Kim Leads USA Sweep in Oslo
OSLO, Norway (Feb. 26, 2016) – Chloe Kim (La Palma, CA) led a huge U.S. podium sweep for the halfpipe women at X Games Oslo, with Kelly Clark (West Dover, VT) earning silver and Arielle Gold (Steamboat Springs, CO) taking bronze. Chase Josey (Hailey, ID) had a stellar showing for the men, earning bronze.
It was another historic performance for Kim, the 15 year old who has been breaking records as fast as they can be counted. She became the first athlete in X Games history to win two gold before the age of 16 when she won at Aspen less than a month ago. She extended that record to three gold medals in Oslo, also becoming the youngest athlete ever to win three consecutive golds. She had a groundbreaking run that featured jaw-dropping amplitude and back-to-back 1080s, earning the highest score ever awarded to a female halfpipe rider at X Games – 98.00.
“I was really excited on how tonight went,” Kim said with another X Games gold medal hung around her neck. “It’s really crazy to win three X games medals in a row. It’s just an unbelievable experience.”
Clark, the veteran in the field in her 19th consecutive X Games appearance, powered through an injury to earn her 14th overall medal, the most by a female in X Games history. Clark pulled her groin on the first night of practice and was struggling with obvious pain going into the final. She rode with focus, however, pushing through to land a frontside 1080 on her third and final run and a spot on the podium in the silver-medal position.
Gold rode with amazing consistency. She landed all three of her runs, which included two 900s and a Michalchuk. At just 19 years of age Gold has made six X Games appearances, never finishing outside of the top four. The bronze she earned on Friday was her fourth overall X Games medal.
Behind the podium sweep, Maddie Mastro (Wrightville, CA) finished fourth and Hannah Teter (Belmont, VT) eighth.
It was a highly-competitive men’s competition as well, and Josey’s bronze-medal performance was an excellent showing at his second X Games appearance (he placed 11th at Aspen in January in a contest that was abbreviated to one run due to inclement weather). He finished behind Ayumu Hirano of Japan in first and Iouri Podladtchikov of Switzerland in second. Josey showed he has the skill to go up against the best halfpipe riders in the world with a run that included three consecutive switch hits including a unique switch double crippler.
Wrapping up the Americans, Louie Vito (Bellefontaine, OH) was fifth and Danny Davis (Highland, MI) sixth.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Chloe Kim won her third-consecutive X Games gold. Her third run scored a 98.00: huge backside air, frontside 1080 tailgrab, Cab 1080, alley-oop backside 540, McTwist indy.
- Kelly Clark earned silver, her 14th X Games medal. Her third run scored an 82.33: frontside air, backside 540 mute, frontside 1080 indy, Cab 720 mute, crippler.
- Arielle Gold earned bronze. Her second run scored an 82.00: frontside 900 mute, Michalchuk, crippler, backside 540 tail, frontside 720, Cab 900.
- Chase Josey earned bronze. His third run earned an 85.66: double Michalchuk, frontside double 1080, switch double crippler, switch backside 900, Cab double 1080.
QUOTES
Chloe Kim
I was really excited on how tonight went. I fell on my first run which was going to be my safety, but I wanted to send it on my second run anyway and I was excited to land it. It’s really crazy to win three X games medals in a row, it’s just an unbelievable experience. The pipe was so good—SPT guys really know what they’re doing. I was here for a couple weeks for the Youth Olympic Games and the pipe was good but when they rebuilt it for X Games it was way better.
Ricky Bower, Coach
Tonight our team as a whole rode really well. The girls continue to push each other and push the level of women’s snowboarding up and up and up. The guys event was the best event of the year and I was incredible impressed by Chase and his composition and ability to land two impressive runs back-to-back.
