Shaun White didn’t disappoint fans on the opening day of the X Games in Aspen, coasting into Saturday’s superpipe finals, where he’s the five-time defending champ. He actually didn’t do a single trick on his second run after scoring an 87.00 with back-to-back double corks to secure second in qualifying.
White didn’t fare as well in the slopestyle, qualifying seventh with a score of 67.33 to sneak in to his first finals since 2009. Canada’s Mark McMorris, the defending X Games and World Cup champ in the event, took the top spot with a score of 88.66.
"[The competition] was so heavy. I’m just so glad to get the first one out of the way,” McMorris said. “To land a good run that I’m hyped on that I can build on for Saturday, it’s gonna be pretty good times.”
No one attempted a triple cork on Thursday, but it’s likely to appear as part of someone’s arsenal come Saturday, and might be the only way White will be able to beat McMorris. Slopestyle will debut as an Olympics event next year in Sochi.