​The Best (and Worst) Moments from 2017 Winter X Games

Photo: Hailey Langland by Chris Tedesco/ESPN

The 2017 Winter X Games wrapped up on Aspen on Sunday. As with every X Games, history was made and hearts were broken. Here's a rundown of the best and worst moments of competition. 

The Best

16-year-old Hailey Langland Makes X Games History

Hailey Langland started off the X Games on a high note, becoming the first woman to land a cab double cork 1080 in competition. The trick secured the SoCal boarder the first gold medal of the series Thursday night. Skip to :38 to watch.

14-year-old Kelly Sildaru brings homes another gold

At 14 years old, Kelly Sildaru is already a fricken badass. She is the first athlete under 14 to win not one but two gold medals at the Winter X Games. Last year, she clinched her first gold medal in slopestyle at the young age of 13, becoming the youngest athlete ever to win a gold medal in the competition's history. This year, she returned to the podium to bring home another gold for Estonia in Women’s Ski Slopestyle, after rocking out Saturday with a silver in Women’s Ski Big Air. Can’t wait to see what this chick pulls off next! 

Rookie Marcus Kleveland wins Men’s Snowboard Slopestyle

History was made again on Friday night when the 17-year-old Norwegian boarder stomped the first-ever quadruple cork in competition on the big air course. On Sunday, Kleveland blew the slopestyle competition out of the water, pulling off casual 50-50 back 270 pretzels and backside triple fourteens as if they were nothing. The rookie sure knows how to keep it clean, even in a field stacked with experienced competitors. Skip to 12:28 to see Kleveland's first run, and 37:34 for his second.

Rookie Julia Marino finds herself on the podium – twice

I guess 2017 is the year of the rookie. Nineteen-year-old Julia Marino first claimed bronze in Women’s Snowboard Big Air on Friday (see above) before scoring a 94.66 in Slopestyle to clinch the gold on Sunday. Skip to 20:18 to see Julia's big run.

The Worst

Swiss skier Luca Schuler suffers gnarly concussion

No one said extreme sports were going to be easy. On Saturday, Luca Schuler laid motionless after attempting his signature triple-cork 1080 jump off of the big air jump. While the 19-year-old freeskier suffered a concussion, he was discharged later that night and is thankfully expected to be okay. Rest up, Luca!

Snowmobile double backflip disaster

Earlier this month, Daniel Bodin made history by landing the first ever double backflip on a snowmobile. Once was enough for the Swedish stunt man, who held off from attempting the trick again in competition. (Apparently, he only felt comfortable attempting the trick on a jump he built himself. Understandable.) The pressure was on his FSX rivals Colten Moore and Heath Frisby, however, but neither were able to stomp the insane trick.

Frisby broke his sled when he under-rotated and came up short on the landing (10:00). Luckily, he left the crash unscathed but decided not to give the short a second go. Moore, unfortunately, over-rotated the stunt, flew higher than any other athlete in the best trick contest, and was rushed off to a hospital complaining of back pain. He has since been moved to another facility for further assessment and treatment. Our thoughts are with you, Colten! 

While Bodin played it safe, he still took home the gold for best trick with a seat grab indy backflip (30:58). On top of the podium, he dedicated his medal to Moore and Frisby: “You deserve this one today. What you have done. I know what you guys have been through. This is yours. It happens to be around my neck, but it’s for you.”

Hard conditions on the half-pipe

A chilly Friday night made for less-than-ideal conditions for the Men’s Ski SuperPipe. Ten out of 11 competitors fell on their first lap, and the second run was even worse. Only two of the pro skiers — Crested Butte’s Aaron Blunck and Kiwi Miguel Porteous — were able to exit the pipe on their feet, landing them a spot on the podium with Canadian Noah Bowman.

Shaun White has worst finish since 2000

I guess it’s better to burn out than to fade away. Shaun White returned to the X Games for the first time in two years, coming up in 11^th place — his worst finish since 2000 when he was 13 years old. While the veteran boarder was able to get some really huge air, he stumbled or fell on every run. 

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stash member Julie Kukral

Freelance writer & creative marketer making her way West.