X Games Blasts off in Aspen, CO

The pursuit of gold and glory have beckoned snowboarding’s elite back to Aspen for the annual winter X Games and this weekend’s competition promises to showcase the most progressive riding on the world’s biggest stage in snowboarding.

“I have a ton of confidence in our athletes going in to the X Games. There’s a lot of competition and all the best people in the world are here, but our guys are keying in on this event,” U.S. Snowboarding Head Coach Peter Foley said. “The depth that of our field is crazy. The number of X Games medalists we have is out of hand and there are also athletes who are in their first X Games ever.”

Dropping in first is women’s halfpipe on Friday night where the Gretchen Bleiler (Aspen, CO) looks to defend her gold against the forces of fellow U.S. Snowboarding athletes Kelly Clark (Mt. Snow, VT), Hannah Teter (Belmont, VT) and Elena Hight (South Lake Tahoe, CA), Ellery Hollingsworth (Stratton, VT) as well as international threat and fellow X Games gold medalist Torah Bright of Australia.

“The X Games is the biggest stage for snowboarding and everyone rises to the occasion with the best, most progressive riding,” Bleiler said. “And, it’s great to have all the support of my family and friends in my hometown of Aspen.”

Also getting in on the pipe action will be U.S. Snowboarding rookies Jaime Anderson (South Lake Tahoe, CA) and Lizzy Beerman (Weston, VT).

According to U.S. Snowboarding Halfpipe Head Coach Mike Jankowski, while the goal for everyone is to win, the women at the X Games are also focused on supporting each other and progressing their sport.

“The women’s field is super deep and super talented, and I think everyone’s just sticking to their game plan. Everyone is focused on their own runs and pushing themselves while also supporting the other riders and in turn what happens is the progression moves in a natural way,” Jankowski said “They’re using each others success as motivation. It’s positive motivation to push each other and celebrate with each others successes.”

Saturday’s snowboardcross competition has Nate Holland (Squaw Valley, CA) determined to become the only X Games athlete to achieve a four-peat. But the gold won’t be an automatic for Holland, who has to compete against the sports best, who also happen to be teammates Shaun Palmer (South Lake Tahoe, CA), Seth Wescott (Sugarloaf, ME), Graham Watanabe (Sun Valley, CA), Nick Baumgartner (Iron River, MI) and Jayson Hale (Sierraville, CA).

“Typically the course has a ton of passing and it runs six guys at once, so you end up with heats of six guys who are all really good and it’s tough. The heats are hard to win, but then again we have a lot of U.S. men in this field and they’re all at that level,” Foley said.

As Holland heads into what will be an epic battle for the gold, he’s feeling ready and wants everyone to know the gold is his focus.

“Of course I am going for the fourth. I wouldn’t be going if I weren’t trying to win it. I am feeling confident and riding well. You just have to get in there and see what happens. Hopefully you have a good day and lay everything out on the line and you’ve done your homework,” Holland said. “It’s going to be a tough competition this year, as it is every year, but I’m confident. I’ve done three already, so why not a fourth?”

The women’s snowboardcross features the one-woman domination show of Lindsey Jacobellis (Stratton Mountain, VT), who is out to defend her X Games gold medal.

“I would be very excited to be able to repeat and ride strong. I feel comfortable with my ability and the strength that I am bringing to riding a course like the one at the X Games,” Jacobellis said. “I am bringing a lot of strength and experience to this course and I know that will really help me.”

As far as Foley is concerned, competing against Jacobellis is likely a losing situation for anyone who tries it.

“Lindsey is riding a level above everyone in the world right now and I think it will be really tough for someone to beat her,” Foley said. “However, in snowboardcross a lot of stuff happens that is outside of your control. But, riding the way she does and with the speeds that her board is running, I think it’s going to be really hard for the other women to be close to her.”

X Games snowboarding will hit its zenith on Sunday night when the red zeppelin Shaun White (Carlsbad, CA) boosts the 22ft superpipe walls on a mission to repeat his win from last year. However, the men’s lineup is not just a crowd of usual suspects as it features Steve Fisher (Breckenridge, CA), Danny Davis and Kevin Pearce – all athletes who have gone toe-to-toe with the great White and captured a victory.

“On the guy’s side it’s anybody’s game,” Jankowski said. “I don’t think it’s a done deal in any way. These guys are all just so talented and really progressing the sport.”

Also ready to find themselves atop the X Games podium is U.S. Snowboarding Grand Prix overall champion Louie Vito (Sandy, UT), Scotty Lago (Seabrook, NH) Elijah Teter (South Lake Tahoe, CA) and Greg Bretz (Mammoth Lakes, CA).

“Bretz, Fisher, Lago and Teter have all had amazing practices and they’re all in a really good place with their riding. They’ve all put in hard work and it’s coming together really well,” Jankowski said.

Check out snowboarding’s biggest athletes in the sport’s largest annual event live on ESPN as it kicks off Thursday.

2009 Winter X Games Schedule (all times MT):

Thursday, Jan. 22
8:30 – 9:00 p.m. Big air final

Friday, Jan. 23
7:45 – 9:00 p.m. Women’s halfpipe final

Saturday, Jan. 24
1:00 – 1:45 p.m. Women’s slopestyle final
1:00 – 2:30 p.m. Men’s and women’s snowboardcross final
2:30 – 4:00 p.m. Men’s slopestyle final

Sunday, Jan. 25
7:30 – 9:00 p.m. Men’s superpipe final