2020 X Games Pleases and Rocks – as Always
January 30, 2020Photos and Story by Gerardo Federico
What can I say about covering the 24th X Games – and 19th straight in Aspen? This year – being the 3rd straight for me – quickly brought back memories of the off-kilter smell of fuel in the crisp mountain air. I was awash in the steam and exhaust streaming from the Snow Bike engines roaring throughout Buttermilk Mountain.
As I trudged, huffing and puffing and losing my breath, up the mountain, I caught an unmatchable picturesque scene of Aspen at the top. I took in the scene with so many people out here in the bright, cold sunshine to watch these extreme athletes work their freaked-out magic. This year’s X Games 15 Coloradans qualified, and here’s a list of how they did.
Taylor Gold (Steamboat Springs) – Gold Medal Snowboard SuperPipe Session, 6th Snowboard SuperPipe.
Alex Ferreira (Aspen) – Gold Ski SuperPipe, 2nd in Special Olympics unified skier and pranger.
Aaron Blunck (Crested Butte) – 2nd Ski SuperPipe
Jake Pates (Eagle) – 2nd Snowboard SuperPipe Session, 13th Snowboard SuperPipe
Red Gerard (Silverthorne) – 3rd Place Snowboard Slopestyle
Gus Kenworthy (Telluride) – 1st in Special Olympics Unified Skiing with Lyons, 10th Ski Slopestyle, 12th Ski SuperPipe
Birk Irving (Winter Park) – 5th Ski SuperPipe
Torin Yater-Wallace (Aspen) – 6th Ski Knuckle Huck
Mark Wilson (Denver) – 14th Snow Bike Cross
Taylor Seaton (Avon) – 10th Ski SuperPipe
Jaxin Hoerter (Breckenridge) – 13th Ski SuperPipe
Lyman Currier (Boulder) – 6th Ski SuperPipe
Jake Canter (Silverthorne) – 6th Snowboard Knuckle Huck
If you ever get the chance to check the X Games out, rest assured that it’s incredibly thrilling! Parking is free (there are shuttles that run around the clock all through the event). Admission is free, but you do have to pay for the concerts.
Tons of food options, including free Wendy’s hamburgers (if you can wait in the always-packed line)! This year also showed off a new National Geographic exhibit that lets you climb Mt. Everest from your seat, sporting the latest in Virtual Reality goggles. And there are many parents and families walking around showing off the latest in snow wear – I even ran into a lady with heated gloves!
The X Games isn’t without danger, though – I witnessed an almost disastrous snow bike accident. But then we snowmobiled up to the top of the mountain for the Snowboard Slopestyle practice session, and for some awesome pictures. It was a wonderful time with old and new friends – and an extraordinary event that won’t disappoint you!
