I-Pod P: Courtesy of ESPN.com

After a video was uploaded all over the inter-web a week ago of Iouri Podladtchikov landing "Shaun White's trick", the Double McTwist 1260 on the second try, an idea was sparked and people began to question: "Would it be possible to beat Shaun White?" After all, the Olympics just came to a close and after White's perfection of a halfpipe run with the debut of a brand new trick, it seemed pretty much impossible. However, I-Pod answered this question with an apparent, "heck no it's not impossible" attitude and set out to show us why.

In the middle of his second run at the Euro X Games, he laid out the Double McTwist 1260 flawlessly after a Cab double cork 10 and an inverted front 5. He didn't stop there, Iouri completed the run with a front 10 and Cab 7. This inconceivable display of riding earned him a 98.00 - the highest score ever in X Games history. On ESPN.com, I-Pod even admitted to having another double he's never shown in competition. It appears that White is not the only rider ready with not only some surprises, but surprises they can actually pull off. Shaun White might be regretting not showing up to Tignes right about now. When these two guys finally get to hit the same halfpipe at the Burton US Open, we can be sure that it will be riding for the books.

Earning the silver medal was France's Mathieu Crepel with a 95.00 run topped with a front double cork 10, front 12, and an alley oop rodeo. Rounding out the men's snowboard halfpipe podium was America's dancing sensation, Louie Vito with a 92.33. Vito threw three double cork 10s back-to-back-to-back, which some believe deserved the silver.
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Men's Snowboard Superpipe Final Results

1. Iouri Podladtchikov 98.00
2. Mathieu Crepel 95.00
3. Louie Vito 92.33
4. Markus Malin 90.33
5. Aluan Ricciardi 88.66
6. Christian Haller 85.00
7. Luke Mitrani 82.33
8. JJ Thomas 79.66


Jenny Jones P: Courtesy of ESPN.com

The riders at the European X Games are simply showing us what's up. With improved conditions on the demanding slopestyle course, the ladies had their opportunity laid out in front of them and they decided to spin to win.

Jenny Jones came in hot and clinched gold, adding to her X Games medal collection, while Kjersti Oestgaard Buaas nabbed the silver, her first X games medal since her first appearance in the games in 2002. The bronze medal went home with X games newbie, Swiss rider Sina Candrian.

Each one of the ladies on the podium stomped a 7 in their run, no doubt epitomizing the progression of women's snowboarding in that a chick throwing a 7, grabbing, and landing it was unheard of a few seasons ago. The long and unique set up at the European X Games provided a different competitive experience for the ladies - allowing them to focus more on their riding rather than their speed.

Jones' winning run was made up of a 5-0, front 3, back 3, front 5, Cab 5, 50/50, and a front 7. Her known top competitor, Jamie Anderson was taken out of the contest with a practice injury earlier in the week while Sarka Pancochova was also missing from the finals due to a foot injury. Jenny Jones is a the top of her game right now and it doesn't look like she's going anywhere anytime soon.

Women's Slopestyle Final Results

1. Jenny Jones 92.33
2. Kjersti Oestgaard Buass 86.66
3. Sina Candrian 83.00
4. Spencer O'Brien 80.66
5. Silje Norendal 63.00
6. Charlotte van Gils 48.33


The riding this winter is staggering - almost stupidly good. No one knows what to expect, including the riders. The US Open begins next week - tune in only if you want to witness the snowboard world change as you know it, again.

Tignes, France
Credit: Stef Cande/Shazamm/ESPN

Day 2 of the Euro X Games went down in snowy weather in Tignes, France. Peep the highlights and see what Chas Guldemond, Jenny Jones and Halldor Helgason have to say about the course.


Video: Mpora

Check out this raw edit of slopestyle elimination's. The course looks pretty gnarly, six jumps in one run? That's pretty intense. What do you think?


