Monster Energy congratulates its team of freeski and snowboard athletes on a standout performance on the second day of X Games Aspen 2024.
ASPEN, Colo., Jan. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — The medal run continues! Monster Energy congratulates its team of freeski and snowboard athletes on a standout performance on the second day of X Games Aspen 2024. On Saturday, Monster Energy riders claimed a total of nine medals (5 gold, 3 silver, and 1 bronze) across eight contest events in the 23rd edition of Winter X Games at Buttermilk Mountain in Aspen Snowmass, Colorado.
The first contest of the day, Samsung Galaxy Men’s Ski Slopestyle saw 23-year-old Birk Ruud from Oslo, Norway clinch his first X Games gold in the discipline. In the first-ever Thayer Women’s Snowboard Knuckle Huck, 19-year-old Kokomo Murase from Gifu, Japan, took the gold medal on her last run. In the inaugural Thayer Women’s Ski Knuckle Huck, 19-year-old Olivia Asselin from Quebec City, Canada, took the gold medal.
In the heated Pacifico Men’s Snowboard Big Air final, 18-year-old Taiga Hasegawa from Iwakura, Japan, took gold in a boundary-pushing display of aerial skills. Rounding out an epic second day on Buttermilk Mountain, 26-year-old Colby Stevenson from Park City, Utah, made history by becoming the first rider to claim repeat gold in Thayer Men’s Ski Knuckle Huck. A heavy second in Aspen, for sure!
Here are the highlights for Team Monster Energy on day two of X Games Aspen 2024:
Samsung Galaxy Men’s Ski Slopestyle: Birk Ruud Claims First-Ever Slopestyle Gold, Alex Hall Takes Home Silver
The biggest day of competitions at X Games Aspen 2024 kicked off under bluebird skies with the Samsung Galaxy Men’s Ski Slopestyle. The eight-rider session soon escalated into the most competitive final in X Games history, with scores above the 90-point benchmark all the way to sixth place.
Dropping into the heated session, 23-year-old Birk Ruud from Oslo, Norway, is the 2023 FIS Ski Slopestyle World Champion, but had never earned an X Games medal in the discipline. That was about to change! In his second run, Ruud put down leftside front 360 switch-up, continuing 270, switch rightside 270 continuing 450, switch leftside 270 back swap to forward, right backside 270 switch-up to forward in the rails. In the jump section, he boosted a right double cork 1620 safety grab, switch leftside double cork 1620, and left double cork bio 1800 mute grab for 96.33 points and the win.
“I’m feeling amazing now. After doing Big Air last night, I was so tired and kind of beaten up, and I was very down. It’s the first time I kind of felt like I just failed myself for two years. But to be back here and getting the redemption and putting down one of the best slopestyle runs I’ve ever done just feels truly amazing. I’m very, very happy,” said Ruud.
Ruud’s heaviest competition came from five-time X Games gold medalist Alex Hall from Park City, Utah, who won X Games Ski Slopestyle at Aspen 2019.
After struggling to pull a full run, Hall came through on his last attempt. On Run 3, he put together blindside switch-up transfer front-swap to switch, switch rightside 270 continuing 270 nose tap, leftside 270 frontside switch pretzel 270, and a technical switch leftside 270 backside switch pretzel 270. In the jumps, A-Hall landed leftside alley-oop double cork 1260 lead Japan grab, switch leftside double cork 1440, switch rightside double cork 1260 pullback to 1080 safety grab for 96.00 points and the silver medal.
Thayer Women’s Snowboard Knuckle Huck: Kokomo Murase Takes Gold on Final Trick, Germany’s Annika Morgan Claims Silver
In the first-ever Thayer Women’s Snowboard Knuckle Huck, the judges demanded style and creativity. Plus, creative use of the rounded section of the jump, known as the knuckle.
As the final session progressed, the main battle emerged between 19-year-old Kokomo Murase from Gifu, Japan, and 21-year-old Annika Morgan from Germany. It was a clash between Murase’s spring-loaded pop and Morgan’s street-style tech tricks.
When the action moved into final tricks, Morgan found herself bumped from the top spot by Murase’s breakout trick: A backside Miller Flip 540 hand drag propelled Murase into first place. Earlier, she posted moves like a floaty backside 360, method air past the blue line of the landing zone, frontside 360, massive backside 180 melon, soaring into the depth of the landing for the gold medal.
“This is the first time for Knuckle Huck, and I’m so happy that I did my best!” said Murase upon winning gold in the inaugural Women’s Snowboard Knuckle Huck.
Finishing in close second-place position, Morgan claimed silver as her first-ever X Games medal on the strength of street moves like backside cork 360, frontside 360, backside 180 no grab, backside 360 Miller Flip, and a stylish switch zero spin over the knuckle. Congrats to all riders for making this first-ever women’s event a true spectacle!
Thayer Women’s Ski Knuckle Huck: Olivia Asselin Soars to First Gold Medal, Sarah Hoefflin Earns Bronze
Next on the agenda, the crowd on Buttermilk Mountain celebrated another inaugural event: the first Thayer Women’s Ski Knuckle Huck. With a field of certified X Games gold medalists and Olympic champions sending their most creative moves over the knuckle, anything could happen, and nothing was decided until everything was decided.
