ASPEN, CO (Jan. 26, 2017) – Emerging from one of the most competitive fields ever to compete in men’s halfpipe at X Games, Americans Matt Ladley (Steamboat Springs, CO) and Taylor Gold (Steamboat Springs, CO) scored podium finishes, earning silver and bronze respectively.
Ladley, who won X Games gold at Aspen in 2016, had a beautiful run that featured a huge backside 900 linked to a frontside 1260. The silver was his second medal in six X Games appearances. Ladley also won the Park City U.S. Grand Prix in 2016.
It was a triumphant return for 23-year-old Gold, who spent all of 2016 sidelined while recovering from a broken kneecap. He knew that he had the tricks going into the 2017 X Games, and the 2014 Olympian seemed to pick up right where he left off, landing a run that included a 22-foot chicken-wing McTwist. His sister, Arielle, will compete in women’s halfpipe at X Games on Saturday night.
Australian Scotty James won Thursday night’s competition with a run that featured huge amplitude and a backside 1260.
Matt Ladley rides to silver. (Getty Images-Daniel Petty)
Chase Josey (Hailey, ID) also had a fantastic showing at X Games, finishing just off the podium in fourth place. Josey's fourth-place finish in Aspen comes just five days after winning the LAAX Open World Cup event with a history-making run that featured five consecutive doubles.
Danny Davis (Highland, MI) finished fifth despite an injury to his right hand that made it difficult to grab; Louie Vito (Bellafontaine, OH) was sixth; Ben Ferguson (Bend, OR) was seventh; Shaun White (Carlsbad, CA) was 11th.
Up next for the U.S. Snowboarding riders at X Games is men’s big air, where Kyle Mack (West Bloomfield, MI) will face off against an international field.
HIGHLIGHTS
- U.S. Snowboarding pro halfpipe team member Matt Ladley earned silver. His second run scored 80.00: backside 900 mute, frontside 1260 tailgrab, fresh fish, frontside 1080 tailgrab, Cab double cork 1080 stalefish, frontside double cork 1080 indy.
- U.S. Snowboarding pro halfpipe team member Taylor Gold earned bronze. His second run scored 79.00: chicken-wing McTwist, frontside 1260 tailgrab, double Michalchuk melon, air to fakie stalefish, Cab 1080 roast beef, frontside double cork 1080 indy, double Michalchuk.
RESULTS
Men’s Halfpipe
