Where to Ski And Snowboard - Jones takes silver at Aspen

Jones takes silver at Aspen

3rd February 2011, by Chris Gill

The Aspen edition of the Winter X Cross games has taken place during the past week or so, with good news for British slopestyle rider Jenny Jones.

Jones won silver in the slopestyle contest at the 15th annual Aspen games on Buttermilk Mountain, just missing out on the gold title that she won in 2009 and 2010. But Jenny was delighted with her success, despite not taking gold. It’s her fourth medal at a Winter Games, which now also takes place in Tignes in the French Alps.

The slopestyle event involves tackling a wide range of terrain park features, such as rails, jumps and table tops. Competitors are marked on skill and style. This year’s winner was Finnish rider Enni Rukajarvi. Jenny Jones will now go on to Tignes in March (16-18) to see if see can match her gold medal in the first ever European event in 2010.

In the men’s freestyle events, runaway talent Shaun White continues his success story, claiming his 4th straight pipe title. Two-time Olympic gold medalist White, cemented the win on his second run last Sunday night, bringing out the Double McTwist 1260 – in which he launches himself high above the pipe, then does two head-over-heels flips and 3.5 rotations. Quite an achievement.

Meanwhile, the Aspen Winter X includes snowboard cross disciplines too. The Canadians have been doing rather well there, but it was US rider Nick Baumgartner who eventually took the gold in 1:29.700. Skiers aren’t forgotten either: the skier cross also takes place in Aspen. Kelsey Serwa won gold in the women’s skier X while fellow Canadian Chris Del Bosco claimed silver in the men’s competition.

The X games, hosted by ESPN, was held 28 - 31 January in Aspen Colorado.