WX14 Invited Riders

If you’re curious about who made the cut of invited athletes to Winter X Games 14 in Aspen, look no further. This is the first wave of women heading to Aspen in January (including Pretty Tough Team rider Kimmy Fasani). The second wave will be announced in late December. As always, athlete lists are subject to change at any time.

Snowboard Snowboarder X – Women

Joanie Anderson	USA
Deborah Anthonioz	FRA
Mellie Francon	SUI
Sandra Frei	SUI
Lindsey Jacobellis	USA
Alexandra Jekova	BUL
Dominique Maltais	CAN
Nelly Moenne Loccoz
Olivia Nobs
Helene Olafsen	NOR
Maelle Ricker	CAN

Skiing Skier X – Women

Hedda Berntsen	NOR
Aleisha Cline	CAN
Ophelie David	FRA
Sasa Faric	SLO
Katharina Gutensohn	AUT
Karin Huttary	AUT
Magdalena Jonsson	SWE
Marion Josserand	FRA
Ashleigh McIvor	CAN
Julia Murray	CAN
Emilie Serain	SUI
Kelsey Serwa	CAN

Skiing Slopestyle – Women

Sarah Burke	USA
Grete Eliassen	NOR
Keri Herman	USA
Anna Segal	AUS
Kaya Turski	CAN

Skiing Superpipe – Women

Dania Assaly	CAN
Sarah Burke	CAN
Anais Caradeux
Jess Cumming	USA
Virginie Faivre	SUI
Roz Groenewoud	CAN
Jen Hudak	USA
Angeli VanLaanen	USA

Snowboard Slopestyle – Women

Jamie Anderson	USA
Hana Beaman	USA
Torah Bright	AUS
Kimmy Fasani	USA
Megan Ginter	USA
Jenny Jones	GBR
Caroline Kirkland
Cheryl Maas	NED
Janna Meyen-Weatherby	USA
Spencer O’Brien	CAN
Sarka Pancochova	CZE
Raewyn Reid	CAN
Marie-France Roy	CAN
Bev Vuilleumier	USA

Get ready for Winter X Games Europe

ESPN announced the first wave of athletes invited to the Winter X Games Europe March 10-12, 2010. The event will be the first Winter X Games held outside the United States.

Invited X Games athletes include:

SuperPipe Women

Torah Bright (AUS)
Gretchen Bleiler (USA)
Ellery Hollingsworth (USA)

Slopestyle Women

Jenny Jones (GBR)
Jamie Anderson (USA)
Janna Meyen-Weatherby (USA)
Cheryl Maas (NED)
Sarka Pancochova (CZE)

The event will bring together eight different competitions over three days, including Ski and Snowboard SuperPipe and Slopestyle for men and women as well as a Snowmobile demonstration.

Video: X Games Women’s Skateboard Comp

2007 X Games winner Marisa Dal Santo reclaimed gold in this year’s dramatic street competition.

Check out this video for highlights of the event.

Final Results from the Skateboard Women’s Street Final competition held at The Home Depot Center in Los Angeles, Calif. on July 30, 2009.

Name/Rank Hometown Score
Marisa Dal Santo Chicago, Ill. 374.00
Alexis Sablone Brooklyn, N.Y. 353.00
Elissa Steamer San Francisco, Calif 350.00
Lacey Baker Covina, Calif. 323.00
Vanessa Torres Silver Lake, Calif. 281.00
Leticia Bufoni Sao Paulo, Brazil 278.00
Amy Caron Huntington Beach, Calif. 261.00
Evie Bouilliart Huntington Beach, Calif. 252.00
Abisha Alshebaiki Temecula, Calif. 196.00
Tamara Drybrough Port Coquitlam, Canada 124.00

Women’s Moto X Photo Journal

X Games: Ashley Fiolek wins women’s moto X

If it seems like the X Games are all about testosterone driven events, that may be changing. With riders like Ashley Fiolek, Jessica Patterson and Elizabeth Bash taking to the moto track,  women are proving they belong at the big action sports events.

Women’s moto X was introduced at X Games 14 in 2008.  The women’s version of the sport may not yet enjoy much time in the limelight but this year’s X Games final was as dramatic as any race at the event.

Winner Ashley Fiolek crossed the finish line without hearing the roar of her bike or the applause directed at her.  That’s because the 18-year old Florida native is the first deaf medalist in X Games history.

