Monster Energy’s Ski and Snowboard Athletes Claim Medals on Day 3 of X Games Aspen 2022
Monster Energy congratulates its team of freeski and snowboard athletes on claiming four medals (1 gold and 3 bronze) on the third and final day of X Games Aspen 2022 at Buttermilk Mountain in Aspen Snowmass, Colorado.
ASPEN, Colo., Jan. 24, 2022 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — Another history-making edition of X Games Aspen is in the books! Monster Energy congratulates its team of freeski and snowboard athletes on claiming four medals (1 gold and 3 bronze) on the third and final day of X Games Aspen 2022 at Buttermilk Mountain in Aspen Snowmass, Colorado.
In the highly competitive Men’s Ski Slopestyle final, 23-year-old Monster Energy rider Alex Hall from Park City, Utah, posted a perfect run on his last attempt to walk away with the bronze medal. As the nighttime action kicked off with Wendy’s Ski Knuckle Huck, 24-year-old American Quinn Wolferman claimed gold by posting the most creative tricks in the jam session. Plus, all-round talent Alex Hall edged into bronze-medal position and became the first male winter sports athlete to take home medals in three contest events at the same X Games.
Rounding out an action-packed weekend, the Men’s Ski SuperPipe final saw 31-year-old Olympic freeskier David Wise from Reno, Nevada, take the bronze medal in an elite field.
The world’s biggest snow sports spectacle returned to Aspen in the heart of the Rocky Mountains for the 21st consecutive time this weekend. Started in 1997 at Snow Summit Resort in Big Bear Lake, California, the Winter X Games celebrated 25 years of showcasing the latest progression in snow sports this weekend.
Supported by Monster Energy as the official energy drink partner of X Games, the three-day spectacle featured Men’s and Women’s Ski and Snowboard competitions in the disciplines of Slopestyle, Big Air, SuperPipe, and the innovative Knuckle Huck, alongside Special Olympics Unified competitions. As the pinnacle of winter action sports, X Games Aspen 2022 brought out 87 of the world’s best action sports athletes competing for a total of 42 medals across 14 disciplines.
The fans were also back on Buttermilk Mountain in full force! After allowing only athletes and staff the previous year, X Games Aspen 2022 welcomed spectators back to competition viewing and X Fest areas amid stringent COVID-19 safety protocols. This weekend featured fan activations, a festival village and DJ performances. ESPN and ABC broadcast 13.5 hours of live competition, with 7.5 additional hours streamed live on @XGames digital channels, and all 21 hours were live via the ESPN App.
Here’s how the action unfolded for team Monster Energy on the final day of X Games Aspen 2022:
Men’s Ski Slopestyle: Monster Energy’s Alex Hall Takes Bronze in Heated Finals
The final day of X Games Aspen 2022 started with a showdown for the history books: The Men’s Ski Slopestyle final featured ten of the world’s leading freeskiers, including five prior medalists in the disciple as well as defending champion Nick Goepper from Indiana. Countries represented in the final session included Canada, Norway, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
In a 35-minute jam session, riders took turns trying to post the highest-scoring single run on the downhill obstacle course. Designed by expert snow shapers Snowpark Technologies, the course challenged riders with 15 different rail and jib obstacles at the top, plus a series of consecutive jumps that ended in a massive final jump also used in the weekend’s Big Air discipline.
Amid blue skies and favorable course conditions, the level of riding soon escalated with athletes such as Monster Energy’s James Woods posting perfect runs and next-level tricks. Other riders struggled to land the line they wanted, including 23-year-old Monster Energy rider Alex Hall from Park City, Utah. Although he was boosted by a sensational Ski Big Air win on the previous night, Hall had difficulty on the rails and found himself far outside podium position as the contest went into last attempts.
With only one run to go, Hall proved once again that he has the nerves and bag of tricks for down-to-the-wire situations. On the rails, he showcased his technical progression with a switch on gap 450 the cannon rail, 450 on 450 out, and Cab 270 pretzel 450 out. In the jump section, he put down a clean left double 1080 and an extremely difficult rightside double cork 900 pullback; technically a 1080-degree rotation but ‘pulled back’ 180 degrees in the opposite direction right before landing. On the final hit, Hall stomped a switch leftside 1800 in his signature Buick grab to finish in bronze-medal position. And he still had plans for Knuckle Huck!
Wendy’s Ski Knuckle Huck: Monster Energy’s Quinn Wolferman Claims Golden Knuckle, Alex Hall Takes Bronze as Third Medal at the Same X Games
The last nighttime segment of X Games Aspen 2022 kicked off with the Wendy’s Ski Knuckle Huck under the floodlights. In a 20-minute jam session, eight of the world’s best freeskiers ‘hucked’ their most technical and stylish moves off the Big Air jump ramp’s roll-over, also called the ‘knuckle’.
When the action got underway, 24-year-old Quinn Wolferman from Missoula, Montana, was looking to improve on finishing in third place at X Games Aspen 2021 and 2020. But with riders like previous gold medalist Colby Stevenson in the mix, it was a tall order.
