In a World of His Own
Hibbert Takes Fifth Gold In SnoCross
Aspen, Colo. - For the last few years, the story in snocross has been the same. Tucker Hibbert starts fast, stays fast and comes away with the gold medal.
This year was no different, as Hibbert controlled the snocross race from start to finish winning with a time of 14:58.879, winning by almost 28 seconds.
"I just got an excellent start and I was able to put it all together and kept plugging away," Hibbert said of his ninth medal and fifth consecutive gold at the Winter X Games in snocross. "I am grateful for all my races good and bad. I have learned from them all."
With a time of 15:26.571, the silver went to Ross Martin, who made the final race after finishing last in round one.
"I started out with a rough day and I had to go through the Last Chance Qualifier," Martin said. "It really wasn't my day, but it turned out. I knew a podium spot was possible, anything is possible."
Ryan Simons' time of 15:29.804 was good enough for the bronze.
"I am pumped for bronze," an excited Simons said. "I wish I could have stayed silver, but I am stoked to medal. It is so bittersweet at X Games; you are either on top of the world or way down."
SnoCross is today's most popular form of snowmobile racing for athletes and spectators alike, with its combination of high-flying aerial displays and technical racing. Racers battle on a closed course track lined with rollers, jumps and bermed corners.This year's supercross-style track has been designed with bigger hits and more room for passing.
Snowmobile SnoCross
Final results from Aspen/Snowmass on Sunday, Jan. 31
Name Bib # Equipment Time
1. Tucker Hibbert 68 Arctic Cat 14:58.879
2. Ross Martin 837 Polaris 15:26.571
3. Ryan Simons 67 Arctic Cat 15:29.804
4. Bobby Lepage 244 Polaris 15:33.048
5. Paul Baurely 24 Arctic Cat 15:38.087
6. Andrew Johnstad 255 Polaris 15:44.942
7. Tim Tremblay 11 Ski-Doo 20:00.367
8. Matt Judnick 58 Polaris 20:02.489
9. Robbie Malinoski 4 Polaris 20:03.431
10. Matt Morin 27 Ski-Doo 23:56.790
11. Brett Turcotte 16 Ski-Doo 24:13.108
12 Matt Piche 51 Polaris 25:26.026
13. Cory Davis 160 Arctic Cat 1:07:24.750 (DNF)
14. Levi LaVallee 108 Polaris 1:16:35.249 (DNF)
15. Garth Kaufman 48 Arctic Cat 1:40:00.00 (DNF)
An Inspirational Victory
Schultz Wins Gold In Inaugural Adaptive SnoCross Event
Aspen, Colo. - Mike Schultz's time of 5:18.403 secured his gold medal in the first Adaptive SnoCross competition at Winter X Games 14.
"I can't explain it," an exuberant Schultz said. "I have been working so hard and have been for a long time. To come back here and win, I couldn't be happier."
Competing in Winter X Games is not a new experience for Schultz. As a five-year veteran of the snocross competition, Schultz knew what to expect. What was new for Schultz was competing in snocross after suffering a serious left leg injury that required amputation.
"Not long after my accident I wanted to get back into this stuff," Schultz said. "So I built my own gear to start racing again. I knew this track would be great to race on. This event was so great for me. It has been one year since my accident and it feels so great to race again."
With a time of 5:32.852, Jim Wazny won the silver medal with Doug Henry taking the bronze. Henry said that the competition does wonders for the competitor's mental state as they struggle through life with a disability.
"We all struggle everyday, but an event and competition like this gives us so much energy to go out and compete," Henry said.
"I just had so much fun. I just want to thank ESPN for giving us this chance. This is the first time I have raced since my accident and it feels so great to be a part of an event again."
"I am honored that ESPN recognizes adaptive sports like this," the silver medalist Wazny added.
New to Winter X Games 14, Adaptive SnoCross features six racers who will battle in one heat of six on a closed course track lined with rollers, jumps and bermed corners. The Adaptive SnoCross competition uses the same course as snowmobile snocross, with a few slight adjustments to accommodate the adaptive athletes.
Adaptive SnoCross
Final Results from Aspen/Snowmass on Sunday, Jan. 31, 2010
Name Bib # Equipment Time (in seconds)
1. Mike Schultz 5 Ski-Doo 5:18.403
2. Jim Wazny 767 Polaris 5:32.852
3. Doug Henry 19 Yamaha 5:34.217
4. Jeff Tweet 177 Arctic Cat 5:56.507
5. E.J. Poplawski 76 Ski-Doo 11:02.254
6. Travis Gravelle 262 Ski-Doo 23:50.135 (DNF)
Frisby "Glides" In For The Gold
Takes Top Honor with His Final Run of the Evening
Aspen, Colo. - The jubilation was evident on the face of Heath Frisby following Snowmobile Best Trick. The years of hard work had finally paid off, and Frisby couldn't hold the emotion before the gold medal was adorned around his neck.
"Ever since I was little kid I watched this," Frisby said of win. "It is all I ever wanted and it means so so much to me."
The winning trick, an indian air ruler flip, requires the rider to race off the ramp into a backflip. With the snowmobile upside down at the peak of the jump, the rider holds on giving the impression of hangliding from the 500-pound snowmobile, while kicking his feet out. The trick scored Frisby a 90.66 sealing the title.
"Basically you just jump as hard as you can and swing those hips," Frisby said of the winning jump.
The fourth time was a charm for silver medalist Daniel Bodin, who took a medal for the first time in his X Games career. His medal-winning jump, a heart attack backflip, was a trick he just learned today.
"This is the first time I pulled this trick, I just learned it this morning," Bodin said of the trick that scored him an 89.33.
Bronze went to Levi LaVallee, whose ruler flip off the bar, scored him an 89.00.
Snowmobile best trick features eight of the top snowmobile athletes in the world showcasing never- before-seen tricks in a final-only format.
Snowmobiles Best Trick Final
Results from Aspen/Snowmass on Friday, Jan. 29, 2010
Name Bib No. Hometown Score
1. Heath Frisby 72 Bellevue, Idaho 90.66
2. Daniel Bodin 70 Malung, Sweden 89.33
3. Levi LaVallee 108 Longville, Minn. 89.00
4. Joe Parsons 78 Yakima, Wash. 87.66
5. Colten Moore 73 Krum, Texas 84.33
6. Caleb Moore 76 Krum, Texas 83.66
7. Justin Hoyer 74 Ellsworth, Wis. 83.33
8. Paul Thacker 81 Anchorage, Alaska 81.00