Fiolek, who began racing when she was only seven years old, quickly learned how to ride without being able to hear.  She shifts and manuevers her bike with her sense of feel, gaining a “no fear” reputation as the fastest female rider on the circuit.  Because of an injury, Fiolek couldn’t participate in last year’s  X Games debut.

The Women’s Super Moto X competition included 10 of the top women motocross racers in the world competing for the gold medal. The riders competed in one heat of six laps (less than half the length of the guys race) on a slick and technical course under a late afternoon sun.

For the uninitiated, Super X features “Supercross-style” racing, with a purpose-built all-dirt course with large jumps, rollers and whoops sections challenging riders’ handling and racing skills.

Fiolek’s primary rival,  five time WMA champion Jessica Patterson, took the lead early and remained in that spot until the fifth lap. Fiolek was close behind the entire time, ultimately making her move on a masterful pass entering the final lap.

As Fiolek pulled away to win the gold medal, Patterson earned the silver, and Elizabeth Bash (who as an alternate didn’t even get to compete last year) won the bronze.

On the heels of her recent ESPY nomination for Best Female Action Sports Athlete, Fiolek maintained her seasonal roll with the dramatic last minute win.

At the press conference after the event, the riders were asked how they felt about women being included at the event.

“Getting added to X is huge for our sport and it’s just going to keep getting bigger and bigger, and more people will know we can ride motorcycles,” Fiolek  said via sign language through her father.

“I noticed there were a lot of people here — even deaf fans — and they wanted to meet us, so I think they accept us.”

Silver medalist Jessica Patterson agreed that competing in the X Games really helps the sport’s future and that Women’s Moto X is getting more publicity and becoming more widely accepted.

Despite finishing short of her gold medal goal, Patterson was able to take pride in recognizing how she and her fellow riders were raising the profile of Women’s Moto X.

“They are starting to see that we can do everything now. We’re getting a little bit more exposure each time. They’re surprised really that we go out there and try to do the same events as the men. They’re pretty pumped on what we do,” Patterson said.

Bash, obviously thrilled to be on the podium with her bronze medal,  also felt honored to be part of history.

“I’ve signed a lot of autographs today, which is pretty cool. I think [being in the X Games] is good for the sport and I bet in a few more years it’ll be even better,” she said.

With riders like the three X games medalists competing, no doubt the sport will continue to attract more attention.  Congrats to the winners and all the participants.

Results from ESPN X Games 15 Moto X Super X Women’s Final at The Home Depot Center on Aug 1, 2009

Name   Hometown   Finish
Ashley Fiolek  Saint Augustine, FL         372.47
Jessica Patterson  Tallahassee, FL          375.82
Elizabeth Bash  Riverside, CA                    397.32
Sherri Cruse  Bakersfield, CA                     398.58
Jacqueline Strong  Sedona, AZ                 419.01
Tarah Geiger  Aguadilla, PRI                     428.20
Sayaka Kaneshiro   Torrance, CA             431.21
Penni Cyrus  Queen Creek, AZ                   441.08
April Zastrow  Kuna, ID                               632.36
Tatum Sik  Temecula, CA                             972.93

X Games On: Women’s Street Comp Photo Journal

Skateboard Women’s Street Final Results

Final Results from the Skateboard Women’s Street Final competition held at The Home Depot Center in Los Angeles, Calif. on July 30, 2009.

Name/Rank Hometown Score
Marisa Dal Santo Chicago, Ill. 374.00
Alexis Sablone Brooklyn, N.Y. 353.00
Elissa Steamer San Francisco, Calif . 350.00
Lacey Baker Covina, Calif. 323.00
Vanessa Torres Silver Lake, Calif. 281.00
Leticia Bufoni Sao Paulo, Brazil 278.00
Amy Caron Huntington Beach, Calif. 261.00
Evie Bouilliart Huntington Beach, Calif. 252.00
Abisha Alshebaiki Temecula, Calif. 196.00
Tamara Drybrough Port Coquitlam, Canada 124.00

X Games: Skateboard Vert Women’s Final Results

Skateboard Vert Women’s Final Results

Final standings from the Skateboard Vert Women’s competition held at the Home Depot Center in Los Angeles, Calif. on July 30, 2009.

