March 16, 2012
Shaun White Wins Double Gold and Anderson Defends Title
Winter X Games Tignes 2012 Concludes Today
The third annual Winter X Games Tignes concluded today in France with four exciting competitions resulting in 13 total medals for USA over the three days. Record-breaking crowds of 31,700 turned up today to bring the event attendance total to 103,600.
Men’s Snowboard Slopestyle Finals
One day after his gold medal win in SuperPipe, Shaun White won his first Slopestyle Final since his win at Winter X Games Aspen in 2009. The only rider landing two double cork 1260s in his run, White landed his first two runs, but his second run was the gold medal run that included a switch hardway 720, Cab 540 in to backside lipslide to fakie and backside double cork 1260. Landing a double gold from Winter X Games Aspen in January, Mark McMorris landed his best run the first time he dropped in and was able to sit on his first run score after landing a frontside 360 in Cab 720, Cab double cork 900 and a backside double cork 1080. USA’s Eric Willett completed the top three with a bronze.
“Each time I come to X Games, I get more excited and this first time at Winter X Games Tignes was extra special for me,” White said about his second gold in Tignes.
Women’s Snowboard Slopestyle Finals
Jamie Anderson gets the first repeat gold in Snowboard in Tignes, Leading the field with her first run and dominating with her usual style, defending gold medalist and three-time Winter X Games Aspen gold medalist laid down a perfect run with difficult tricks that included a Cab 720 switch backside 540 and a frontside 720. Canada’s Spencer O’Brien landed a backside 540 and 720 smoothly and attempted a 900 on her last run. Enni Rukajarvi finished third to give Finland a bronze.
Women’s Ski SuperPipe Finals Canada’s Roz Groenewoud’s first run put her into the top position, but she was quickly knocked to second by USA’s Devin Logan, who threw a huge flair, 720 and switch 540 into her run that gave her the lead by just tenths of a point. Groenewoud was unable to improve on her score in her second run, so it all came down to her third and final run. She was the last woman of the night to drop in, throwing a 900, cork 540, 720 and switch 540 to take the win. France’s Anais Caradeux won the country’s first medal of the event giving them a bronze.
On the broadcast during the Women’s Finals, athletes shared memories of last year’s Winter X Games Tignes champion and Ski SuperPipe pioneer Sarah Burke, who died in January. There was a moment of silence at the SuperPipe prior to the competition tonight to honor Sarah.
“Sarah did it in her third run last year, too,” Groenewoud said, “and I was thinking about that up at the top. I definitely felt her with me.”
Men’s Ski SuperPipe Final
Though he secured the win with his first run, it was Yater-Wallace’s final run that put him well into the top spot, with a double cork 1260, huge 1080, 900, 1080 to switch 900 that scored him a 95. Sixteen-year-old Yater-Wallace was the youngest competitor in the field and the youngest athlete at Winter X Tignes 2012. France’s Thomas Krief secured the silver with his second run, which included a 900 and double cork 1260 giving France their second medal of the night. USA’s David Wise rounded out the podium with a bronze.
“I can’t believe I just won,” said an out-of-breath Yater-Wallace at the bottom of the pipe. “This is the best pipe I’ve ever ridden. I don’t even know what to say – this means the world to me. It’s been my goal for my entire life, and it happened today.”
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Media Contacts:
ESPN X Games Katie Moses Swope, +1-310-339-4552, katie.moses-swope@espn.com
Tignes Resort Stéphanie Aillet, + 33 6 76 02 12 38, presse@tignes.net
CANAL + Events Olivia Payerne, +33 1 46 04 08 62, contact@agence-op.fr