Winter X Games 2012: Top Competitors and Video Highlights

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Winter X in Aspen, Colorado gets underway today with a heavy heart.

This year's games will be in "spirit and memory" of Sarah Burke, a Canadian freestyle skier and four-time X Games gold medalist who tragically passed away last week after a fall in a training run at Park City, Utah.

Burke was a pioneer in her sport and instrumental in getting ski half-pipe included in the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia.

Long-time X Games host Sal Masekela of ESPN told the Aspen Times, "This Winter X Games is going to be in her spirit and in her memory. If there is one thing about Sarah which she would want, she would want the show to go on."

And the show will go on with the best these sports has to offer.

With Sarah in their hearts and minds, we can expect these competitors to go big and go often.

Here are some of the best that Winter X has to offer in 2012.

Shaun White

The biggest star of the X Games, and all of action sports, Shaun White will be in Aspen ready to rock in Men's Snowboard SuperPipe for a potential five-peat.

The 25-year-old superstar will always impress with the big cameras around.

Kevin Rolland

Kevin Rolland has been unstoppable this year and has already claimed gold in the Pipe at Winter X Europe.

The 23-year-old Frenchman will be looking to three-peat in Men's SuperPipe.

Devin Logan

Devin Logan is the only female competing in both SuperPipe and Slopestyle.

The 18-year-old American is a threat to medal in both events, and she will be looking to better her bronze at Winter X Europe 2011.

Kaya Turski

Canadian skier Kaya Turski laid down the first-ever switch 1080 by a woman last year and is aiming for the first ever Slopestyle three-peat by a woman this year.

Iouri Podladtchikov (a.k.a I-Pod)

This is the one guy who is a true threat to White's reign in SuperPipe.

He can throw down some huge tricks and can even land White's signature switch double McTwist 1260.

If anyone is going to knock down Shaun from the podium, we can expect it to be I-Pod.

Torah Bright

The 25-year-old Australian took some time off after winning gold at the 2010 Olympics, but now she's back and aiming for her first X Games medal since 2009.

Alex Schlopy

The 19-year-old Schlopy is game for both Ski Slopestyle and Ski Big Air.

He's the reigning Big Air champion and is looking to improve upon his insane performance from Winter X 2011.

Gretchen Bleiler

The hometown girl is also trying to knock Kelly Clark off the top of the Women's SuperPipe podium. 

Last year, Bleiler failed to land any of her runs and is out with a vengeance this time around.

Kelly Clark

No list is complete without the winningest halfpipe snowboarder in history.

The 28-year-old won gold last year in this event and will have her hands full with Bright and Bleiler chasing her down.

The two Superpipe battles (Men's and Women's) are likely to be the highlight of Winter X 2012.