Featured image: Joshua Duplechian/X Games
It’s the competition we wait for all year. The bright lights, big names and even bigger jumps. There’s always something in the air at X Games Aspen, whether that’s fresh snow or a touch of magic, and this year was certainly no different. The best weekend of the year kicked off on Friday, January 27, with heavy-hitting gold medal performances and the stoke level never wavered throughout the weekend. Keep reading for a full recap of all X Games Aspen ski events, organized by day.
Friday, January 27
Megan Oldham takes home historic gold in Women’s Ski Big Air
21-year-old Canadian Megan Oldham pulled out a leftside triple cork 1440 to take home gold in Women’s Ski Big Air. The first woman in skiing or snowboarding to ever land a triple cork in competition, Oldham earned a perfect 50 score from the judges, as well as a 41 for a rightside double cork 1260—Big Air is best two scores combined. France’s Tess Ledeux took home silver for stomping a leftside double cork 1440 with a tail grab and Scotland’s Kirsty Muir claimed bronze for an unexpected leftside double cork 1620 weddle. This is Muir’s first-ever X Games medal.
Jesper Tjader snags the top spot in Ski Knuckle Huck
While Ski Knuckle Huck has quickly become an X Games favorite for the creativity and downright insanity of the event but Swedish freestyle freak Jesper Tjader took 2023’s 30-minute jam session competition to a whole new level. Landing a switch double backflip, a double frontflip barani and a tail press to front flip, Tjader truly does not abide by the laws of physics. Matej Svancer was awarded silver for a boosted lincoln loop pretzel 180 and a right handdrag double cork 720. Utah’s Colby Stevenson rounded out the podium with an insane nosebutter double cork 1260.
Saturday, January 28
Colby Stevenson picks up second medal of the weekend in Men’s Ski Slopestyle
Colby Stevenson showed up Saturday morning ready to dominate the snowy slopestyle course. His second run sealed the gold medal deal with a backside 360 switch up continuing 270, rightside 450 pretzel 270, switch leftside 270 backslide to switch, switch rightside 270 backside continuing 270, rightside double 900 Japan, switch leftside double 1080 safety, switch rightside double 1260 safety, left double 1620 stalefish. Max Forehand and Ferdinand Dahl filled out the rest of the podium, second and third respectively.
Zoe Atkin shakes up Women’s Ski Superpipe with unexpected victory
Snow proved to be a challenge for the ladies but Great Britain’s Zoe Atkin didn’t let that keep her from throwing a huge leftside 540 mute, a rightside 720 to rodeo 540 combo followed by a 360 blunt to switch 540. With the intention of just going out and doing her best, Atkin was able to clinch the gold medal with that impressive run. Canada’s Rachael Karker claimed second with a solid run capped off with a switch leftside alley-oop 360 and Svea Irving earned her first X Games medal by stomping her fourth and final run.
Sunday, January 29
Mac Forehand earns perfect 50 and gold medal in Men’s Ski Big Air
Earning the second perfect 50 score in Ski Big Air for the weekend, Mac Forehand threw the first-ever forward double cork 2160 in competition. Combined with a 47 for a switch triple cork 1800, Forehand scored a 97, which earned him the top spot of the night. Teal Harle was not far behind with a total score of 96 for second place and Birk Ruud rounded out the podium.
Megan Oldham collects a second gold in Women’s Ski Slopestyle
21-year-old Megan Oldham clearly found her flow in Aspen, clinching a second gold medal in one weekend with a clean and steezy slopestyle run that finished with a switch left double cork 900 Japan and a right double cork 1260. Switzerland’s Mathilde Gremaud took home silver and Kirsty Muir earned her second X Games bronze for the weekend.
David Wise continues to dominate in the pipe
David Wise continues to raise the bar in Men’s Superpipe with yet another gold medal for the X Games veteran. A near-perfect run with a switch right 900 blunt, left double cork 1260 to right 900 blunt 16 feet above the deck followed by back-to-back double cork 1260s. Birk Irving clinched the silver medal with a top-tier first run right out of the gate and Finnish rookie Jon Salinen took home bronze to close out the action-packed weekend.
