Australian snowboarder, Scotty James, has won gold in the men’s snowboard superpipe event at the Aspen X Games in the USA today.
The 27-year-old from Warrandyte, Melbourne, recorded his fourth X-Games victory with a number of impressive runs in the Aspen halfpipe, to finish ahead of Japanese riders Ayumu Hirano in second place, with his younger brother Kaishu Hirano in third.
“It’s hard to put words on this honestly, after last week in Laax which was upsetting, and I just wanted to bounce back, I love Aspen, and I love this pipe” said James after completing his victory lap after being guaranteed the gold medal ahead of his final run.
“Ayumu is an amazing opponent and the rest of the field and I knew I had to bring my best, so I am absolutely thrilled.”
James is Australia’s most successful male snowboarder to date. The Olympic bronze medallist in 2018 has a collection of X Games medals (4 gold, 2 silver, 1 bronze), eleven FIS World Cup medals (6 gold, 4 silver, 1 bronze) and four World Championship medals, including three gold.
Making his X Games debut, 16-year-old teen sensation Valentino Guseli from Dalmeny in New South Wales, finished in sixth place, with his highest score coming in the first run.
The X-Games is the final event for James, Guseli and Coady before the Olympic Winter Games in Beijing, China.
