Lets Talk X-Games

     So over the weekend the Winter X-games took place. A special sporting event that I look forward to every year. Although, this year I was unable to watch the first two nights, but overall I did see a lot of this year’s X-Games. Also, as everyone knows the two favorite events take place on the closing night of the X-Games, which are Snowmobile best trick and Men’s Snowboarding half pipe. Both these events were especially incredible this year, but it is not like either of them ever really disappoint. In this year’s snowmobile best trick there was the potential of two never before landed in competition tricks, a double back flip and a front flip. In the half pipe Shaun White was looking to go for his 5th gold medal in a row for the half pipe, all to be done on a very sore ankle.
      First on Sunday night was the snowmobile best trick. The first few guys were impressive but everyone was waiting for those two guys with the two tricks that had never been landed in competition. Justin Hoyer with his double back flip and Heath Frisby with his front flip.
      Hoyer was first to go in the competition, everyone knew what was about to come. ESPN showed shots of his fiancé and family, the viewers could see the nerves on their faces, and everyone knew how serious this trick was and the injury that it could cause. Hoyer pumped himself up multiple times before attempting the double back flip. Finally, he took off and headed for the ramp and began his double back flip. Unfortunately, Hoyer would not be able to land his trick and crashed very hard. Hoyer would then have to be carted away and taken to X-games medical to be over looked; Hoyer had to withdraw from the competition. This meant that the chance for the double back flip to be landed was gone from the competition, but the possibility for the front flip still remained.

(Here is the video)

     Next up was Heath Frisby who was ready to attempt the front flip. Frisby could no doubtably be any more nervous after watching such a hard slam. Frisby, whose nerves must have continued to mount as he waited longer than normal for the X-Games medical to return to the jump area, finally it was time. Frisby began psyching himself up much like Hoyer, and suddenly he took off towards the jump and began his front flip. While Frisby was just over halfway through this trick the viewer knew that he was going to land this front flip. And without a doubt Frisby landed his front flip. Frisby went on to be the gold medalist in this round without a problem.
(Here is the video)

     The real amazing part about this whole story is really how this kid managed to front flip, not back flip, front flip a roughly 400 pound machine in the air. It really is something extraordinary. Yes, they are weighted out to help the rider flip it, but overall the whole idea of this is crazy. To get the entire machine back around and upright by the time that it hit the landing is impressive. It makes one wonder what will they come with next year, a double front flip? Will someone finally land a double back flip? How many people will have a front flip by the next Winter X? What variations to the front flip can they do? All these questions will be answered at next year’s Winter X games.
     This was not the only amazing story that came out of the Winter X-games on the final night. Another story, which I am sure that more people heard about was Shaun Whites incredible half pipe run.
     White came into competition with a very sore ankle. In fact so sore that White pulled himself out of the Slope style event the day before. A disappointing blow to his fans, but as many knew White's real success is in the Half pipe where he would be going for a 5-peat. Yes, 5 years in a row he has won the half pipe event at Winter X. Whites first run was pretty much what you would expect out of him, it was great. It was a solid run to get him the top place, which he held through the entire competition. Whites second run appeared to be great, as good as the first if not better, until the end when White took a hard fall. White got up, disappointed and headed back up the mountain seeking revenge on his third and final run. When it was finally White's turn again it was realized that he had won the gold, Shaun White had got his 5-peat. Like most athletes you would expect a simple victory run, nothing flashy nothing special, but this is where Shaun White is different. White knows that people are there to see him, he knows how popular he is, and so Shaun White being Shaun White put his all into his third and final run. White not only was looking to appease the crowd but seek revenge from his previous run when he had crashed. Shaun Whites run was literally flawless. He did nothing wrong, he did better tricks than anyone else; he had more amplitude every time he took off than anyone else. His run was an impeccable run. The fans loved it, White loved it, and everyone saw how good it was. In fact, White's run was so good that he received a perfect 100 on it. Yes, White scored the first ever perfect score in men’s half pipe at the X-games on a victory run.
     By White throwing this run shows how dedicated this kid is to this sport. It also shows why he should be seen as an idol. Many athletes in his or comparable situations would have simply done a nothing fancy victory run just to make the competition complete, even knowing that fans were missing out. White knew he could not do that and went out there and threw maybe the best run in his life. This kid is a legacy and we are lucky he is only 25 years old and we likely have a few more years of watching similar runs to this one.

(Here is Shaun Whites perfect score run)