At the inaugural European X-Games in Tignes earlier this month, Russian-cum-Swiss rider Iouri ‘iPod’ Podladtchikov unleashed his own version of the double McTwist 1260. You can read the full story here. This was the trick Shaun White invented for the Olympic Games (which he calls the ‘Tomahawk’) and which he pulled out on the last hit of his last run. Until iPod threw down in Tignes, Shaun was thoguht to be the only rider to have learned it. Immediately after the X-Games final – while Podladtchikov was still picking up his medal – whispers were flying around the crowd that iPod’s version of the double mctwist was actually better than Shaun’s. It was bigger and cleaner.

At the US Open last week the world got another chance to check out iPod’s new double. This time he was pipped to the winning post by the pint-sized Jap Kazu Kokubo (see his fantastic run here) but there was no denying that he now has this cutting-edge trick on lockdown. Intriguingly, iPod claims to have yet ANOTHER new move up his sleeve which he has still to unleash in competition. Now that really will be interesting to see. No doubt Shaun White – who’s taken a break from the contest scene since winning the Olympics – is watching all this with interest. Knowing Shaun he will have plenty more fuel in his own tank, but one thing’s for sure: the recent surge in halfpipe progression ain’t played out yet.

Check out this video of iPod from the US Open below (the double mctwist comes on his second hit) then watch the clip of Shaun’s double below that, and decide for yourself who’s version looks better.