OSLO, Norway (Feb. 28, 2016) – It was an American sweep for the men at X Games Oslo Sunday night with Torin Yater-Wallace (Basalt, CO) making a triumphant return to the top of the X Games halfpipe podium, followed by good friend Alex Ferreira (Aspen, CO) in the silver-medal position and Gus Kenworthy (Telluride, CO) in bronze. Maddie Bowman (South Lake Tahoe, CA) led for the women with a silver medal.
It has been a long trek for Yater-Wallace, widely considered one of the greatest talents of his sport, since he won gold at X Games Tignes in 2013. A series of injuries have kept him sidelined at times throughout the past several years, but it was his recent battle with a life-threatening case of Streptococcus that was the most serious. “It was a hard start to the season,” Yater-Wallace said. “I had to deal with some illnesses, but I’ve been on skis as much as I can and been enjoying time at home riding in Aspen.” Cleared to ski again in January, the Aspen native proved that he was ready to return to the top of the international ranks with a performance in Oslo that featured enormous amplitude and culminated with an alley-oop double flatspin 1080—the trick of the night.
“I don’t even have the words,” Yater-Wallace said of the win. “It’s just an amazing night…I’ve been wanting to do that alley-oop double flatspin in a contest for a while now and it was finally the right pipe…It’s unreal to have three Colorado boys on the podium: Alex, one of my best friends and Gus. We all grew up skiing together so this is pretty unreal.”
Ferreira, another Aspen native, was leading the competition until his best friend took the lead from him in run two. Ferreira’s run featured four doubles and he held on for his first X Games silver medal, his third medal overall (bronze from Aspen 2014 and 2015).
Kenworthy, who earned bronze in big air the night before and silver in both halfpipe and slopestyle a month ago in Aspen, has not missed an X Games podium in four starts in 2016. “I’m just stoked,” Kenworthy said after the event. “I’m having a good year personally and with my skiing and it’s so good to be on snow with an amazing pipe and an amazing crowd here in Oslo.”
More than half of the 20-man field at X Games Oslo was comprised of American skiers: David Wise (Reno, NV) was fourth, Aaron Blunck (Crested Butte, CO) seventh, Kyle Smaine (South Lake Tahoe, CA) eighth, Taylor Seaton (Avon, CO) ninth, Broby Leeds (Vail, CO) 10th, Jacob Beebe (Bend, OR) 12th, Lennon Vaughan (Steamboat Springs, CO) 13th, Jaxin Hoerter (Breckenridge, CO) 16th, Lyman Currier (Boulder, CO) 18th and Birk Irving (Winter Park, CO) 19th.
Maddie Bowman rides to silver at X Games. (ESPN)
Bowman, who won gold in halfpipe last month in Aspen, used three versions of the 900 (though not on her highest-scoring run) to earn the silver medal. It was her seventh overall X Games medal. Bowman, who also won Olympic gold at Sochi in 2014, said, “I just came out and gave it everything I had. I had a good night and I was happy to get three nines in there.”
Brita Sigourney (Carmel, CA) finished fifth for the ladies. Devin Logan (West Dover, VT) was sixth and Annalisa Drew (Andover, MA) was eighth.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Torin Yater-Wallace won gold. His second run scored a 95.00: double 1260 mute, left 1080 tail, switch right 720 mute tweak, right alley-oop double flatspin 1080 Japan.
- Alex Ferreira earned silver. His first run scored a 93.33: right double 1260 mute, left double 1080 safety, switch rightside 720 high safety, leftside double 1260 Japan, rightside down-the-pipe double 900 Japan.
- Gus Kenworthy earned bronze. His third run scored a 90.33: left double 1260 safety, rightside 1080 oppoite tailgrab, switch leftside double 1080 Japan grab, ally-oop double flatspin 900 Japan.
- Maddie Bowman earned silver. Her third run scored an 85.33: left 900, right 900, left 540 tail, right 720, switch 720.
QUOTES
Torin Yater-Wallace
It feels amazing to be to back here and to put down that run. This is only the second time I’ve ever landed that trick and I couldn’t be happier to be here. It was a hard start to the season, I had to deal with some illnesses, but I’ve been on skis as much as I can and been enjoying time at home riding in Aspen.
I don’t even have the words; it’s just an amazing night. I couldn’t be happier with how tonight went. I definitely didn’t expect this coming into this event. I’ve been wanting to do that alley-oop double flat spin 1080 in a contest for a while now and it’s finally the right pipe. I was bummed a few years back when they removed the Euro X Games. I had some of the best results of my life at Euro X and yet again it delivers for me. It’s unreal to have three Colorado boys on the podium: Alex, one of my best friends and Gus. We all grew up skiing together so this is pretty unreal.
Gus Kenworthy
I’m just stoked. I’m having a good year personally and with my skiing and it’s so good to be on snow with an amazing pipe and an amazing crowd here in Oslo. It’s so rough when you fall on your first two runs but so I’m so happy to put be able to put down that third run.
Maddie Bowman
I just came out and gave it everything I had. I had a good night and I was happy to get three nines in there.
RESULTS
Men’s Ski Superpipe
Women’s Ski SuperPipe