Video: Mpora

P: Courtesy of tignes.net

Colorado native, Eric Willet, finally got his at the European Winter X Games. After taking home the silver in the Winter X Games in Aspen, Willett stomped his run in Tignes to get the Gold. With a tiring and demanding eight feature course at the event, all the riders seemed to be leaning toward the haggard side with their strength running thin. However, after a night of drawing runs and brainstorming, two Americans, Sage Kotsenburg and Eric Willett, landed the top two spots on the podium, followed by Slovenia's Marko Grilc.

Willett's gold-worthy run was made up of a half Cab 5-0 to backside 180 on the "Railway to Heaven", Cab 9, back 7, front double cork 1080, one clean backside rodeo, switch back 9, 50/50, and a double back rodeo. Chasing after him with the silver was the Dew Tour Slopestyle Champ, Sage Kotsenburg.

Men's Slopestyle Final

1st - Eric Willett 91.00
2nd - Sage Kotsenburg 85.33
3rd - Marko Grilc 83.66
4th - Stephan Maurer 82.66
5th - Chas Guldemond 70.66
6th - Christian Haller 67.66
7th - Travis Rice 50.33
8th - Iouri Podlatchikov 49.33


P: Courtesy of tignes.net

What the women's superpipe lacked in faces that have been blasted all over the media with the Olympic frenzy including Kelly Clark and Gretchen Bleiler, it did not lack in banger riding.

With most riders admitting that it'd be impossible to take on Olympic gold medalist, Torah Bright, it didn't seem like it would be much of a different result than that of Vancouver. However, the spectators and competitors were proved wrong by 20-year-old Dew Tour Superpipe Champ, Kaitlyn Farrington with her first X Games gold.

Going into finals it was head to head with Torah in the lead, but when Farrington laid down her second run loaded with a text book back 9, inverted frontside 7, Cab 7, and an alley oop 5, all was said and done. It earned her a 97.00, moving her above Torah's 95.00 top score. Rounding out the podium with the bronze was France's, Sophie Rodriguez.

Women's Superpipe Final

1st - Kaitlyn Farrington 97.00
2nd - Torah Bright 95.00
3rd - Sophie Rodriguez 87.00
4th - Mercedes Nicoll 82.33
5th - Ellery Hollingsworth 79.00
6th - Kjersti Oestgaard Buass 78.66

France scored a gold and silver at home in Men's Ski Superpipe on Wednesday night when Kevin Rolland and Xavier Bertoni both threw down technical and difficult runs. Rolland's run, however, was unmatched. His winning run was complete with two double flips and double cork 1260 mute grab. He was the first skier to ever throw this in competition at the Winter X Games in Aspen and the only skier to land it in competition. These two frenchmen were more than stoked to claim the number one and two spots.

The bronze belonged to Canadian Justin Dorey with his back to back doubles.

Men's Ski Superpipe Final

1st - Kevin Rolland 95.66
2nd - Xavier Bertoni 92.00
3rd - Justin Dorey 86.66
4th - Mike Riddle 85.00
5th - Byron Weels 84.33
6th - Jossi Wells 82.66
7th - Tucker Perkins 80.33
8th - AJ Kemppainen 75.33


P: Courtesy of tignes.net


More final results to come!

IT's ON.


Tignes, France. The location of Euro X.
Photo: Trennor Paynter (NS)

The inaugural European X Games kicks off this week in the picturesque town of Tignes, France. Over 130 international athletes, 30 of whom are Olympians, are nestled in the Alps prepared to set it off with their snow skills. Check out the who will be competing here- Invited athletes.

This event is gearing up to be ultra action packed with ski and snowboard competitions in slopestyle and superpipe. The slopestyle course is a beast with six jumps and three rail features. The superpipe is a gargantuan with 22 foot walls. Both courses are sure to be the scene of some major action.

We will be bringing you all the heat from the fire that's started in Tignes, so check back often.
Until then, peep the competition schedule HERE.