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By CHRIS COSENZA
Published January 28, 2005
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Tired of waiting for the NHL lockout to thaw? We got your ice time right here. The annual Winter X Games kicks off this weekend, and we give you the 4-1-1 on the extreme sports, players and coverage.
Ninth annual Winter X Games
When and where: All events are at Aspen/Snowmass' Buttermilk Mountain from Saturday (1/29) to Tuesday (2/1).
What: More than 230 of the world's best athletes will compete for medals and prize money in four sports: Moto X, ski, snowboard and snowmobile.
More info: Go to expn.com for complete coverage and bios of all the athletes.
Xspeak
Moto X
Bar hop: Thrusting both feet through the arms, over the front fender, and back while the arms hold the bars.
Canydbar: One foot over bars and resting on the front fender. Usually landed with the foot still on the fender.
Superman: Rider releases both legs from pegs and throws his legs back, elevating himself over the bike.
Snowboarding
Crippler: An inverted aerial where the rider performs a 180-degree flip.
Eggplant: A one-handed 180 degree invert in which the front hand is planted on the lip of the wall and the rotation is backside.
Huck: To throw oneself into the air off a jump without regard for life and limb.
Skiboarding
Beater: Wipeout or fall.
Digger: Similar to a beater, but usually results in an injury.
Jib: When riders bonk or tap their skiboards on handrails, garbage cans, logs etc. Jibbing usually takes place in the terrain parks and is derived from in-line skating.
Slopestyle skiing
Carved turn: A turned arc by a skier with little or no slipping or skidding.
Fall line: The shortest distance down the slope; the steepest gradient.
Traverse: Skiing across the slope at an angle to the fall line.
Whom to watch
Moto X Best Trick
Nicknamed Huck-a-Chuck, Chuck Carothers pulled off the first body varial, now dubbed the Carolla, to win gold at the last X Games.
Skiing
Slopestyle: On the men's side, Mark Abma is an up-and-comer but very versatile, while on the women's side world champion Kelly Clark is always a favorite.
Superpipe: For the men, Swedish champion Jon Olsson looks to dominate a wide-open field. Veteran female skier Jen Hudak finally makes her way to the X Games, but can she make an impact?
Skier X: Karin Huttary won silver in 2003 and won the event last time. Roman Hofer had his most successful season last year, but needs to improve his 12th-place finish.
Snowboard
Slopestyle: Vermont's Hannah Teter is trying to defend her title from a year ago -- and she's only 18. Danny Kass is a Olympic silver medalist and considered by many to be the "soul" of this sport. He'll be tough to beat in the Superpipe, too.
Superpipe: Kelly Clark had her best year in 2002 when she swept the Winter Olympics, X Games and U.S. Open in this event, but she finished second at the X Games last year.
Snowboarder X: Though Nick Baumgartner is a relative newcomer to the sport, he's won amateur titles and looking to continue that momentum. Tanja Frieden suffered a bruised heel at last year's games so she will be inspired after nearly taking gold in '03.
Snocross
Keep an eye on the M&M boys: Robbie Malinoski and Steve Martin are rising fast on the scene of this obscure sport.
Watch it
Saturday (1/29)
Snowboarder X Men's and Women's Semis and Finals, Skiing Slopestyle Finals 1-3 p.m., ABC; Snowboard Slopestyle Men's Finals, Skier X Men's Semis and Finals 3-5, ESPN; Snowboard Superpipe Women's Finals, Moto X Best Trick prelims 9-11, ESPN.
Sunday (1/30)
Snowboard Slopestyle Women's Practice Skier X, Women's Semis and Finals 2-3 p.m., ESPN; Snowboard Slopestyle Women's Finals, Ultracross Finals, 3-5, ESPN; Snowboard Superpipe Men's prelims, Moto X Best Trick Finals, 9-11, ESPN.
Monday (1/31)
Snowboard Superpipe Men's Finals, Snocross Qualifying, 9-11 p.m., ESPN
Tuesday (2/1)
Skiing Superpipe Men's Finals, Snocross Finals 9-11 p.m., ESPN
[Last modified January 27, 2005, 13:48:19]
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