Australian Scotty James has won X Games super-pipe gold in Aspen, stamping his reputation as the world’s best snowboarder.
James, the 2017 champion and last year’s runner-up, scored a run-high 94 points with his range of, what commentators dubbed, “mind-melting” tricks, including a backside double 1260 and a switch backside 1080.
Japan’s Yuto Totsuka (90 points) was second and American Danny Davis (83.66) was third in the three-run, single best-score competition.
After fluffing his first run, the 2018 Winter Olympics bronze medallist set himself apart from his rivals with a superbly executed second effort.
The last rider down the ‘pipe, the 24-year-old then used his final run as a victory lap, boarding along the table sections of the feature to mingle with the crowd.
James has already taken out events in Copper Mountain, Colorado and Laax, Switzerland this season, with victory in Aspen firmly positioning him as the top rider in the world.
The victory sees him join compatriot Torah Bright as a two-time winner of the event.
He’ll now turn his attention to the world championships in Park City, Utah next week where he is the two-time defending world champion.
The X Games was notable for the absence of American all-time great Shaun White and Japan’s Ayumu Hirano, who edged James into the third at the PyeongChang Games last year.
That pair have opted to concentrate on qualifying for skateboarding as it makes its debut at the 2020 summer Olympics.
James, who doesn’t skate regularly, has made it clear he will be using the next two years to become the dominant rider in the half-pipe.
— AAP