National news
Winter X Games
On 23-26 January, Aspen, Colorado in America will host the first Winter X Games of 2020. For the uninitiated, it’s a mini, annual version of the Winter Olympic Games with a slight twist, or perhaps that should be ‘switch’.
The X stands for Extreme, so as you might imagine, this event leans towards more exciting versions of winter sports, rather than the more familiar forms of skiing, skating and curling.
Past events have included: Snowboarding, ice climbing, Snowmobile tricks, Mountain biking and Snow shovel racing! Which is exactly as it sounds.
There’s a Chinese and European version of the games held in February and March and for those athletes who prefer their ‘Ollies’ on wheels, the summer version is held in August, where they compete in such events as: Skateboarding, BMX, Rally Cross, Inline skating, Barefoot water-skiing and of course, competitive bungee jumping.
Where can I see the X games?
Over the last 25 years, both the summer and winter X games have grown in popularity around the world, boasting some impressive audiences and TV viewing figures. But if you can’t make it out to Colorado, you can watch it in the UK on ESPN, which you can subscribe to, through a number of TV companies, including through our recent NOW TV offer.
Help with the lingo
If you’re curious about snow shovel racing and want to ‘dig a little deeper’ into some of the events, it may help to learn a few phrases, you’ll definitely hear along the way.
- Goofy = Stand on a snowboard with your right foot forward
- Ollie = Jump into the air
- Shifty = Athlete rotating their body round
- Gnarly = Difficult/dangerous or it can be ‘awesome’ in the right circumstances
- Freestyle = Experimenting with new and creative tricks
- Powder = New snow
- Rad(ical) = Good
- Steezy = Stylish and easy
- Wipeout = Falling over
How can I get involved?
So, you’ve seen an event you’d like to try, and you’ve got the language down, how can you give it a try?
Indoor ski slopes and ice rinks are popping up all over the country. From Renfrew in Scotland to Plymouth in Devon. Most slopes will offer tuition for standard sports like skiing and snowboarding, but for more unusual pastimes, check notice boards at venues or websites for online communities.
Don’t forget to keep checking Winter Sports for events and activities coming up. Not only do we put on ski trips abroad, but also offer discounts and money off lessons, equipment and your après ski.
