[series align=left]X Games loves a rivalry narrative, and in the run-up to the women’s pipe it was all about Chloe Kim versus Kelly Clark. While that had certainly been the case at last year’s event, and at the 2015 US Open, last night was a one-woman show.
Chloe very nearly had it sewn up on her first run. A 13-foot backside air was followed with a frontside 1080 tailgrab, cab 7 melon, front 5 indy and McTwist. Landing her last hit, an alley-oop backside 5, would have given her the top spot by a mile, but she sketched out to leave Arielle Gold in 1st place.
After winning at the Laax Open, Arielle was clearly hungry for more, and her first run started strong with a front 9, Michalchuck and crippler. The amplitude abandoned her for her final few spins, but it was miles ahead of what the rest of the field had achieved in the tricky conditions – with the exception of Cai Xuetong.