Name/Rank Hometown
1. Lynz Adams Hawkins Cardiff by the Sea, Calif.
2. Karen Jonz Santo Andre, Brazil
3. Gaby Ponce Tenafly, N.J.
4. Cara-Beth Burnside Encinitas, Calif.
5. Julie Kindstrand Santa Ana, Calif.
6. Mimi Knoop Chesapeake, Va.
7. Allysha Bergado El Segundo, Calif.
8. Elise Dabby Del Mar, Calif.

Next X: Disney TV taps into extreme sports

Disney and ESPN have come together to bring you “NEXT X”, a reality series for kids where five  extreme athletes guide five up and comers by teaching them how to hone their technical skills and confidence to possibly become the next action sports superstar.  Chris Cole, Scotty Cranmer, Billy Marks, Lincoln Ueda, and Van Homan are the guys who will mentor five lucky individuals.

Why no girls? Not really sure since there are plenty of action sports athletes who are female.  Just look at some of the girls who’ve rocked ESPN’s X Games like Elissa Steamer, Cara-Beth Burnside, Lauren Perkins, Mimi Knoop or Lyn-Z Adams.   And there are plenty of young girls who are kicking butt and would benefit from some mentoring from these pros.

The project was filmed at the sprawling action sports oasis of Camp Woodward in the Mojave Desert in Tehachapi, California and will be broadcast over the next two months, culminating in a half-hour television special, with one amateur participant chosen for a showcase in the next X-Games.

Hopefully, Disney and ESPN will feature some action sports girls in the near future. In the meantime, check out the press release the show.

“Next X,” a reality series for kids developed by Disney XD in collaboration with ESPN, features five of the world’s top professional BMX and skateboarding athletes as they mentor young amateurs in their chosen sport, teaching them how to hone their technical skills, build their confidence and inspire them to become better athletes. The story is told through eight short-form episodes, culminating with a half-hour television special that will feature highlights from X Games 15.

The series will star professional action sports athletes Chris Cole (skateboard), Scotty Cranmer (BMX), Billy Marks (skateboard), Lincoln Ueda (skateboard) and Van Homan (BMX).  The five up-and-coming action sports athletes are 12-year-old Ian Bradley, a BMX amateur from New Hampshire; 11-year-old Matty Cranmer, a BMX amateur from New Jersey; 12-year-old Mitchie Brusco, an amateur skateboarder from Washington; 9-year-old Tom Schaar, an advanced skateboarder from California and 11-year-old Micah Wu, an amateur skateboarder from Kentucky.

In conjunction with the premiere of “Next X,” Disney XD.com will debut “X-clusives,” special webisodes that delve further into the young athletes’ experiences while training with their mentors.  The webisodes include new behind-the-scenes footage, in-depth athlete interviews, a high jump competition, extended one-on-one training sessions, skateboard and BMX safety tips and outtakes of all the action.  Disney XD.com users are also invited to play five exclusive action sports-themed online games developed by ESPN and Disney.com starting Monday, June 29.  Gamers can test their motocross, rally car, BMX and skateboarding skills.

“X Games on Disney XD,”  a series of four individual 60 second programs, features X Games athletes, event highlights and some of the best action-packed moments from the X Games.

Hosted by ESPN and E! Entertainment anchor Sal Masekela, all four episodes will focus on specific aspects of the X Games. Episode 1 will air July 13 and will feature historical look backs at the X Games debuts of current legends Shaun White, Travis Pastrana and Ryan Sheckler. Episode 2 will air July 20, prior to X Games 15, and will highlight what to watch for at this year’s X Games. Episodes 3 & 4 will air the two weeks after X Games 15, August 5 and August 10, and both episodes will be highlight oriented from the event.

The Alt Games – Collegiate Action Sports

You’ve heard of the X Games, the Dew Tour and NCAA Championships. But how about The Alt Games?

CBS Sports and CBS College Sports Network created The Alt Games (formerly known as the Collegiate Nationals) to provide a stage for competitors in action sports to compete and represent their colleges (and presumably to make a few bucks).

The 2009 Alt Games’ line-up is highlighted by last year’s roster of championships, which includes snowboarding, wakeboarding, flowboarding, freeskiing and beach volleyball.

The snow portion of the comp took place April 9th, at Colorado’s Copper Mountain. Events included men’s and women’s snowboarding and freesking.

Kelsey Huelsman admits one of the biggest factors she enrolled at Western State College in Gunnison, Colorado, was so she could ski a lot. After winning the Alt Games slopestyle ski championships yesterday, it appears to be paying off for the third-year graphic design major.

