Winter X Games 16: 3 Snowboarders Who Will Challenge Shaun White

Shaun White has dominated the Winter X Games for a long time now.

His best event is definitely the snowboard Superpipe though, where he has been the Winter X champion every year since 2008.

He’s primed for another gold medal run in 2012, but this year he should face some tougher competition.

Let’s take a look at three snowboarders who could potentially end White’s reign of dominance in 2012.

Danny Davis, USA 

Davis has experience beating Shaun White, something not a lot of snowboarders have. He won the 2010 Winter Dew tournament, beating White in the Superpipe event.

Unfortunately, his momentum was slowed after that. He broke his back shortly thereafter.

But he’s healthy once again, and could provide quite a challenge to White.

Louie Vito, USA 

Vito is a strong young American rider who is primed for a breakout season.

He’s going to need to do better than he did in Dancing with the Stars if he’s going to beat White, though (he finished fifth in 2009).

Vito has attempted a 1440 before. If he can land that in this year’s Winter X Games, he has a really good chance of winning the Superpipe event.

He finished third in the event in 2011 and could do a lot better this year if he can land that 1440.

Peetu Piiroinen, Finland 

Piiroinen has been coming after White for a while now, finishing second to him at the 2010 Winter Olympics.

Piiroinen has been on a roll of late, too, winning an event in Europe last year.

If White slacks off even for a minute, "P2" has what it takes to overtake the "Flying Tomato" and win a Winter X gold.

Watching these two square off will be some must-see TV.