Freeski, Snowmobile, and Snowboard Athletes Head to Buttermilk Mountain for the 25th Edition of Winter X Games in Colorado / World-Class Athletes Compete for 54 Medals on 3 Days of Events
ASPEN, Colo., Jan. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Celebrating 25 years of X Games Aspen! Monster Energy, the official energy drink partner of X Games, is proud to bring some of the world’s most competitive athletes in freeski, snowmobile, and snowboarding to X Games Aspen 2026. In the special anniversary event, the winter edition of X Games heads back to Buttermilk Mountain in Aspen Snowmass, Colorado, for the 25th consecutive year from January 23-25, 2026.All eyes are on 17-year-old Gaon Choi from South Korea, who returns to Aspen to compete in Women’s Snowboard SuperPipe as one of the most electrifying riders to ever drop into the halfpipe. Choi stunned the world by winning gold in her debut at X Games Aspen 2023 at just 14 years old, still the youngest champion in event history. Now fresh off a win at the Toyota U.S. Grand Prix, the rising star arrives with momentum, style, and a bag of progressive tricks that make her a must-watch contender for gold once again. Expect progression, amplitude, and another historic performance from one of snowboarding’s brightest young forces. Earlier on Friday, tune into Women’s Snowboard Slopestyle when Team Monster Energy attempts to repeat last year’s dominant podium sweep. Defending gold medalist Zoi Sadowski-Synnott from Wānaka, New Zealand, hits the course alongside Kokomo Murase from Gifu, Japan, and newly minted pro rider Mia Brookes from Sandbach, United Kingdom. For a plot twist, watch out for snowboard icon and 21-time X Games medalist Jamie Anderson, recently returned from maternity leave to crushing podiums with a second-place finish at RSEO Breckenridge. Also bringing their best tricks to the course in Aspen, look out for 23-year-old Olympic snowboarder Annika Morgan from Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, alongside Australia’s Tess Coady. Anything can happen! The possibilities are also endless in Women’s Snowboard Knuckle Huck on Saturday, when riders pop their best tricks over the Big Air ramp’s ‘knuckle.’ At X Games Aspen 2025, the team swept the entire podium with Murase leading the charge ahead of Brookes and Monster Army rider Lily Dhawornvej from Frisco, Colorado. Witness history in the making as Murase battles for a third consecutive gold in the discipline, but don’t rule out 2024 silver medalist Morgan, as well as Coady and Monster Army rider Jessica Perlmutter from Killington, Vermont, in this free-flowing display of next-level tricks. Speaking of next level, the Women’s Snowboard Big Air final may feature a groundbreaking triple cork 1620 air courtesy of Murase, who stomped the trick as the first woman in competition at the end of 2025. She will face heat from last year’s bronze medalist and Olympic champion, Sadowski-Synnott, alongside Morgan and Dhawornvej. Plus, rising star Brookes is hungry for her first Big Air medal after settling for bronze in 2025. The bar will be raised! The boundary-pushing action continues in Men’s Snowboard Big Air, where two trick innovators came close to the top spot at X Games Aspen 2025: Japanese powerhouse Taiga Hasegawa from Iwakura wants to upgrade his silver medal and add a second gold medal to his trophy case. He will battle Monster Army rider Rocco Jamieson from Wānaka, New Zealand, who clinched the bronze medal in his X Games debut last year and has some never-been-done tricks up his sleeve for 2026! Saturday’s snowboard action concludes under the floodlights in the Men’s Snowboard SuperPipe event. In a field of Olympic champions and X Games victors, one rider is bound to soar higher than the rest: two-time bronze medalist and highest air world-record holder Kaishu Hirano from Japan will stoke the crowd with signature flair and style. Also prepare for the X Games debut of New Zealand ripper, 19-year-old Campbell Melville Ives fresh off winning the 2025 Corvatsch European Cup Snowboard Halfpipe event. For a wildcard, Japanese upstart Haku Shimasaki brings his bionic style to this epic showdown. The final day of X Games Aspen 2026 unfolds with Men’s Snowboard Slopestyle, where Hasegawa drops in as previous year’s bronze medalist in a field of heavy hitters. Looking for his second gold in the discipline, Dusty Henricksen from Mammoth Lakes, California, is back in the winner’s circle after his recent Parkstyle gold at RSEO Breckenridge. California all-terrain rider Judd Henkes heads into Aspen looking for his first X Games podium, while trick virtuoso Rene Rinnekangas from Finland wants to add to his four medals. Let’s not forget 2024/25 Crystal Globe winner and Canadian Olympic athlete Cameron Spalding as well as Monster Army rider Dane Menzies in his X Games debut. Ready for one of the gnarliest slopestyle rosters of all time? Gnarly and innovative tricks will stoke the audience on Buttermilk Mountain in the Men’s Snowboard Knuckle Huck final. Monster Energy’s Henricksen wants to upgrade his bronze medal from 2025 and a score second gold in the discipline, but not if five-time X Games medalist Darcy Sharpe has a word. Then again, Icelandic ripper Halldor Helgason brings plenty of tricks to the session, while Rinnekangas thrives in free-flowing progression sessions. Finally, New Zealand’s Jamieson is ready to blow minds with multiple-axis rotations and unconventional tricks in this worthy final event for snowboarding at X Games Aspen 2026. FREESKI Mind-boggling progression is the name of the game in Men’s Ski Big Air on Friday. Leading the charge is 21-year-old Monster Army rider Luca Harrington from Wānaka, New Zealand, who already claimed silver alongside slopestyle gold in his X Games debut last year and is back