winter X Games You Tube Channel – https://www.youtube.com/xgames and follow the X Games on Twitter at Twitter.com/xgames
Additional photos are available from ESPN Images bit.ly/WX16Pix – password: wxg16
WINTER X GAMES ASPEN 2012
Winter X Games Aspen 2012 returns to Aspen/Snowmass, Colo., January 26-29, 2012, with live coverage on ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC. This year marks the 11th consecutive year the event is being held in Aspen and features more than 200 of the world’s best athletes in the sports of Skiing, Snowboarding and Snowmobile. In addition to 16 hours of live programing on ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC, more than nine hours of Winter X Games Aspen content will be offered on ESPN3 and 25 hours on ESPN 3D.
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Contacts: Danny Chi, ESPN, 310-642-1509, danny.c.chi@espn.com
Katie Moses-Swope, ESPN, 303-290-7888, katie.moses-swope@espn.com
Alex Rozis, ESPN, 310-642-1533, alex.a.rozis@espn.com
Grace Coryell, ESPN, 310-642-1519, grace.s.coryell@espn.com