X Games is back and we are kicking it off with Ski Big Air, there were rumours that Birk Ruud would go past 2160 to 2340… but that remains to be seen. A crowd was gathered at the bottom of another huge big air jump. This year 10% of the riders score was attributed to a ‘style run’ with the remaining 90% being scored traditionally.

Here’s the style run:

Max Moffatt dropped first and tried to do a cork 5 bring back to 3 but failed to put it down clean. Sebastien Schjerve kicked off the style section off with a rodeo 9 blunt which he stomped. Daniel Bacher dropped next, coming in switch, lacing a switch 7 Japan, tweaked to fuck. Miro Tabinellia dropped after for a style run putting down a bio 10 lead blunt but was scored low. Troy was the first to put down a dub in the style round - right dub 10 blunt. A Hall dropped with a zero spin safety which got the crowd going - and scored the best so far with a 9 for style. Birk Ruud laced up a left dub 10 safety, tweaked. Mac Forehand put down a serious trick with an opp carve rodeo 5 lead mute which matched A Halls 9. A Hall and Forehand had the top spot with Bacher behind them.

Then…

Max dropped first into the ‘real’ big air jumps with a switch bub 10 true nose - he wiffed it a bit and wasn’t happy but landed bolts, not bad for an alternate. Seb Schjerve put down a dub bio 18 mute and earned a 34… Bacher went next with a switch left dub 12 - with a butter - but went through the fencing and didn’t put down a good score. Miro dropped after a long wait - for the fence to be repaired - and laced a switch left 19, but he missed the tail, and only clocked an 18. Troy put down a switch dub bio 19 mute which he wrapped up and stomped, bit of a butt check but this put him in 2nd with a 30. A Hall followed it with a switch left dub 12 pull back - totally new - to stomp it at 1080. This earned a 46 and put him on top. Birk tried to put down a switch triple cork 19 but couldn’t hold it. Mac, defending champ with 9 from the style run in the bank, put a left triple 19 down, his 38 combined to put him a point above A Hall at the end of round 2.

Max opened the next round with a dub bio 1620 safety to Japan - 31. Seb dropped next and laced a left dub bio 18 mute. Danu dropped with a switch tail butter 1440 with popped 180 in the landing… 33. Sitting in 5th. Miro dropped with a switch left 16. Troy went down trying for a switch right 19. A Hall’s second run was a switch left TB 1440 lead Japan - he came up a bit short but bumped his 37 to a 38. Birk followed with a switch left trip 2160 - spinning to the future - with a mute grab. This got rewarded with only a 33. Forehand put down a loose but lit right trip 19 held to 18… this is getting silly. He held on but only earned a 28 for the shuffle. Max went for a switch right dub 14 but couldn’t get to the nose. Seb Schjerve missed his grab but the score put him in 2nd with a total of 63. Dani went for a dub 10 but ollied early and threw a tap in there but it wasn’t scored well - 24 - but combined with his style score put him in second. Miro stomped his next run with a 1620 tail to Japan. This got him into 3rd with a 64. Troy put down his switch righdub bio 16 safety, awarded a 36.

A Hall proved his pedigree with a switch tail butter 18 lead Japan. 39 Increased his breathing room. Birk followed with a bail going for a 1980.

Final runs were kicked off with Max Moffat wheelie-ing a switch trip out - not good for scoring but good for style. 15… Seb dropped next with a switch left dub 1440 dub tail to lead Japan - this put him in 3rd. Bacher came up to challenge with a switch left butter 1440 - it was bolts for 38 and put him back to 2nd with a 38 and 70 points overall. Miro’s switch left 1980 was wrapped up and afterbanged enough to get a 35 which put him into 3rd. Troy, sitting in 8th put down a right trip 2160 - blowing up the comp - with a mute which he held forever. He scored 43 which was enough to put him in first with a 43… throwing all of our predictions out the window. A Hall had a chance to respond. He dropped in switch with a tight TB 1800 lead Japan - he stayed in 2nd. Birk put down a dub bio 18 - which was a miss to not go further - 22 wasn’t enough to trouble the podium. Mac dropped the final run but couldn’t put down his switch left triple.

Troy took home the dub with A Hall in 2nd and Dani Bacher in 3rd.