X Games Set to Pop!

If you stand in Aspen, Colorado you can hear a humming the distance: the electricity of the perfect storm set to descend, just a few days off in the horizon. X Games 12 will hit hard and fast, and it will rage for days on end before disappearing like it never was. The premiere event in winter action sports, the X Games is the most prestigious stage in competitive freeskiing. Accordingly, it attracts the biggest names and deepest talent in the sport, and the Red Bull ski team is set to bring home some hardware.

Tanner Hall: With 9 X Games medals on his neck Tanner’s back must be sore, but that’s not keeping him from defending the gold medal he took home last year in superpipe. Tanner is the man to beat and all eyes will fall on him when he drops into the pipe, probably switch, to defend his championship reign.

Simon Dumont: The Dumont is a force to be reckoned with always. He’s got two X Games superpipe gold medals to his name and last season he dominated competitive freeskiing events with more podium finishes than anyone else. He’s frank about his commitment to competition, and his desire to dominate in front of the crowd. Nobody gets further out of the pipe than Simon and he’s got the technical skills and consistency to bring Tanner down. Simon’s bag of tricks also makes him a favorite in slopestyle.

Jon Olsson: Nobody puts more time in on the summer jumps and water ramps than Jon in the off-season. With the Icer Air gold under his belt already this season, and a slew of double-flipping innovations ready to unleash, Jon is a favorite for winning the big air portion of X. He is also set to drop into the slopestyle course where his consistency and amplitude are sure to impress. Are you ready for Blue Steel?

Daron Rahlves: Daron owns 28 world cup podiums (12 gold) in skiing speed events. Last season marked his first appearance at X Games, and in 2008 you can expect him to wreak havoc on the field. Daron’s storied career includes a win at Kitzbühel, Austria, the steepest most dangerous event in skiing, so the Skier X course in Aspen should be a walk in the park.

Men’s Ski Superpipe: January 24, 9-11 p.m., ESPN. (Tanner Hall, Simon Dumont)

Men’s Ski Big Air: January 25, 9:30-11:30 p.m., ESPN (Jon Olsson)

Men’s Skier X: January 27, 2-6 p.m., ESPN (Daron Rahlves)

Men’s Ski Slopestyle: January 27, 2-6 p.m., ESPN (Simon Dumont, Jon Olsson)

*All times Eastern Time Zone.