Monster Energy’s Yuto Totsuka Takes Silver in Men’s Snowboard SuperPipe at X Games Aspen 2019
ASPEN, Colo. (PRWEB) January 28, 2019 -- Snowboarding’s next generation has officially landed! Monster Energy congratulates brand-new team rider Yuto Totsuka on taking silver in Monster Energy Men’s Snowboard SuperPipe at X Games Aspen 2019 tonight. In his X Games debut, the 17-year-old rookie from Yokohama, Japan, put on an ultra-progressive performance against the world elite of SuperPipe riders.
The high-energy crowd at Buttermilk Mountain was in for a spectacular air show tonight as the world’s best halfpipe snowboarders took on the 22-foot halfpipe with three attempts each. The 10 Men’s Snowboard SuperPipe finalists hailed from only four countries: One Australian, two riders each from Japan and Switzerland competed against a strong contingent of five snowboarders from the United States.
As the youngest rider in the Men’s Snowboard SuperPipe field, Totsuka came into the final as an alternate after fellow Japanese snowboarder and Monster Energy teammate Ayumu Hirano was sidelined by a hand injury. The level of technical ability in tonight’s final was daunting, but Totsuka came in unfazed. On his first run, the rookie put the entire field on notice with a perfect routine including a huge frontside stalefish 540, mute 900, frontside tailgrab 1080, Cab 1080 tailgrab and frontside double cork 1260 mute for 90.00 points and an early lead.
The level of trick difficulty escalated from there, as riders upped the ante with double corks and technical switch tricks across the board. But with stakes this high, stringing together that perfect technical run proved challenging for tonight’s finalists, including Totsuka’s Monster Energy teammate Iouri Podladtchikov, who did not get the run he wanted and had to settle for seventh place.
Ultimately, the dynamic changed when Australia’s Scotty James posted one of the best runs in X Games history. Totsuka had one more run to fire back but lost the handle on a frontside double cork 1440, finishing his X Games premiere with a strong silver medal.
As the most recent addition to the Monster Energy team, Totsuka has been turning heads with his technical talent and high amplitude tricks over the past year. In the halfpipe final at the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics, he suffered a horrifying crash and had to be carried off on a stretcher. Since then, the only thing he has been crashing is podiums: Totsuka has already placed top three at five FIS World Cup events and just recently placed second at the Laax Open last week.
Totsuka’s impressive X Games debut wraps up an incredible performance for Monster Energy snowboarding at X Games Aspen 2019. And most of these medals went to next-generation snowboarders: On Saturday, fellow teenager and Finnish rookie pro Rene Rinnekangas claimed his first-ever X Games podium with a strong silver finish in Jeep Men’s Snowboard Slopestyle. And only few hours later, 18-year-old snowboard phenom Chloe Kim claimed gold in Women’s Snowboard SuperPipe, her fifth X Games gold medal.
With so much young talent at this year’s Winter X Games, the future sure looks bright!
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For X Games fans in the United States who missed the action at X Games Aspen 2019, watch highlights on ABC in a two-piece anthology: X Games Sydney Aspen, Anthology Part 1 will air on February 2, 3 p.m. ET followed by Part 2 on February 9, 1 p.m. ET. ABC will also air The Best of X Games Aspen 2019 on March 17, 1 p.m. ET. Fans can also follow the latest news and highlights across ESPN digital platforms, including XGames.com and X Games pages on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and more.
Score all the exclusive updates from X Games Aspen 2019 including photos, videos, and contest results http://www.monsterenergy.com. Follow Monster Energy on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter for exclusive behind-the-scenes looks in Aspen.
About Monster Energy
Based in Corona, California, Monster Energy is the leading marketer and distributor of energy drinks and alternative beverages. Refusing to acknowledge the traditional, Monster Energy supports the scene and sport. Whether motocross, off-road, NASCAR, MMA, BMX, surf, snowboard, ski, skateboard, or the rock and roll lifestyle, Monster Energy is a brand that believes in authenticity and the core of what its sports, athletes and musicians represent. More than a drink, it’s the way of life lived by athletes, sports, bands, believers and fans. See more about Monster Energy including all of its drinks at http://www.monsterenergy.com.
Kim Dresser, Indie Agency Inc., http://www.indiepragency.com, +1 (949) 300-5546, [email protected]
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