The head-to-head format returned to X games for 2024, but this time bringing skiing's own SLVSH into the mix. A stacked field of men and women took on the unique but simple rail set-up, with tricks being deemed as a make or not by the legendary crew of Tom Wallisch, Charlie Lasser and Pete Arneson.
Commercial breaks and time restraints made for an interesting veiwing experience. But nonethless the riders got warmed up and put down some entertainment for those who tuned in.
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Game 1: Colby Stevenson Vs. Ferdinand Dahl
Kicking off the event Colby took the first W with the roshambo win over Ferdi. Colby was able to keep his set for a few turns with a front 270, a dub-sniper tap, but eventually went down on a switch lip to back 450. Ferdi backed up the first two tricks effortlessly and nearly got Colby on a revenge letter with the back 4, but ultimetly landed too nose heavy to hold it together.
With the set in Ferdis hands, he quickly stepped up the ante of tricks. For four runs Colby was able to back Ferdi on some routine tricks, but couldnt keep his foot up on a 270-backslide-front 270 and fell victim to the only letter handed out during the matchup.
Ferdi got one more set and attempted a switch lip-sniper tap with the nose but was unable to execute the tap. Colby was unable to complete the revenge and as the set went back in his favor, time ran out awarding Ferdi with the win by the letter S.
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Game 2: Taylor Lundquist Vs. Olivia Asselin
With what looked like a rock beating scissors, TBL came out with the first trick call. She instantly got the upper hand on Olivia with a nosetap-back 270 that Olivia was unable to replicate. Some swagged out saftey grabs kept the game rolling, but TBL missed her front 270 out of the kink. Olivia took full advantage by putting it down solid and getting TBL with the revenge letter, and tying the game up at S-S.
Olivia began delivering letters to TBL consistently. With a 270 on, a front swap (we missed TBL's attempt due to a commercial break on Twitch), and a tail sniper-back 270 out, TBL had racked up letters to be at SLVS. Olivia then missed on a back swap-front 2, TBL nailed to swap but missed on the front 2 and the revenge but took back the set to save herself from elimination.
The set then went back and forth after a couple missed safety slides and switch-ups not working out. The final run saw TBL lace up a back-swap to switch, Olivia was able to put hers down but the judges were skeptical on her landing as she did not bring it all the way back to switch. A thumbs up from the judges meant no letters were given, and as time ran out Olivia came out with the win with S to SLVS.
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Game 3: Max Moffat Vs Jesper Tjader
The most thrilling of the games, Max had the first set and started mellow with a classic lip-back 270 and gave a shout out to Tall-T Dan. Max then went on a tear with swaps to the flats, unique transfers, a super fed, and finally a tips under 270 on. Jesper battled hard and did stomp the transfer cleaner then Max, but fell short on the other three attempts leaving him with SLV.
Trivia Crack rules came into play after Max's streak, giving Jesper the chance to make up for the failed attempts. Jesper didnt waste any time in upping the difficulty. Max held up for the first call of a sketchy and skinny take off with a 270 on-front 270 out, but was unable to match the heavy hits of a 450-pretz 270, lip-back 3 swap on the dfd, and finally an insane back swap transfer from the flat bar to the dfd that almost saw Jesper lose his composure.
With the game matched time ran out leaving this battle of the titans tied at SLV-SLV. From the booth, Woodsy had been mentioning a Sudden Death that was meant to take place, but unfortunately, we saw no such thing. To Be Continued.....?
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Game 4: Rell Harwood Vs. Tereza Korabova
The final pairing saw two new faces to the X Games scene. Rell was able to claim the first set, but it only lasted for 2 runs as she caught her noses on a switch lip attempt. The set would then go back and forth between the two skiers as close calls and slight mishaps kept them from stomping clean enough for the judges to deem acceptable.
Rell laced up an extremely clean front 270 with a shifty. Tereza tried to match but after video review from the judges, was called for not staying true to the shifty. S to Tereza and the game continues. Again we saw them battle for the set and come up just short on multiple attempts of trickery. The clock expired before more letters could be delivered, leaving Rell with a clean sheet and the W by one letter.
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