Snowboarder Michelle Zeller, a junior at the University of Colorado in Boulder, absolutely stomped her second slopestyle run at the Alt Games collegiate snowboard championships to earn her first-place prize. Zeller, who is studying international affairs and Japanese, hopes to head to New Zealand this summer for a few more comps. Zeller’s CU-Boulder classmate Kendra Tombolato also made the Buffaloes proud with a second-place finish in this year’s competition.

The Alt Games continue April 17-19 in Southern California with beach volleyball, flowboarding, and wakeboarding.

For the wakeboarding comp, each of the 16 competing schools is expected to bring seven riders to compete at Hidden Anchorage Bay Cove on Mission Bay. Individual titles in respective events will also be at stake. The University of Florida is the defending team champion.

In addition, the Alt Games will feature the second annual Competitive Eating Championship, showcasing the nation’s top collegiate competitive eaters, as well as a music festival.

More than 500 competitors from 45 different colleges and universities nationwide are expected to compete at the 2009 Alt Games, which will ultimately crown 11 national men’s and women’s champions in both individual and team events.

Coverage of the Alt Games kicks off with a special one-hour program airing on CBS Sports on Saturday, May 16 (2 p.m. EDT). The show will launch two weeks of Olympic style and sports specific programming on CBS College Sports Network, beginning on Sunday, May 17.

Winter X 13 Results – Women’s Ski Snowboard

It was lucky 13 for these ladies:

Women’s SNB X: Lindsey Jacobellis ran away with her second straight snowboarder X crown, no one even near her at the finish. In a light snow, she streaked to a 25-yard victory with Helene Olafsen taking second and Sandra Frei finishing third.

Women’s SNB: Slopestyle: A jubilant Jenny Jones could hardly believe what she had just accomplished in the Women’s Snowboard Slopestyle. The pride of Great Britain trailed Spencer O’Brien going into the final run and knew she had to do something big to steal the top spot. And Jones did just that, sticking a front-side 720 off the money booter final ramp to steal the victory and the gold medal from O’Brien, 90.00 to 87.66.

Slopestyle SNB Official Results  – Jan. 24, 2009
1. Jenny Jones  Bristol, Great Britain 90.00
2. Spencer O’Brien  Whistler, B.C., Canada 87.66
3. Megan Ginter  Seattle, Wash. 82.00

Women’s Slopestyle Ski: Anna Segal led off the Women’s Slopestyle Skiing contest Saturday at Winter X Games 13 in Aspen with a score of 85.00. Little did she know at the time, but that would be the best score of the day as she battled the course and the elements taking the gold in the inaugural event.  In the same event, Sarah Burke came up short on her landing during the last jump and was whisked to an awaiting ambulance. Diagnosis: Compression fracture to part of her lower back.

Slopestyle Ski Official Results  – Jan. 24, 2009
1. Anna Segal  Melbourne, Australia 85.00
2. Grete Eliassen Salt Lake City, Utah 79.00
3. Kaya Turski Montreal, QB, Canada 70.00

Women’s SNB Superpipe: Throughout Winter X 13, the Women’s Snowboard SuperPipe belonged to Australian rider Torah Bright.  In the elimination round Bright 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, which reflected an awesome McTwist, was enough to secure her the gold medal on Friday over silver medalist Kelly Clark. It was the second X Games gold of Bright’s career, following silver in 2008. Last year’s winner, Aspen native Gretchen Bleiler, had to withdraw from the competition after falling hard in her second of three runs.

SNB Superpipe Official Results -  Jan. 23, 2009
1. Torah Bright  Cooma, Australia 91.33
2. Kelly Clark  Mount Snow, Vt. 88.33
3. Hannah Teter  Belmont, Vt. 83.00

Women’s Ski Superpipe: A wet, heavy snow fell throughout the day Friday on Buttermilk Mountain, slowing down most of the SuperPipe competitors, but not Sarah Burke as she grabbed her third consecutive gold medal in the Women’s Skiing SuperPipe final at Winter X Games 13.

Ski Superpipe Official Results  – January 23, 2009
1. Sarah Burke  Whistler, BC, Canada 93.33
2. Jen Hudak  Aspen, Colo. 92.66
3. Jess Cumming  Wilton, Conn. 84.00

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