1997 – The Inaugural Winter X-Games

The first ever Winter X-Games takes place at Big Bear Lake, California. Jennie Waara was the standout competitor – she won Snowboarder X gold, Halfpipe silver and Slopestyle bronze. The only athlete to win 3 medals at a games.

1998 – Winter X-Games Moves and Expands

The second Winter X-Games moved to Crested Butte Mountain, Colorado. The sports of Freeskiing, Snowmobile SnoCross and Skiboarding are added – the latter doesn’t stay long.

1999 – The First Threepeat

Shaun Palmer completes the threepeat with his third successive victory in Boardercross. Women’s freeskiing is added to the roster.

2000 – Enter the Superpipe

The X-Games moves again to Mt Snow in Vermont. The Halfpipe grew and became the Superpipe. Two Superpipe legends make their debut, Kelly Clark at 16 and Shaun White, aged just 13.

2002 – The X-Games Arrive at Aspen and Skiing Expands

The Winter X-Games arrives at its current home, Aspen CO. Slopestyle and Superpipe skiing events take place for the first time with Tanner Hall and Jon Olsson winning the inaugural events.

2003 – Shaun White’s Domination Takes Root

Shaun White wins his first Winter X-Games golds as he tops the podium in Slopestyle and Superpipe events.

2005 – Crist-mas Comes Early

For the first and only time siblings take gold and silver at the Winter X-Games. Reggie and Zach Crist take first and second respectively in the Skier X event.

2007 – The Winter X-Games Turn 10 and the Aussies Finally Arrive

Torah Bright wins Australia’s first ever Winter X-Games gold when she won the Snowboard Superpipe. The Big Air discipline arrives for skiers and snowboarders.

2008 – Tanner Hall Immortalised in High-Def

High definition arrives in Aspen in time to see Tanner Hall complete a threepeat in two different events. He won his third successive Ski Superpipe gold on top his trio of Slopestyle wins.

2009 – Snowmobile Madness and Shaun White Hits Double Figures

A new 22ft Superpipe is created for the skiers and snowboarders. Shaun White christens it and wins his tenth X-Games gold medal (including one in skateboarding). Levi LaVellee almost lands a double backflip on the snowmobile. Jenny Jones wins Great Britain’s first medal with a gold in the Snowboard Slopestyle.

2010 – Perfection in Aspen

Bobby Brown and Halldor Helgason hit perfect scores en route to gold in the Ski and Snowboard Big Air contests.

March 2010 – Tignes Host the Winter X-Games Europe

The Winter X-Games arrive in the Old World as Tignes hosts the first ever Winter X-Games Europe. Iouri Podladtchikov is the star as his score of 98.00 is the biggest Superpipe score in X-Games history. Jenny Jones does the double in the Women’s Snowboard Slopestyle claiming her, and the UK’s, second gold.

2011 – Youngsters Dominate the Tenth Year in Aspen

The Winter X-Games celebrate a decade in Aspen with a sell-out crowd. 114,200 watch Torin Yater-Wallace become the youngest medallist as the American wins silver in the Ski Superpipe aged 15. Seb Toutant wins the Snowboard Slopestyle event with Mark McMorris and Tyler Flanagan rounding off a podium of under-18s for the first time. Other firsts include the first ever triple cork in competition courtesy of Torstein Horgmo and Kelly Clark lands the first female 1080º in the Women’s Superpipe.

2012 – Sarah Burke Remembered and Shaun White Wins Again

Canadian Freeski legend, Sarah Burke, is remembered on the slopes having passed away due to a head injury just before the games. Heath Frisby nails the first ever frontflip on a snowmobile. Meanwhile Shaun White wins his fifth consecutive gold in the Superpipe with the first ever perfect score.

2013 – Sixpeats and Huge Crowds

Winter X-Games XVI draws in the biggest ever crowd with 114,500 spectators descending on Aspen. Shaun White is the second athlete to sixpeat at the X-Games (with snowmobile rider Tucker Hibbert completing the feat a day before White). Mark McMorris and Jamie Anderson defend their Snowboard Slopestyle crowns with McMorris setting the highest ever Slopestyle score with back to back triple corks in the men’s competition.

2013 – Winter X-Games Europe Suspended

After three years the curtain falls on the European brance of the Winter X-Games. Marie-Martinod Routin of France is the last person to win gold at Tignes.

2014 – Danny Davis wins Gold… but iPod gets the last laugh

On the eve of the Sochi Olympics, Shaun White hummed and hahhed about turning up for the games, before finally deciding he wouldn’t bother. This left the door open for Iouri ‘iPod’ Podlatchikov to qualify in first, only to be pipped at the post by Danny Davis’ super-stylish run in the final which won the yank gold. Although of course iPod had the last laugh a few weeks later when he took the top spot in Sochi…

2015 – Let’s wait and see…

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