Sage Kotsenburg – The Park City Park Rat

Literally no one thought they’d get to write a piece about how Sage Kotsenburg won Olympic gold, he was one of the biggest contest-critics going into Sochi and after his display at the X Games – skill, genius and comedy in equal parts – we assumed he’d be a nice interlude in the triple cork madness everyone was expecting. He only made the finals through the semis, coming behind Billy Morgan!

Even after the ‘controversial’ judging in the qualifiers, bigger score being awarded for control over technicality, as he dropped in for his final run no one had him pegged for a medal, but his victory was the first confirmation that the FIS might have been listening to us all along after all.

The Holy Crail 1620 – the trick that’s impossible to explain to your mum – blew everyone away, including Sage, but it was his top-to-bottom style and flow that appeared to do it for the judges.

What did it for the world: The sight of Sage and Stale Sandbech bouncing and dancing around the finishing area whilst their competitors finished their runs. Mums love that shit.

What did it for us: The 180 switch tripod to back 180 off the cannon.