National news
Winter X Games
The X Games is a growing phenomenon which sees over 100 of the top winter athletes take part in 40 different events.
Like the winter Olympics, the focus is very much on skiing and snow-based sports, but that’s where the similarity ends.
As the name suggests The X Games, (X standing for Xtreme) consists of all the most spectacular events like snowboarding, big air, superpipe, ice climbing and snowboard/ski knuckle huck. In fact, it’s more like a party or festival theme than its more austere cousin the Winter Olympic Games, with the sport often taking a back seat to music, games, food and shows.
There’s a Chinese and European version of the games held in February and March and a summer version held in August for skateboarders, BMX, barefoot water-skiing and competitive bungee jumping.
As you might expect, with little snow, the UK doesn’t feature very high on the medal tables, with the glory usually going to the US, New Zealand, Norway and France. But this doesn’t stop it from being a spectacular 3 days of events, enough to make you want to dust off the sledge and hope for snow.
Where can I see the X Winter games?
Both the summer and winter X games have grown in popularity worldwide, boasting some impressive audiences and TV viewing figures. It’s actually free to attend in person, 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.
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
- Knuckle = The crest of the hill to jump off/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, Hemel Hempstead in Hertfordshire and Milton Keynes. 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. Most of these places also offer children’s or adult sledding and even children’s parties where you can hire all the equipment you need.
Good luck, and remember the safety gear.
