Andreas Hatveit’s flawless 1260 off the final kicker on the slopestyle course marked the biggest spin of the day and earned the lanky 21-year-old his first X Games gold. Hatveit muffed a four-spin 1440 on his first run, but rebounded in the final.
CRASH OF THE DAY
Broken run leaves Huttary out. The tailwind pushing down from the top of the skier X course brought bigger airs and harder landings than just about anyone expected Sunday, particularly Karin Huttary. The Austrian led the hit parade in the women’s semifinal race that left half of her six-woman heat sprawled across the snow just above the finish line. Huttary, who broke her back in a crash in December 2006, left Buttermilk Mountain in an ambulance. She was expected to remain overnight at Aspen Valley Hospital with knee and hip injuries.
NO FEAR …
Monoski right at home. Competing on the same course as the skiercross, all the monoski racers hit the intimidating gap jump, a daunting 40-foot flight over certain trouble in what has become one of the most inspiring races at X Games. “We love it here,” said Chris Devlin-Young, who finished third. “We truly feel like we are equals here.” Kevin Bramble of New Jersey was all alone on his way to his first X Games gold when he snapped his ski and handed an easy gold to flying Dutchman Kees-Jan van der Klooster.
GETTING BRONZED
Bronzed over. Superstar skier Jon Olsson kept his nothing- but-bronze streak alive Sunday. Olsson’s famed Kangaroo Flip and smooth style delivered the 25-year-old Sweden-born, Monaco-living skier his fifth bronze slopestyle medal.
OUT IN THE COLD
Burandt bolts. As the weather moved in late Sunday afternoon, Kremmling’s Chris Burandt moved out. Burandt, who won gold last year in the inaugural snowmobile freestyle, didn’t make it into the finals Sunday night, finishing ninth in qualifying earlier in the afternoon.
The Denver Post staff
