Winter X Games 15: Shaun White and Top 10 Olympians Competing in Aspen This Year
Just like that, the Winter X games have come around for a 15th consecutive year. The X games, hosted by ESPN, will be held January 28th - January 31st in Aspen Colorado.
The athletes will compete for the gold in such events as: Men and Women's Snowboarder X, SuperPipe, slopestyle and Men and Women's Skier X.
Colorado will host around 250 athletes—39 of them being past and present Olympians.
Let's take a look at the top 10 anticipated Olympians headed into this year's X games.
10. Soko Yamaoka
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Soko is arguably one of the most successful snowboarders to come out of Japan. She put her name in the record books at the 2006 Winter X Games, becoming the first Japanese woman to medal at the Winter X Games.
Look for Yamoaka to make some noise with her frontside 900's and that McTwist we've seen her land from time to time.
Expect Soko to be competing in the finals for another medal by the end of next week.
9. Kelly Clark
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Clark is on fire headed into this weekend's games, winning four of her last five Grand Prix stops. Kelly has qualified for her third Winter Olympics, and the Vermont native looks to add to her collection of six Winter X game medals (Clark has two gold, three silver, one bronze on her resume at the Winter games).
Kelly struck Olympic Gold in 2002 and knows how to handle the pressure when on the big stage.
Who knows, maybe she'll win another ESPY like she did in 2002, if she makes a splash this weekend in Aspen. High hopes for Kelly in the near future.
8. Scotty Lago
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Scotty Lago out of New Hampshire is just 22 years old and making big moves in the world of snowboarding.
His biggest news as of late was being named to the 2010 Olympic Halfpipe team, after finishing second behind Shaun White.
Lago has won in the SuperPipe in '06 and the Slopestyle in '09 at the X-games and looks to take his skills further in Winter X Games 15.
Expect good things to come for this young East Coaster.
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7. Lindsey Jacobellis
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Five-time Winter X Games Snowboarder Gold Medalist and 2006 Winter Olympic silver medalist is a little of what Lindsey Jacobellis brings to the table.
She's crafty, unpredictable and proved to be extremely clutch in pressure situations. Look for Jacobellis to do some exciting things this weekend in Aspen.
6. Ross Powers
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The rest of the bunch from here on out was extremely hard to rank in order of accomplishment. Powers has struck gold in the Winter X Games and on the Olympic stage.
Ross has four Winter X Games medals (three from SuperPipe, a gold from Slopestyle) in 10 X Games appearances.
Powers hasn't been to the Winter games since 2007 when he competed in SuperPipe and Snowboarder X. I presume he'll place higher than 16th and 22nd like he did in '07.
A comeback year at the X Games for Powers looks promising this weekend in Colorado.
5. Casey Puckett
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If you want to look at seasoned vets in the world of extreme sports, Casey Puckett is a classic example.
Puckett, an Aspen local and a two-time Winter X Games gold medalist skier, is a ski cross star.
Not many people can say they're a four-time Olympian in Alpine skiing. Puckett has the luxury of doing so ('92, '94, '98', '02).
Casey can win any race he enters. I like his chances in his hometown in front of family and friends.
4. Seth Wescott
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Wescott wants that X Games gold, and he's so close he can feel it! Six medals later, Seth looks to break the gold-less streak in Aspen this weekend.
Arguably the best snowboarder to come out of Maine, Wescott will make his 13th X Games appearance. He's proven to stay consistently healthy, and is now one of the select few that can say he's an Olympic gold medalist (2006).
Note to self: Seth strikes gold this weekend.
3. Daron Rahlves
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It was just a couple short X Games ago the last time Daron Rahlves struck gold. This will be his fifth Winter X Games and looks to get back to the top of that stage.
Rahlves is one of the outstanding skiers we have in this generation of extreme sports athletes. He is a four-time Olympian in Alpine racing. Need I say more?
2. Gretchen Bleller
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Talk about a woman who knows how to ride a snowboard. Gretchen Bleiler is a three-time Winter X Games Snowboard SuperPipe gold medalist. She's the only woman to win the Superpipe three times. Impressive.
She's also been awarded an ESPY, winning a Best Female Action Sports Athlete in 2008.
Gretchen's a 2006 Winter Olympic silver medalist and a 28-year-old celebrity in the world of sports at that. You can find her on the Tonight show and Today show—appearances she's made in the past.
I know you're not supposed to tell a woman's age, but we'll say under 30 years old.
Bleiler has quite the resume in her area of expertise.
1. Shaun White
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The most interesting man in the world...Just kidding, but seriously.
Shaun is a superstar in more than one sport. How many people can say that?
He's won at the Winter X Games nine times. Are you kidding me?
White won gold in 2006 and 2010 at the Olympics. Should I keep going?
Shaun's so legit Red Bull built him his own Olympic-sized halfpipe for the 2010 Winter. The only thing Red Bull bought me was a freakin' headache and dehydration.
White will be defending his SuperPipe gold this weekend in Aspen and looks to become the only person ever to strike double digits in gold medals at the Winter X Games.
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