Maddie Bowman successfully defended her 2013 X Games title last night, topping a field of eight women, under the lights on Aspen’s Buttermilk Mountain. In second, Canada’s Rosalind Groenewoud, and placing third, Marie Martinod of France.

Bowman’s winning run consisted of a straight air Japan, right 9, left 5 mute, straight air mute, left cork 9, right 7, and switch 7 to close.

Maddie throws down during a training session, pre final

“The biggest thing about this group of girls is we’re just friends,” Bowman told ESPN post contest. “We travel together, we ski together all the time, and there’s such good camaraderie. I’m so excited to go to Russia with [everyone]. We’re going to have a great time.”

In regards to Russia, each of the eight females who competed last night is slated to compete in Sochi next month. How it affects Maddie’s mindset heading into X Games? She explains simply:

“I just think about every comp, one at a time. I was focused [last night] on having a good time and enjoying myself.”

Maddie has been on quite a roll this season, having racked up four podium finishes among the five Olympic qualifying events; three of those were wins. She’s certainly a favorite heading into Sochi, and if she continues to add new stunts to her run (the switch 7 was a new one for her here at X, and she hinted at going for the 9) she’ll be that much tougher to beat.

Maddie Bowman re: back-to-back superpipe gold

Ros G, the X Games Aspen gold medalist in 2012, returned to competition for the first time following double knee surgery in December. She earned an 85.66 with a run that included a straight air mute, right 900 mute, flair safety, right 540 double Japan, straight air safety and a right 720 double Japan to close.

“Its been a tough week,” Roz said post event, citing the anniversary of Sarah’s passing, the Canadian Olympic team announcement, and an injury for her teammate, Megan Gunning, as factors that pulled her mind from the task at hand.

Yet, Ros expressed satisfaction at having “not forgotten how to compete,” while mending her knee.

“I’m ecstatic,” Groenewoud explained. “It’s been such an emotional process having surgery this close to the Games. My coaches put together a very strict program, which sometimes has been frustrating to follow. But, I’ve trusted the plan and it’s worked out. I’m excited for the next few weeks of the plan to start getting back my harder tricks. But this is such a perfect way to remember how to compete, how to deal with the butterflies and prepare for Sochi.”

Martinod also spoke to the ups and downs of this trying time.

“It’s a really tough season,” she said. “We all just try to deal with it. Myself, I try to deal with the fact that I want to win… But the more I ski with these girls, the more I love them. I’ve been crying at the top [of the pipe last night], we did some stuff for Sarah… So, I get up, I get down… this year is very intense, it’s hard to deal with it.”

Results, 2014 X Games Aspen women’s superpipe:

1. Maddie Bowman 88.66
2. Roz Groenewoud 85.66
3. Marie Martinod 82.33
4. Ayana Onozuka 79.66
5. Brita Sigourney 77.00
6. Anais Caradeux 73.00
7. Angeli VanLaanen 70.00
8. Amy Sheehan 62.66

Related: David Wise wins 2014 X Games Aspen superpipe, completes three-peat

To see how these results affect the current AFP World Rankings, visit afpworldtour.com. For updates re: Fantasy Freeride League, visit fantasyfreeride.com.