LOS ANGELES, December 20, 2007 — ESPN Winter X Games announces the first wave of athletes who have been invited to compete at Winter X Games 12, to be held for its seventh year at Buttermilk Mountain at Aspen/Snowmass, Colorado January 24-27, 2008. The event will air live on ESPN and ABC.
The 12th annual winter action sports competition will feature more than 250 athletes from across the globe competing for medals and prize money in the following sports: Skiing, Snowboard and Snowmobile. The event includes day and evening competitions and is free to the public.
The second wave of invitations is scheduled to be announced in early January.
*PLEASE NOTE: The invited athlete list is constantly being updated and is subject to change. Among the first wave of invited athletes include:
• Shaun White: Six-time snowboard Winter X Games gold medalist and 2006 Winter Olympic gold medalist
• Hannah Teter: Three-time snowboard Winter X Games medalist and 2006 Winter Olympic gold medalist
• Tanner Hall: Defending Skiing SuperPipe champ and six-time Winter X Games gold medalist
• Chris Burandt: Winner of the first-ever Winter X Games Snowmobile Freestyle gold medal in 2007
• Tyler Walker: Winner of the first-ever Winter X Games Mono Skier X gold medal in 2007
• Lindsey Jacobellis: Three-time snowboard Winter X Games gold medalist and 2006 Winter Olympic silver medalist
• Torah Bright: Defending Winter X Games Snowboard SuperPipe gold medalist
• Travis Rice: Three-time Winter X Games snowboard medalist
• Sarah Burke: Three-time Winter X Games and defending Skiing SuperPipe gold medalist
• Daron Rahlves: Widely considered the most accomplished speed skier in American history with 28 World Cup podiums and three World Championship podiums over the course of the last decade
All athletes receiving invitations to compete at Winter X Games 12 are chosen by a sport-specific selection committee. Criteria and timing of invitations varies by sport and discipline as it is based on the state and event schedules of that particular sport. The only exception is each gold medalist from Winter X Games 11 (2007) receives an automatic invitation to compete.
ESPN and ABC will feature 15 hours of live high-definition programming January 24-January 27. ESPN2 will present daily late-night highlight programs in HD from January 25-January 28, resulting in 19 total hours of original HD programming for Winter X Games 12. Additionally, the Winter X Games will also be televised on ESPN's International networks to more than 121 countries and territories in Latin America, the Pacific Rim, Middle East, Africa and Israel.
SNOWBOARD BIG AIR
Travis Rice / United States
Andreas Wiig / Norway
SNOWBOARD SLOPESTYLE
MEN:
Antti Autti / Finland
Mathieu Crepel / France
Danny Davis / United States
Eero Ettala / Finland
Marc Frank Montoya / United States
Charles Guldemond / United States
Torstein Horgmo / Norway
Danny Kass / United States
Scotty Lago / United States
Jussi Oksanen / Finland
Travis Rice / United States
Eddie Wall / United States
Shaun White / United States
Andreas Wiig / Norway
WOMEN:
Jamie Anderson / United States
Hana Beaman / United States
Torah Bright / Australia
Erin Comstock / United States
Tara Dakides / United States
Kimmy Fasani / United States
Claudia Fliri
Jenny Jones / United Kingdom
Priscilla Levac / Canada
Cheryl Maas / Netherlands
Janna Meyen / United States
Silvia Mittermueller / Germany
Spencer O'Brien / Canada
Leanne Pelosi / Canada
Marie-France Roy / Canada
Chanelle Sladics / United States
SNOWBOARDER X
MEN:
Nick Baumgartner / United States
Jonathan Cheever / United States
Paul Henri de le Rue / France
Xavier de le Rue / France
Rob Fagan / Canada
Mario Fuchs / Austria
Damon Hayler / Australia
Nate Holland / United States
Pat Holland / United States
Marco Huser / Switzerland
Ben Jacobellis / United States
Drew Neilson / Canada
Michal Novotny / Czech Republic
Shaun Palmer / United States
Alex Pullin / Australia
Markus Schairer / Austria
Alberto Schiavon / Italy
Stian Sivertzen / Norway
David Speiser / Germany
Ross Trulove / United States
Pierre Vaultier / France
Tom Velisek / Canada
Graham Watanabe / United States
Seth Wescott / United States
WOMEN:
Joanie Anderson / United States
Deborah Anthonioz / France
Christelle Doyon
Mellie Francon / Switzerland
Sandra Frei / Switzerland
Tanja Frieden / Switzerland
Zoe Gillings / United Kingdom
Lindsey Jacobellis / United States
Sandra Jekova / Bulgaria
Jordan Karlinski / United States
Kathrin Kellenberger / Switzerland
Doresia Krings / Austria
Dominique Maltais / Canada
Helene Olafsen / Norway
Maelle Ricker / Canada
Diane Thermoz-Liaudy / France
SNOWBOARD SUPERPIPE
MEN:
Mason Aguirre / United States
Ryoh Aono / Japan
Antti Autti / Finland
Danny Davis / United States
Andy Finch / United States
Steve Fisher / United States
Danny Kass / United States
Scotty Lago / United States
Risto Mattila / Finland
Kevin Pearce / United States
Iouri Podladtchikov / Switzerland
Shaun White / United States
WOMEN:
Molly Aguirre / United States
Junko Asazuma / Japan
Elizabeth Beerman / United States
Clair Bidez / United States
Gretchen Bleiler / United States
Torah Bright / Australia
Kelly Clark / United States
Elena Hight / Canada
Mercedes Nicoll / Canada
Kjersti Oestgaard Buaas / Norway
Manuela Pesko / Switzerland
Hannah Teter / United States
Dominique Vallee / Canada
