Bleiler Wins Third Gold in Superpipe at Winter X Games 12

Jan 27 2008 / Aspen, CO

Gretchen Bleiler, a two-time ESPN Winter X Games gold medal winner in the Women's Snowboard SuperPipe, made it three tonight with a monster run that fended off a late-game challenge by Aussie shredder Torah Bright.

Bleiler, who currently graces the cover of ESPN The Magazine and is the first female action sports athlete to do so, put down a 92.33 on her second run.  After hitting back-to-back 720s, she stuck a crippler 540, getting massive amplitude throughout the run.

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Bright's final run included a switch McTwist 720 and a McTwist 540, but her 92.66 couldn't catch Bleiler's mark.

Kelly Clark won bronze with a first run of 90.00 – then attempted to land an unprecedented-in-competition 1080, which she narrowly missed.

"This one feels really good.  I've been working really hard the past few weeks," Bleiler said.  "It feels good to have it all come together tonight."

"This was by far the most progressive women's final I've ever seen," Clark said.  "I'm honored to be a part of it."

SNOWBOARD SUPERPIPE WOMEN'S FINAL
Results from Aspen/Snowmass on Friday, January 25, 2008

Name / Bib # / Hometown / Score

1. Gretchen Bleiler / 303 / Aspen, Colo. / 93.33
2. Torah Bright / 326 / Cooma, Australia / 92.66
3. Kelly Clark / 307 / Mount Snow, Vt. / 90.00
4. Hannah Teeter / 317 / Belmont, Vt. / 77.33
5. Soko Yamaoka / 319 / Nagano, Japan / 74.33
6. Lizzy Beerman / 301 / Weston, Vt. / 67.33