White & Bright claim X-Games Superpipe Gold

Mon 26 January 09

Shaun White stacks his first 2 runs but pulls out the tricks in his final run to take gold from Kevin Pearce. Read & Watch highlights from the final event in this years X-Games

Mens Superpipe

Drama and suspense filled the final competition of Winter X Games 13. After falling on his first two runs, Shaun White needed a huge final run to capture the gold.

And like the true performer he is, White did exactly what he needed to do, grabbing his second-consecutive gold medal in Snowboard SuperPipe Men’s – becoming the first man or woman to do so in the 13 years of the Winter X Games.

“I was feeling cursed,” a jubilant White said. “I didn’t think I needed three runs to get it done. I knew I had the run in me; I just had to put it down. I can’t believe I won it again, back-to-back gold medals are amazing.”

The winning run included his signature back side rodeo, a back side 900, a front side 1080 into a back side 1080, a front side 900 and a McTwist giving White a score of 91.66 to nudge past Kevin Pearce’s 90.66.

Mens superpipe finals Antti Autti
Photo: MATT MORNING/SHAZAMM/ESPN IMAGES

“It was tough having to sit at the bottom of the mountain and watch Shaun take the final run,” the silver medalist Pearce said. “I know he always throws it down in the end. It is not a position I want to be in ever again.”

The victory was a bit of redemption for White, who was defeated by Pearce earlier this month at the European Open, in Laax, Switzerland.

Finland’s Antti Autti, who won the event in 2005, scored an 87.33 which was good enough for the bronze.

Final Results from Aspen/Snowmass on Sunday, January 25, 2009

Name Bib # Hometown Best Score

1. Shaun White 514 Carlsbad, Calif. 91.66
2. Kevin Pearce 550 Norwich, Vt. 90.66
3. Antti Autti 542 Rovaniemi, Finland 87.33
4. Elijah Teter 554 Belmont, Vt. 86.00
5. Mason Aguirre 519 Mammoth, Calif. 76.00
6. Steve Fisher 548 Breckenridge, Colo. 75.33
7. Andy Finch 547 Truckee, Calif. 70.00
8. Louie Vito 553 Bellefontaine, Ohio 55.00

Watch Highlights

Womens Superpipe

Throughout Winter X Games 13, the Women’s Snowboard SuperPipe has belonged to Torah Bright.

In the elimination round she set a Winter X Games scoring record of 97.66 and although she was not able to equal that mark, her score of 91.33 was enough to secure her the gold medal over silver medalist Kelly Clark.

“It was rough, but everyone wants everyone to ride their best in this event,” the Cooma, Australia native said.

The gold-medal clinching run came in Bright’s second pass with moves that included a switch-back 720 that brought the Buttermilk Mountain crowd to their feet.

“Snowboarding is so unique, we all inspire one another,” Clark said of the competitors. “The level gets stepped up at each event.”

Clark’s top score of 88.33 came in her first run with Hannah Teter grabbing the bronze with a top score of 83.00 – which she received in her final run.

Last year’s winner, Aspen native Gretchen Bleiler, had to withdrawal from the competition after falling in her second run.

Results from Aspen/Snowmass on Friday, January 23, 2009

Name Bib No. Hometown Score

1. Torah Bright 560 Cooma, Australia 91.33
2. Kelly Clark 561 Mount Snow, Vt. 88.33
3. Hannah Teter 378 South Lake Tahoe, Calif. 83.00
4. Ellery Hollingsworth 373 Darien, Conn. 70.66
5. Kaitlyn Farrington 563 Bellevue, Idaho 66.00
6. Gretchen Bleiler 559 Aspen, Colo. 40.00

Watch Highlights

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