The leaderboard fluctuated wildly throughout the progressive session until 19-year-old Olivia Asselin from Quebec City, Canada, clinched the top spot with a surprise move: A flat spinning right 540 off the knuckle on Run 4 bumped Asselin into gold medal position. She also impressed the judges by landing a versatile selection of tricks, including hand drag 540, nose drag 360, and a switch zero spin air on her last attempt. In other words, the kind of creative formula for which Knuckle Huck was created.
“I was a bit confused because it was such a new thing, the first women’s Knuckle Huck. So, it was a bit overwhelming. But I think it’s awesome that there are more creative events for women, and it was amazing to experience it,” said Asselin upon winning the first-ever Women’s Ski Knuckle Huck contested at X Games.
Also impressing the judges, 33-year-old Sarah Hoefflin from Geneva, Switzerland, put her deep repertoire of tricks and creative eye for unusual lines on full display. Standouts such as nose butter 540, 360 safety grab, massive 540 nose butter, and a stylish switch zero spin straight air earned Hoefflin the bronze medal in Knuckle Huck as her fifth X Games medal.
Pacifico Men’s Snowboard Big Air: Taiga Hasegawa Claims Gold with Dominant Performance
In a nighttime party atmosphere, the Pacifico Men’s Snowboard Big Air final put the current level of progression in the sport on full display.
In this elite field, 18-year-old Taiga Hasegawa from Iwakura, Japan, soared above the competition by posting the most stylish aerials and controlled rotations. Starting his night on a steezy note, Hasegawa posted a contorted switch method air over the gap for eight points. Switching gear into high-tech mode, the young Japanese sensation followed up by posting back-to-back bangers by ways of switch backside 1980 Indy (36 points) and backside 1980 mute grab (43 points) to claim the top spot with 87 points.
But Taiga’s night was far from done, as he sealed a dominant victory on the fifth and final run by sending a switch backside 1980 melon over the gap for 43 points, securing 94.00 points overall, a solid 11.00 points ahead of the next competitor, for the gold medal.
“I’m so happy. I can’t believe this happened. I’m so happy I came through tonight!” said Hasegawa upon claiming gold in Men’s Snowboard Big Air at X Games Aspen 2024.
Thayer Men’s Ski Knuckle Huck: Colby Stevenson Claims Repeat Gold in Elite Field, Henrik Harlaut Finesses to Silver Medal Finish
Ending the big night on Buttermilk Mountain with a bang, the Thayer Men’s Ski Knuckle Huck saw legends of the sport facing off against young progressive skiers. When the 20-minute jam session concluded, Monster Energy riders took the two top spots by posting the kind of stylish knuckle tricks only witnessed at X Games Aspen and making history in the process.
Speaking of making history, no rider had ever claimed two wins in Men’s Ski Knuckle Huck at X Games. That changed on Saturday night when 26-year-old Colby Stevenson from Park City, Utah, rose all the way to the top with trick innovation on a different plane. Stevenson won Ski Knuckle Huck at X Games Aspen 2020 as a rookie.
Starting his campaign with an impact, Stevenson posted a nose butter and hand drag double 1260, followed by a switch rightside tail butter nose butter to 1080 mute that sent him to the top of the leaderboard. Maintaining his lead, Stevenson posted a switch left tail butter double 1440 and cemented his win by landing a nose butter 1440 for the gold medal.
“Everyone is so good! You just try and do the tricks that you plan and try some new stuff. That was some of the craziest knuckle stuff I’ve ever seen tonight!” said Stevenson upon winning Men’s Ski Knuckle Huck at X Games Aspen 2024.
Stevenson was joined on the podium by a legend of the sport, 32-year-old Henrik Harlaut from Stockholm, Sweden, in silver medal position. Harlaut requires no introduction in the action sports world and is known as a major trick innovator in freeski as well as the rider with the most freeski medals in X Games history.
Extending his medal record even further, Harlaut came through in the final by landing unique trick creations, including switch tail butter into bio 900, long butter dragging across knuckle double hand grab 360, switch tail butter double 1080, and his signature nose butter double cork 1260 for second place amid fierce competition.
After Saturday night’s silver medal, Harlaut’s record for most X Games freeski medals stands at 14 medals (8 gold, 6 silver).
Stay tuned for more X Games Aspen 2024! All events will stream live for free on the official X Games YouTube channel and Twitch. Set those reminders, and don’t miss the action on Sunday!
Visit http://www.monsterenergy.com for exclusive updates from X Games Aspen 2024, including photos, videos, and contest results as they happen. Follow Monster Energy on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok for exclusive behind-the-scenes looks at Buttermilk Mountain.
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About Monster Energy
Based in Corona, California, Monster Energy is the leading marketer of energy drinks and alternative beverages. Refusing to acknowledge the traditional, Monster Energy supports the scene and sport. Whether motocross, off-road, NASCAR, MMA, BMX, surf, snowboard, ski, skateboard, or the rock and roll lifestyle, Monster Energy is a brand that believes in authenticity and the core of what its sports, athletes, and musicians represent. More than a drink, it’s the way of life lived by athletes, sports, bands, believers, and fans. See more about Monster Energy including all of its drinks at http://www.monsterenergy.com.
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