At X Games Tignes, coming up March 20-22, all but two of the Men's Ski SuperPipe contenders will be from one of three countries: USA, France, and Canada (plus Jossi and Byron Wells from New Zealand). American David Wise won the Ski SuperPipe gold in Aspen. Can he defend his title in France?
American Torin Yater-Wallace earned the Ski SuperPipe silver medal in Aspen and the gold last year in Tignes. At just 17 years old, he will be one to watch in France again this year and next year, when ski halfpipe makes its Olympic debut in Sochi, Russia.
Thomas Krief from France is part of the so-called French Freeski Project. The French Ski Federation does not fund a halfpipe program in the traditional sense; instead, the federation gives the top five men, which includes Krief, approximately $4,000 apiece to allot as they wish.
Kevin Rolland is from La Plagne, France, making him a local's favorite in Tignes. He has won an X Games gold in his home halfpipe in Tignes before. But he missed last year's X Games Tignes due to a knee injury. In Aspen this year, he just missed the podium with a fourth-place finish.
Canadian Mike Riddle didn't make the Ski SuperPipe finals at X Games Aspen this year, which is out of the ordinary for this Canadian Halfpipe Team star. With his teammate Justin Dorey out with a shoulder injury, Riddle is one of Canada's best bets for a gold in France.
Crested Butte, Colo., native Aaron Blunck, age 16, was a rookie at X Games Aspen -- and he qualified for the finals. David Wise has called Blunck "one to watch."
Joffrey Pollet-Villard from France placed fifth in Aspen's Ski SuperPipe finals, just behind his teammate, Kevin Rolland. "Our goal now is only the Olympics," French halfpipe team head coach, Greg Guenet, said.
In January, American Simon Dumont claimed the bronze medal in the men's Ski SuperPipe while skiing in his 11th consecutive X Games final. He's been around the longest of any athlete in this field, and he's still at the top of his game.
Matt Margetts, of Canada, skis the pipe in last year's X Games Tignes as thousands of fans look on. Margetts didn't make the finals in Aspen this year, which might make him even hungrier for a podium finish in France.
American Tucker Perkins took sixth place in Aspen. Prior to the formation of the U.S. Freeskiing Team, American athletes competed with little, if any, unity. Now that ski halfpipe is an Olympic sport, they compete as part of the U.S. Ski Team, with funding, training and coaching provided on a team level.
Noah Bowman, 20, is a young gun on the Canadian Freeskiing Team. Although the Canadian team is now under the Canadian Freestyle Ski Association, it was independent when the team was formed. "One of the strengths we have is our team program and mentality was not only bought into by the athletes, but it was athlete-driven," Canadian Halfpipe head coach Trennon Paynter said. "They wanted it so bad that they went out and raised money and paid for it to happen."
If a Canadian, French or American skier doesn't win gold in Tignes, it'll be because of this guy, Jossi Wells, or his younger brother, Byron, from New Zealand. The Wells brothers are the only two athletes in the field not from one of the big three countries.
Byron Wells, from New Zealand, was injured during X Games Aspen in January and didn't compete, so Tignes will be his only shot for an X Games medal this year. Stay tuned March 20-22 for all of the action from X Games Tignes.
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At X Games Tignes, coming up March 20-22, all but two of the Men's Ski SuperPipe contenders will be from one of three countries: USA, France, and Canada (plus Jossi and Byron Wells from New Zealand). American David Wise won the Ski SuperPipe gold in Aspen. Can he defend his title in France?
American Torin Yater-Wallace earned the Ski SuperPipe silver medal in Aspen and the gold last year in Tignes. At just 17 years old, he will be one to watch in France again this year and next year, when ski halfpipe makes its Olympic debut in Sochi, Russia.
Thomas Krief from France is part of the so-called French Freeski Project. The French Ski Federation does not fund a halfpipe program in the traditional sense; instead, the federation gives the top five men, which includes Krief, approximately $4,000 apiece to allot as they wish.
Kevin Rolland is from La Plagne, France, making him a local's favorite in Tignes. He has won an X Games gold in his home halfpipe in Tignes before. But he missed last year's X Games Tignes due to a knee injury. In Aspen this year, he just missed the podium with a fourth-place finish.
Canadian Mike Riddle didn't make the Ski SuperPipe finals at X Games Aspen this year, which is out of the ordinary for this Canadian Halfpipe Team star. With his teammate Justin Dorey out with a shoulder injury, Riddle is one of Canada's best bets for a gold in France.
Crested Butte, Colo., native Aaron Blunck, age 16, was a rookie at X Games Aspen -- and he qualified for the finals. David Wise has called Blunck "one to watch."
Joffrey Pollet-Villard from France placed fifth in Aspen's Ski SuperPipe finals, just behind his teammate, Kevin Rolland. "Our goal now is only the Olympics," French halfpipe team head coach, Greg Guenet, said.
In January, American Simon Dumont claimed the bronze medal in the men's Ski SuperPipe while skiing in his 11th consecutive X Games final. He's been around the longest of any athlete in this field, and he's still at the top of his game.
Matt Margetts, of Canada, skis the pipe in last year's X Games Tignes as thousands of fans look on. Margetts didn't make the finals in Aspen this year, which might make him even hungrier for a podium finish in France.
American Tucker Perkins took sixth place in Aspen. Prior to the formation of the U.S. Freeskiing Team, American athletes competed with little, if any, unity. Now that ski halfpipe is an Olympic sport, they compete as part of the U.S. Ski Team, with funding, training and coaching provided on a team level.
Noah Bowman, 20, is a young gun on the Canadian Freeskiing Team. Although the Canadian team is now under the Canadian Freestyle Ski Association, it was independent when the team was formed. "One of the strengths we have is our team program and mentality was not only bought into by the athletes, but it was athlete-driven," Canadian Halfpipe head coach Trennon Paynter said. "They wanted it so bad that they went out and raised money and paid for it to happen."
If a Canadian, French or American skier doesn't win gold in Tignes, it'll be because of this guy, Jossi Wells, or his younger brother, Byron, from New Zealand. The Wells brothers are the only two athletes in the field not from one of the big three countries.
Byron Wells, from New Zealand, was injured during X Games Aspen in January and didn't compete, so Tignes will be his only shot for an X Games medal this year. Stay tuned March 20-22 for all of the action from X Games Tignes.
