Extreme sport competition X Games recently took place in Aspen, Colo. for four days of top athletes competing in various winter sports. The event, which was originally hosted in Rhode Island, has turned into a global event for athletes across a wide spectrum of sports, including snowboarding, skateboarding and motocross. In addition to sports, X Games has also hosted top musical acts, such as Metallica, Kanye West, Nicki Minaj, Macklemore and Tiësto. The acclaimed event is one of the top sporting events in the world, and nine athletes who competed in the recent Aspen event took the time to share with Forbes what it feels like to be a part of top competitions, the emotions they feel after they land a difficult trick and more.
Mark McMorris
“The feeling is indescribable when I land a run and end up on the podium. It’s the reason why I keep pushing every day to be the best I can be. For me, it’s the highest of highs,” he adds. “The fact that I’m inspiring kids to live their lives to fullest is what keeps me going. Sports have given me incredible experiences, and I want to share them with everyone.”
Mons Røisland
“All the time, fun and work put into snowboarding since the day I started leads up to the big contests,” he says. “To then be able to put all of that into a single run, and walk away with an X Games medal is something I’ll remember forever.”
Hailey Langland
"There's honestly no better feeling than landing a run that you're excited about,” she says. “After I landed my last run at X Games this year, I was ecstatic, relieved and proud all at the same time. Having fun is what motivates me to push my snowboarding. When I'm having fun, I feel like I ride my best and I know I can do anything."
Sven Thorgren
“The Big Air medal this year felt special because I did a trick I’ve wanted to bring to a contest for about five years (backside triple rodeo),” he says. “It’s a lot of hard work, both physically and mentally to get there, but it's really motivating to keep progressing and do something new and unexpected. Mostly to prove it's doable for myself.”
Mathilde Gremaud
“The X Games Big Air competition was particularly exciting. Being able to land my tricks the way I wanted makes me so happy—I wouldn’t trade my life with anything else,” she adds. “Having the chance to live such moments is the reason I want to keep pushing myself, and never forget to have fun in the process."
Zoi Sadowski-Synnott
On winning the gold in Slopestyle: “Words can't even describe how I'm feeling,” she says. “I woke up the morning of not even expecting to ride, and then I managed to land a run I hadn't done before in competition. I'm just really happy. This comes close to the feeling of an Olympic medal—X Games is such a prestigious event for snowboarders.”
On winning the silver in Big Air: “Just getting invited was a big accomplishment for me, but to get a silver medal, after Nico (fellow Red Bull athlete and NZ freeskier) on the same day was a feeling of déjà vu after the Winter Olympics,” she adds. “It's a dream come true to get on the X Games podium. I didn't expect that coming here. I just wanted to put some runs down that I was stoked on and compete against the strongest snowboarders in the World. If I continue to training hard and having fun, I’ll keep progressing and the results will come."
Daniel Bodin
”When I go to X Games, I go there to win—it is the most important 75 seconds during the whole year.” he says. “When I landed that very last jump in my final run I felt a big relief because it’s simply a great feeling when hard work pays off. I still see this sport as quite new and what motivates me to develop my career every day is that I want to see how far limits can be pushed as well as extending my own boundaries.”
Kelly Sildaru
“When I landed my run, I knew that I did what I wanted to do,” she says. “I landed the run I wanted to and was so satisfied with it. It’s really amazing. That means I did what I needed to do and I tried my best and I enjoyed it. I really like skiing with Henry, my brother, and we’re competing with each other all the time. I think he’s my biggest motivation. That I can do this with him and that we can both enjoy skiing together is what keeps me going forward.”
Alex Ferreira
“The moment I landed my run at the Olympics, I had this overwhelming sense of gratitude and hubris for my country,” he says. “Seeing the score and receiving the medal afterwards was truly just a cherry on top. Seeing all of your hard work unfold in front of your eyes through physical accolades and sharing those glorious moments with loved ones is what keeps me motivated and grateful for what I am doing.”