Kelly Clark makes history in the process of winning Women’s Snowboard SuperPipe at Winter X Games 15
On the 29th of January, the most decorated woman in action sports, Kelly Clark, continued to shine at the Winter X Games 15 (WX 15), held at Aspen, Colorado. Not only did she reap Women’s Snowboard SuperPipe gold, she became the first woman to pull off a
1080 in competition. Kaitlyn Farrington won the silver medal whereas Elena Hight earned herself the bronze.
Kelly Clark already had the most WX SuperPipe medals (seven to be precise) to her name before she entered this year’s mega event. These included two gold medals, in 2002 and 2006, four silver medals and one bronze. Ending up short of clinching the gold medal
and walking away with silver at last two WX, Clark entered the contest with a resolve to go all the way this time. Her confidence was sky high due to her domination of the major pipe competitions throughout the season, save one. Her most recent success was
at the Dew Tour at Willington, Vermont, that had taken place a week before this year’s WX had kicked off, and was certainly a preview of what was to about to come.
The 27-year-old Clark did not take long to confirm her status as the best snowboarder this year. After dominating the elimination round, she kicked off the final with a superb first run, instantly gaining a lead with the score of 92.33. This score remained
unbeatable and saw her off to this year’s gold. However, it was Clark’s third run that stole the show. The world was exposed to the first ever 1080 landed by a woman in a competition, a feat she pulled off perfectly in her victory lap after being relieved
of pressure due to her first run.
“It's been an incredible night. To have a victory lap like that and set it down at the X Games is amazing,” Clark said. “I've been working on that for a long time and I couldn't think of a better place for it to come together.”
Idaho’s Kaitlyn Farrington may left the judges unimpressed and remained unnoticed in the last 3 WX, but this time the 21-year-old had other plans. Possessing the boasting rights of being the only woman to have bested Clark this season, Kaitlyn held on to
the confidence and utilised it to land make it to her first ever podium, winning the silver after earning a score of 85.66 in her first run.
The Californian, Elena Hight, had little to write home about after her previous WX appearances. However, this year she found a reason to smile till her cheeks hurt. After a disappointing first and second run, the 21-year-old pulled off a sensational third
run that earned her a score of 80.00 and the bronze.
Japan’s Soko Yamaoka and Spain’s Queralt Castellet came at the fourth and fifth position respectively.
Last year’s winner and Aspen’s favourite for this year’s contest, Gretchen Bleiler, was unable to live up to the expectation in the final. After breathing down Clark’s neck in the elimination round, Bleiler may have been counted as a threat to Clark’s chances
at the gold. Unfortunately for her fans, she failed to give a single clean run, and landed herself at sixth position.
Kelly Clark has taken the Snowboard SuperPipe to an entirely new level with the 1080 in her arsenal, and pretty much secured her position at the top.
“It's inspirational for sure,” said Farrington while talking about Clark’s 1080. “It means we all have to learn 10s now if we ever want to beat her.”
It is quite obvious that if anybody wants to have a really good chance at beating her, they will have to master the trick as well and strip her of her advantage.
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