News: Mark McMorris Wins X Games Gold In Snowboard Slopestyle
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By media | January 29th, 2012
Aspen, Colorado — Coming into his second Winter X Games, Mark McMorris had zero gold medals. When he leaves Winter X Games Aspen 2012, he will be a double gold medal winner after winning Snowboard Slopestyle on Saturday night to go along with his Big Air victory.
“I didn’t have any expectations coming in this year,” the 18-year-old said. “I just wanted to ride like I can and land my tricks. That is all I come out to contests to do is to have fun and try and land the run I have in my head. That was able to happen two nights in a row and it was able to happen on a good weekend at X Games. Now I have a big smile on my face.”
That big smile came from a high score of 93.00, five points higher than the silver medalist Sage Kotsenburg.
“When you ride with the people you love to ride with it makes it so much fun. All those guys up there are my friends so it was so much fun,” McMorris added.
Kotsenburg moved into second on his final run with a score of 88.00. The Park City, Utah, native said that he thrives on pressure.
“I was really bad on my first two runs,” Kotsenburg said. “So I guess I am good under pressure, which kind of helps some times.”
Finland’s Peetu Piiroinen finished third and grabbed his first Winter X Games medal in four appearances.
The Slopestyle course is approximately 1,600-feet long with six features and a vertical drop of 280-feet. Snowboarders attempt multiple tricks throughout their run on specially designed jumps, rails, boxes and other obstacles. Slopestyle is judged on creativity, trick completion and style. The competitors are ranked based on the best score of their three runs.
WINTER X GAMES ASPEN 2012: SNOWBOARD SLOPESTYLE MEN’S RESULTS
1. Mark McMorris Regina, SK, Canada 93.00
2. Sage Kotsenburg Park City, Utah 88.00
3. Peetu Piiroinen Hyvinkaa, Finland 86.00
4. Sebastien Toutant Montreal, QC, Canada 83.66
5. Seppe Smits Westmalle, Belgium 79.33
6. Gjermund Braaten Torpo, Norway 78.66
7. Eric Willett Breckenridge, Colo. 63.00
8. Torstein Horgmo Oslo, Norway 29.66
Location: Aspen CO Keywords: Press Release Snowboard Athlete News News