Winter X Games dates announced

17th June 2011, by Chris Gill

The European version of the popular Winter X Games will return to Tignes in 2012. The games will take place in the French resort from 14 to 16 March, for its third time.

More than 125 of the best athletes in freestyle snowboarding and skiing will compete in Tignes again after two successful seasons. The games is better known for its US version, held annually in Aspen-Snowmass, Colorado, and features slope-style, super-pipe and even snowmobiling competitions (US only). It attracts a youthful crowd to these readily developing disciplines in the freestyle world, and has been taking place in Aspen since 2001.

But Winter X branched out in to Europe in 2009/10 and Tignes was chosen as the first venue, with a contract to host the event for three years. Britain’s Jenny Jones was the star of the first European games, clinching a gold medal in the slope-style event – and her third overall, having won two in the US.

Organisers ESPN want to expand the event to a series of six by 2013; in the meantime they will be providing full coverage of the Tignes and Aspen competitions again. If you are planning to be in the States instead, next year’s Aspen event will take place on Buttermilk Mountain from 26 to 29 January.

• tignes
• aspen
• jenny jones
• winter x games

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