Bundled-up athletes have descended upon Buttermilk Mountain for this weekend’s Winter X Games.
Returning to Aspen for the twelfth year in a row, we can’t wait for the high-flying feats that have become synonymous with the X Games. Last year was quite a year of competition ‘firsts’—fans saw a perfect score (à la Shaun White) and a front flip on a snowmobile. Not too shabby.
Ahead of this year’s games, we caught up with Target’s snow athletes—Shaun White, Simon Dumont, Torin Yater-Wallace and Roz Groenewoud—to see what they’ve got in store for the slopes.
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Shaun White
You’ve dominated in X Games snowboarding since 1997. What is your favorite part about this competition?
The fact that it is the biggest competition of the year.
How will these X Games be different from previous years?
I was injured just before Slopestyle last year and had to sit it out, so I’m excited to have another chance at competing this time around.
What do you hope to accomplish at this year’s X Games?
Try to take on the world.
Do you have any new tricks up your sleeve?
Trix are for kids…
Are you excited to visit the Target Chalet again this year?
Definitely beats sitting at the hotel room crying my eyes out watching “Casablanca” alone
We hear you’re not planning to skateboard in 2013. Why, and was that a hard decision?
I will still be skateboarding, just not competitively. I normally don’t skateboard the summer before the Olympics because there is so much training that needs to happen to prepare.
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Simon Dumont
How excited are you to return to competition after your injuries?
I feel like I’ve missed a lot in just nine months. This year I’m focusing on staying strong and being eligible for the Olympics. Staying healthy is going to be crucial.
Are you feeling healthy?
I’m in the best shape of my life. I’ve lost about 15-20 pounds and feel stronger than ever. The only thing hindering me is my wrist, which I recently broke.
What do you hope to accomplish at this year’s X Games?
I plan on making it to the finals and then landing my run cleanly and with three doubles.
What will be your biggest challenge?
Staying focused is the toughest part. There are so many other things that I’m obligated to do during the X Games.
Is there anyone in particular that you’re watching out for this season?
It’s crazy how far the sport has come. There used to be like three to six skiers who could win, but now there are 15-20. It’s hard to make a prediction. Everyone is hungry.
What has been your favorite skiing memory so far?
There are actually three memories that stick out in my mind—winning my first X Games, setting the record for the quarter pipe and skiing the cubed pipe.
Are you excited to visit the Target Chalet again this year?
Target Chalet is always the place to be, and a great place to relax after practice. You can count on me frequenting the Chalet.
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Torin Yater-Wallace
You’re no longer a rookie at the Winter X Games. How does it feel to be back again this year?
It feels good to be back. I’m coming off of an injury so I’m not expecting too much of myself this year besides going out and skiing to my fullest possible potential. A few of my friends are getting X Games invites for their first time, which brings back memories for me; so watching them compete is what I’m most excited about.
How does it feel to be competing in your hometown again?
I get mixed emotions competing in Aspen. Having my friends and family here supporting me gets me stoked, but it also adds pressure to the event!
What do you hope to accomplish at this year’s X Games?
Nothing very different than previous years, which is to go ski and have a good time doing it—without getting overwhelmed by the pressure.
What will be your biggest challenge?
My biggest challenge will probably be knowing that I can’t put a run down that is to my fullest potential because I still have to be a bit tentative due to my injury. But you never know what happens with all that adrenaline running through you.
Is there anyone in particular that you’re watching out for this season?
Yes—I’m definitely watching out for Justin Dorey this year. He is the most well rounded pipe skier in my opinion, from his sick style to his insane bag of tricks. Also I’m looking out for my teammate and good friend, Aaron Blunck. He’s only 16 and is absolutely slaying this year!
What has been your favorite skiing memory so far?
No doubt my first X Games in Aspen two years ago (in 2011). That year I was invited and it was an indescribable showing up to that first practice being around all these huge names in skiing I’ve always looked up to.
What’s on your skiing “bucket list”?
Putting together a full ski film, winning the X Games in Aspen again, and bringing my own mindset into competing—one that doesn’t consist of overworking yourself, but just doing it because you love skiing and have a good time doing it.
What are you most looking forward to in 2013?
Going out with my friends in Aspen and Park City and filming video edits through the park because that’s what I love the most. It brings out the kid in me, which is a great refresher in a life of constant traveling and responsibilities.
Are you excited to visit the Target Chalet again this year?
Walking into the Target Chalet and seeing how they refurnish the entire house is pretty cool.
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Roz G
You’re returning champ! What do you hope to accomplish at this year’s X Games?
As always, I hope to put down a run that I am proud of. I’ve been working really hard and I want to bring that to the show.
What will be your biggest challenge?
The biggest challenge is staying focused, and not being distracted by all that is the “X Games.”
Is there anyone in particular that you’re watching out for this season?
Maddie Bowman and Brita Sigourney are skiing really well again this season—the three of us have been on all the major podiums together this year (as well as X-Games last year!). Also my Canadian teammates, Keltie Hansen and Megan Gunning, are forces to be reckoned with.
Do you have any new tricks up your sleeve?
I might have a few little additions but, mainly, I have been working on going big throughout my run and styling out my tricks.
What’s on your skiing “bucket list”?
Winning an Olympic gold medal is at the top. Other things would be a helicopter ski trip, returning to Japan to ski their legendary powder and a backcountry ski trip with my dad, brother and godfather. Plus I have a list of ski areas, like Jackson Hole, that I’ve wanted to go to for years. Also, I’d like to create a film segment at some point. However, I try not to get ahead of myself because I need to focus on each training day and competition.
These will be your first Winter X Games as a Target athlete. Are you excited to see the Target Chalet?
I’ve heard the buzz and now I get to see for myself! My Canadian teammates are also excited that I will be able to get them in! (I can get them in, right?)
Follow along as the Target athletes pursue the podium: X Games ESPN Schedule.