Nick Baumgartner beats Nate Holland’s in Snowboarder X finals at Winter X Games 15
Nick Baumgartner won the big one in Snowboarder X final at the Winter X Games 15 (WX 15), bringing Nate Holland’s streak of 5consecutive gold to an end. Kevin Hill pushed past the defending champion to earn silver, the first medal of his career. Holland,
after prevailing at Aspen, for the last five years, walked away with a bronze this year.
Baumgartner, a resident of Iron River, Michigan, had not entered this year’s competition in the most ideal condition. Facing a disappointment by not getting selected in Team USA for the World Championships, followed by getting his neck’s bone broken while
training at Copper Mountain 11 days prior to this years’ WX, the Iron River native was competing in the competition with a tainted ego and 15 screws and a plate in his neck.
The seventh appearance in WX Snowboarder X finally brought success to Baumgartner, enabling him to replace the five-time gold medallist, Nate Holland, for the top position. A time of 1:29.700 in finals saw him off to victory, with Kevin Hill trailing close
behind and finishing at 1:29.856. Nate Holland followed at 1:30.856.
“I was hungry for this,” said Baumgartner. “I came out to Colorado two weeks early because I didn't get picked for the World Championship team, but that gave me more time to train for this. Unfortunately that's when I broke my collarbone, but it almost got
me in the right mindset, because I wasn't worried about getting out there and killing everyone. I just wanted to have fun and stay upright.”
Baumgartner’s 6-year-old son and parents were present at the scene to share his victory.
The Canadian snowboarder, Kevin Hill, celebrated the first highlight of his career after beating Nate Holland for silver. Making it to the podium after beating someone like Holland must have sky-rocketed Hill’s confidence and filled him with the motivation
to go further next time.
Owner of the only five-peat in WX history, Sandpoint’s Nate Holland failed to further improve his record after looking relatively slower on the flats and finishing third this year. He did make it to the podium though, and enjoyed the satisfaction of beating
his long time rival and last year’s silver medallist, Seth Wescott, by one place.
“It is kind of bittersweet, but I can't complain,” Holland said. “I had an amazing streak of five in a row, and I'm on the podium today. I'm definitely proud to be up here.”
Holland was found exchanging insults with the reigning World Cup champion, Pierre Vaultiers in the finish corral. Both had a thing or two to tell each other, hand gestures making assisting them in the process.
The final of the WX 15 Snowboard X not only brought an end to Holland’s complete dominance of the event, it underscored the reward for persistence, endurance and determination.
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