Seven Canadian Athletes to Compete at Aspen X Games
Freestyle Canada – Aspen, Colorado, January 23, 2018 – It was announced yesterday which athletes will be on the Canadian team at the PyeongChang Olympic Games in two weeks. Seven of the athletes who have their ticket to the Winter Olympics will compete in the X Games in Aspen, Colorado from January 25 to 28. Last year, two Canadian competitors stepped up to the podium: Alex Beaulieu-Marchand, with a bronze medal in slopestyle, and Noah Bowman, who also took a bronze in the halfpipe event.
The halfpipe skiers will compete first, on Thursday, January 25. The team has had its share of glory at this freeski event, notably in the gold medal win of Simon d’Artois, the first Canadian male athlete to win the discipline, in 2015. Roz Groenewoud also claimed a gold win in 2012. Cassie Sharpe, from Comox, B.C., is sure to aim for a podium finish in Aspen, having tasted victory at the Oslo event in 2016 and currently enjoying a solid season. As for Mike Riddle, it will be his 13th start in the X Games and he is still hopeful for a first medal.
Competing in the slopestyle event are Alex Beaulieu-Marchand, Alex Bellemare and Evan McEachran, starting with the qualifier on Friday, January 26 followed by the final on Sunday, January 28. All eyes will be on Evan McEachran, who’s having a season that can be described as remarkable, to say the least. He will be back in action after ending last weekend’s events in Mammoth with two medals, a gold and a bronze. Teal Harle, who recently secured his spot on the Olympic Team thanks to a gold medal winning performance in Mammoth, is first alternate.
Schedule overview:
Thursday, January 25, 5:30 p.m. MT: ladies halfpipe (final)
Thursday, January 25, 8:00 p.m.: men’s halfpipe (final)
Friday, January 26, 1:00 p.m.: men’s slopestyle (qualification)
Sunday, January 28, 12:45 p.m.: men’s slopestyle (final)
Halfpipe athletes at the X Games:
Mike Riddle (Sherwood Park, AB), Noah Bowman (Calgary, AB), Simon d’Artois (Whistler, BC), Cassie Sharpe (Comox, BC)
Slopestyle athletes at the X Games:
Alex Bellemare (Saint-Boniface, QC), Alex Beaulieu-Marchand (Quebec City, QC), Evan McEachran(Oakville, ON), Teal Harle (Campbell River, BC) – first alternate
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