But in a showcase of style and creativity, Wolferman convinced the judges to earn the coveted Knuckle Huck gold medal in the shape of a Golden Knuckle. Highlights included leftside 720 tail grab off the nose, tailbutter underflip revert, worm turn slide and a huge double cork 1080 out of a nose butter sent far down the landing.
“I’m kind of speechless honestly! Thanks to everybody who lets us come out here and do this. It’s been the best Knuckle Huck, yet” said Wolferman upon taking the Golden Knuckle trophy at X Games Aspen 2022. “Everybody crushed and these dudes all went so hard! I commend them all for coming out and sending it!”
Born and raised under the great big Midwestern sky of Montana, Wolferman is known for his slopestyle and street talent. Sunday’s gold medal is his career-first medal at an X Games (Knuckle Huck did not award silver or bronze medals in previous years).
Also rising to the podium, Alex Hall put his signature drive for innovation on full display in the jam session. Tricks like a switch hand drag slide late shifty, backslide one-footer to 360, backslide backward noseslide to Cab 360 and big spin nose and tail butter to Cab 360 and a low backward belly slide over the knuckle to late pretzel earned him the bronze medal.
And just like that, Hall made history as the first male winter sports athlete to take home medals in three contest events at the same X Games. Hall now owns 9 X Games medals (5 Gold, 1 Silver, 3 Bronze). The Park City local has also achieved the rare feat of earning X Games gold medals in four disciplines: Big Air, Slopestyle, Knuckle Huck, and the Real Ski video competition.
Men’s Ski SuperPipe: Monster Energy’s David Wise Soars to Bronze Medal Finish
Wrapping up the 25th edition of Winter X Games in style, the nighttime action culminated in the Men’s Ski SuperPipe final. The high-energy crowd celebrated a 35-minute jam session of progressive vertical freeski on hallowed ground: With its 22-feet high walls and 570-feet in overall length, the SuperPipe on Buttermilk Mountain is praised by competitors as the best of its kind on the circuit.
Setting the tone for an epic final event, hip-hop artist ASAP Ferg performed at the bottom of the SuperPipe. Then it was time for ten finalists to battle for the top spot. The field included riders from Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Out of ten riders, five had previously won X Games gold in the discipline – so the level of riding was bound to be off the charts!
The list of previous gold medalists on the roster also included David Wise from Reno, Nevada, who took the win in X Games SuperPipe four times (Aspen 2012-2014, Aspen 2018). Currently in peak shape for the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, Wise rose all the way to second place at the FIS World Cup at Mammoth before coming to Aspen.
Although dropping in as the oldest competitor at 31 years, the two-time Olympic gold medalist proved he still has the skills to rise to the podium. In his third run of the night, Wise put together a perfect routine. Dropping into the SuperPipe backwards, he landed a switch rightside 720, switch leftside double cork 1080 Japan, corked rightside 540 tailgrab, leftside double cork 1260 mute grab, and rightside double cork 1260 mute on the final wall for the bronze medal.
By earning bronze on Sunday night, Wise broke a record: Previously, no man older than 28 had earned a Ski SuperPipe medal at X Games. Known as a pioneer of freeski halfpipe riding, Wise has seen and won it all: His unparalleled track record includes two Olympic gold medals (2014 and 2018) as seven X Games medals (4 gold, 2 silver, 1 bronze). Wise will represent the United States in the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.
This wraps up a history-making edition of Winter X Games in Aspen! When all was said and done, the Monster Energy team took home an incredible 23 medals (5 Gold, 7 Silver, 11 Bronze) in the world’s biggest winter action sports showcase.
Thanks to all athletes, everyone who attended and all who watched X Games Aspen 2022. Also, thanks to the crew at ESPN and Buttermilk Mountain for putting on a world-class action sports showcase despite the adversities of the ongoing pandemic. X Games Aspen 2022 was televised globally in 192 countries and territories to more than 500 million homes.
X Games fans in the United States who missed the action at X Games Aspen 2022 can re-watch all live broadcasts on the official X Games YouTube channel. All highlights from X Games Aspen 2022 will be broadcast on ESPN in a two-piece anthology: X Games Aspen Anthology: Part 1 will air on Sunday, January 30, at 12 a.m. ET, followed by Part 2 on Monday, January 3, at 1 a.m. ET.
Visit here for exclusive content from X Games Aspen 2022 including photos, videos, and contest results as they happen. Follow Monster Energy on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok for exclusive behind-the-scenes looks at Buttermilk Mountain.
About Monster Energy
Based in Corona, California, Monster Energy is the leading marketer of energy drinks and alternative beverages. Refusing to acknowledge the traditional, Monster Energy supports the scene and sport. Whether motocross, off-road, NASCAR, MMA, BMX, surf, snowboard, ski, skateboard, or the rock and roll lifestyle, Monster Energy is a brand that believes in authenticity and the core of what its sports, athletes, and musicians represent. More than a drink, it’s the way of life lived by athletes, sports, bands, believers, and fans.