for more. Also ready to push the limits, Birk Ruud from Oslo, Norway, is looking for his third gold medal in the discipline, while Park City rider Alex Hall aims to expand his roster of twelve X Games medals, including six gold. Progressive freeski tricks remain key in the Women’s Ski Knuckle Huck final, where 21-year-old Olivia Asselin from Quebec City, Canada, ranks among the favorites after claiming gold in the now-defunct Street Style discipline in 2025 and winning the first-ever Women’s Ski Knuckle Huck in 2024. As night settles over Buttermilk on Friday, the Women’s Ski SuperPipe final promises a battle between new blood and certified halfpipe legends. Last year, 33-year-old Cassie Sharpe from Comox, Canada, celebrated her comeback victory and third gold medal in the discipline. Now the Olympic champion faces pressure from upstarts like new Monster Energy team rider Zoe Atkin from Park City, Utah, who recently claimed halfpipe gold at the Toyota U.S. Grand Prix Copper Mountain. Meanwhile, X Games bronze medalist and former World Champion Hanna Faulhaber owns the tricks to claim a win, while Monster Army rider Svea Irving from Colorado wants to expand on her breakout bronze medal from X Games Aspen 2023. Finally, watch for young Monster Army rider Kate Gray out of Mammoth, California, in this wide-open competition. Definite must-see! Also, make sure to follow Men’s Ski Slopestyle on Saturday, when Harrington drops into the course as the defending gold medalist from 2025. Also shooting for the top, Hall and Ruud want to stack more slopestyle medals after missing the podium in 2025. On that note, Colby Stevenson from Park City, Utah, already owns two gold medals in the discipline and won Street Style last year, while Canada’s Evan McEachran already has silver and bronze The stage is set for an epic final in Women’s Ski Big Air when Monster Energy athlete Megan Oldham from Parry Sound, Canada, looks to get back on the podium after claiming double gold at X Games Aspen 2023. But proven medal winner Asselin is lacing up her Big Air boots, so the crowd can look forward to a heated fight for the podium. Only one way to find out – tune in on Saturday! Tricks will get ultra-technical in Men’s Ski Knuckle Huck, as Park City’s Hall defends his gold medal from X Games Aspen 2025. No easy feat, as fellow Park City local Stevenson has a chance to make history as the first rider to win the discipline three times in his career. The elite competition will also feature Canada’s Édouard Therriault and Austria’s Daniel Bacher. Expect nothing but the best in progressive freeski! The final day of X Games Aspen 2026 kicks off with Women’s Ski Slopestyle on a technical course combining burly jumps and technical rails. This is the exact environment where Asselin thrives as the previous year’s silver medalist in the discipline. Asselin faces off against fellow Canadian team rider Oldham, looking for her second gold in slopestyle. Nothing like friendly competition to push the limits! As the grand finale to X Games Aspen 2026, Men’s Ski SuperPipe boasts the most exciting roster of athletes in years. First of all, get ready for the return to competition of British-American freeskier Gus Kenworthy after a four-year break and a recent third-place finish at the Snow League contest in China. On that note, 28-year-old Brendan Mackay from Calgary, Canada, may have missed the podium at X Games Aspen 2025, but just shocked the system by winning the most recent Snow League event. Last but definitely not least, good luck stopping 19-year-old reigning World Champion Finley Melville Ives from Wānaka, New Zealand, from getting his first X Games medal in the official closing event of X Games Aspen 2026. SNOWMOBILE
The roar of engines is back at Winter X Games when Snowmobile Freestyle returns after a five-year hiatus on Friday. Also back in the saddle: snowmobiling legend Brett Turcotte, known for inventing the “California Roll” and boasting eight X Games medals including three golds. Turcotte will attack the course alongside two-time X Games bronze medalist Willie Elam hungry for his first gold. Known for creative moves and backflips, Sweden’s Marcus Ohlsson has been trading his dirtbike for a sled – and is ready to unleash new tricks in Aspen! Another fan favorite makes a comeback with Snowmobile Speed & Style on Sunday. This event features freestyle snowmobile runs on a stacked obstacle course, as riders face off in head-to-head elimination rounds. Sparks will fly when Turcotte and Elam revisit their rivalry but remember: There can only be one winner! Download Photos for Editorial Use here. Don’t miss the action at X Games Aspen 2026 when the Monster Energy team proceeds to Unleash the Beast! Visit www.monsterenergy.com for exclusive updates from X Games Aspen 2026, including photos, videos, and daily competition results. Follow Monster Energy on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, X, and TikTok for exclusive behind-the-scenes looks at Buttermilk Mountain. For interview or photo requests, contact Kim Dresser. About Monster Energy
Based in Corona, California, Monster Energy is the leading marketer of energy drinks and alternative beverages. Refusing to acknowledge the traditional, Monster Energy supports the scene and sport. Whether motocross, off-road, NASCAR, MMA, BMX, surf, snowboard, ski, skateboard, or the rock and roll lifestyle, Monster Energy is a brand that believes in authenticity and the core of what its athletes and musicians represent. More than a drink, it’s the way of life lived by athletes, bands, believers, and fans. See more about Monster Energy including all of its drinks at www.monsterenergy.com. CONTACT: Kim Dresser C: (949) 300-5546 E: [email protected]
Download Photos for Editorial Use SOURCE Monster Energy
Source link
Leave a Reply