USA’s own Jamie Anderson bagged her second gold in two years at this years slope style final, totaling her to a nice and even four gold medals won at X Games. Despite a few issues with this years tight course and the women struggling to lay down clean runs – Anderson still managed to throw down a performance that showcased a backside 180 to a cab 720, capped with a massive switch backside 540. Preeetty impressive.
Her first of three runs got her a lead of 93 points, keeping the rest of the women off her back for the rest of the comp, “I just wanted to put down a solid run and do my best” she said following her first. A solid run is a modest way of putting her big cab 720, with the previous girls experiencing small wipeouts and skipping jumps after the big kickers. What else can we expect though from the 22 year old Californian, whose tree hugging meditation techniques are obviously working as she’s made the move into fifth place in the Women’s overall World Snowboarding tour rankings. “It just feels so good”, said Anderson after her win. “I’m so happy to be here with a healthy body and a healthy mind”.
Just nipping at her boots was Sarka Pancochova; the 22 year old Czech scored a 90 landing her in second place and winning her first X Games medal. In third was Spencer O’Brien out of British Columbia, Canada. Brushing off the problems she had in the practice and during the competition she landed a run with an memorable cab 540, sending her back up to the podium for the first time in 4 years.
The comp was also significant for Britain’s own Aimee Fuller, it being the first time she has competed in the Winter X Games. She went for a way more technical run than the others, throwing in her big tricks at the first kicker such as a double back flip and cork backside 720, showing masses of confidence from the 20 year old and going huge on such a tight course. Like the others though she had trouble making the landings stick and came in at 8th, still a great achievement for our own athlete, and giving us huge high hopes for her in the future.
