Piling up a history

By Paul Willis, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published January 24, 2008 at 12:45 a.m.
Updated January 24, 2008 at 10:01 a.m.

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Photo by Darin McGregor © The Rocky

Mathieu Crepel sails off a rail Wednesday at Buttermilk Mountain in Aspen, practicing for the snowboard slopestyle at the Winter X Games.

Photo by Darin McGregor / The Rocky

A snowmobiler checks one of the gap jumps on the snocross track.

Gretchen Bleiler

Shaun White

Photo by Darin McGregor / The Rocky

Snowboarders take turns practicing in the halfpipe for the Winter X Games.

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When they began in 1997, many believed the Winter X Games were a fly-by-night concept that soon would be extinct.

Entering their 12th year, it's hard to imagine the uproar that would ensue if the Aspen-based shredfest didn't take its annual turn.

"As far as action sports goes, the X Games is the most important contest out there," snowboarder Gretchen Bleiler said.

The event, which gets into full swing today and continues through Sunday on Buttermilk Mountain, has carved its niche as a who's who of winter action sports, one that allows the big names to shine while affording opportunities for those lesser known to leap into the spotlight.

WX12 will be no different.

Bleiler makes history

Gretchen Bleiler graces the cover of ESPN The Magazine this month, becoming the first female action sports athlete to do so and only the third woman overall.

"It's an incredible honor," she said.

While the cover story details the latest happenings with the Aspen- based halfpiper, this year's Winter X Games story line will be the same as always for Bleiler, one she says never gets old: She has the luxury of competing in her hometown.

"With it being in my hometown, I always put more pressure on myself," said Bleiler, who was disappointed with her second-place finish to Torah Bright in the women's superpipe last year. "But I try to turn that pressure into a positive and into dropping down the best run that I know how to throw."

Bleiler also has launched her new Web site, GretchenBleiler.com, in time for the Winter X Games.

The site includes her blog, a photo gallery, news and her schedule.

Fisher kicks back, prepares

Halfpipe snowboarder Steve Fisher, who edged Shaun White for Winter X Games gold last year and is a two-time winner of the event, was asked what steps he was taking to defend his title.

"I've been fasting and squatting about 800 pounds," the 25-year-old Breckenridge resident and U.S. Snowboarding Team member said. "Just kidding. I was relaxed last year, so I've tried to stay that way. I do about four or five runs a day and just peace out."

Numbers game

17 events at the Winter X Games this year, including the return of the big air competition in skiing and snowboarding, and a new discipline in snowmobiling, speed & style.

Big bucks

Total prize money for the Winter X Games will reach $1 million for the first time, an increase of 38 percent from last year. More than 250 athletes from around the globe are expected to compete.

"It's good to see the prize money in action sports match the caliber of talent," said snowboarder Shaun Palmer, who will be competing in his 10th Winter X Games.

Not only Tomato flies

White seems to have become synonymous with snowboarding, particularly after capturing a gold medal at the 2006 Winter Olympics. It's a shame, many in the business say, that White, nicknamed the "Flying Tomato," so often is singled out.

"Shaun White seems to get all the credit for snowboarding these days, but the list is at least 20 deep as far as awesome competitors," said fellow halfpipe snowboarder Fisher, who said he respects White. "I always compare snowboarding to the PGA Tour in that there are a big number of competitors that can win at each event. But the media has turned Shaun White into the Tiger Woods of snowboarding."

Only Olympics take precedence

How significant an event are the Winter X Games for action sports? We asked U.S. Snowboarding coach Mike Jankowski.

"Other than the Olympics as our main focus, the X Games is really our No. 1 event. You want to have that trick that no one has ever seen before to present to everyone in the grandstands."

So, what is the chief difference between the Olympics and X Games?

"At the Olympics, the weight of the world is on your shoulders. At the X Games, the weight of yourself is on your shoulders."

Erasing the memory

Last year's Winter X Games didn't mark a particularly thrilling time in Louie Vito's career. Trying to hurry back from an assortment of injuries, the halfpiper had little time to prepare and, basically, bombed out.

Now healthy and fully prepared, the Ohio-based Vito is poised for a much better showing at the event he religiously watched as he grew up.

"Just trying to get some last-minute tricks styled," Vito said. "The X Games pipe is always perfect, so you want to have everything dialed before you get there."

Reigning champs

Last year's winners:

* SNOWBOARDING

Superpipe: Men - Steve Fisher. Women - Torah Bright.

Slopestyle: Men - Andreas Wiig. Women - Jamie Anderson.

Snowboarder: Men - Nate Holland. Women - Joanie Anderson.

Best trick (men only) - Andreas Wiig.

* SKIING

Skier X: Men - Casey Puckett. Women - Ophelie David.

Superpipe: Men - Tanner Hall. Women - Sarah Burke.

Slopestyle (men only): Candide Thovex.

Mono skier X (dual gender): Tyler Walker.

* SNOWMOBILING

Freestyle: Chris Burandt.

Snocross: Tucker Hibbert.

Exposure

Halfpiper Hannah Teter was a guest on Jimmy Kimmel Live on Jan. 11. Teeter, a 2006 Olympic gold medalist, said she was stoked for the Winter X Games and about her impending 21st birthday this week.

"Luckily, it's the night after I compete," she told Kimmel. "You should come. You should bring your freakin' sweet girlfriend (Sarah Silverman)."

He said it

"I always thought it was funny when people want you to sign their body. I'm thinking, 'You don't take a shower?' "

Vito, on some of the oddest requests from fans.

Details

* What: Top action sports athletes in skiing, snowboarding and snowmobiling compete in 17 events.

* Where: Buttermilk Mountain at Aspen/Snowmass.

* When: Today through Sunday.

* Admission: Free to the public.

* TV: Today: 7-9 p.m., ESPN. Friday: 7:30-9:30 p.m., ESPN. Saturday: 1-4 p.m., KMGH-Ch. 7; 7-9 p.m., ESPN. Sunday - Noon to 4 p.m. and 7-9 p.m., ESPN.

* Etc.: There will be live music each night, with 13 bands booked. . . . Those having trouble finding lodging in Aspen are encouraged to try Snowmass (six miles away) or nearby towns such as Glenwood Springs, from which a bus will transport fans. . . . The Winter X Games will remain in Aspen until at least 2010. Aspen first hosted the event in 2002.

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