Torah Bright wins the gold at Winter X-Games Eleven Superpipe Finals. Roxy had also just announced that snowboardings’s shining star Torah Bright has officially chosen Roxy as her sponsor from head to toe with the addition of hard goods. Having joined the team in 2000, the deal marks the continuation of a successful collaboration between brand and athlete.

The party for one of the most intense showdowns in women’s Winter X superpipe history kicked into gear with Kelly Clark’s gargantuan straight airs and Kjersti Oestgaard Buaas’s healthy air to fakies.

When’06 Aussie Olympian and Winter X silver medalist Torah Bright came out spinning like a 45 EP on her first run, it became clear that a few Aussies were in the house. Every move was out of the lip, but a minor sit down left her with a score of 85 for run one.

In the name of getting the jollies while still pushing the sport, several girls threw a 9. Elena Hight landed it backside, while a few ladies made attempts, but washed out in a cloud of crystal.

Not hometown girl, Gretchen Bleiler, though. Last year Bleiler skipped WX in her own backyard, and while the Aspen town folk may have enjoyed watching Bleiler in Torino, they seemed giddy to have her back at Buttermilk. “Last year was incomparably strenuous. Now I can mix it up and have a little fun,” said Bleiler.

For the first time, all four of Bleiler’s brothers watched Winter X in person. The trick vixen recognized and busted out a frontside 900 on her first hit, added a stylish grab to her crippler, threw in a 540 and a smoking method. While her cheering section (from Snowmass to Aspen Village) went into a frenzy, the judges awarded her a 91.

The stage was set. The local celeb had set the bar, and Lake Tahoe’s Elena Hight seemed the obvious candidate for the coup. From run one of elimination, Hight boosted effortlessly and landed with authority, traveling further across the Rocky Mountain sky than any other competitor. But even her back 9 and front 7 were just enough for a bronze accessory.

While Australia Day was being celebrated on the south side of the world, Torah Bright stepped up in her final run to do her country proud. Tail grab air to fakie. Cab 720. Proud they were. Frontside McTwist. Backside 3. Truckdriver grab. Backside 540. Another shrimp on the Barbie, put to rest with a switch backside 540. Good on ya, mate. Before she could lay in to a celebratory carve, an inflatable kangaroo draped with an Australian flag materialized in the crowd. Gold for the saucy Aussie. Oi, oi, oi for Tina Dixon’s mic on TV.

“I’m pretty ecstatic right now. It’s good to have so many Aussies out here with me. I came here to put on a show,” said Bright. But was the weight lifted from the five rings? “Ahhh, I have fun every year.”

Final Results:

1. Torah Bright”94.66
2. Gretchen Bleiler”91.00
3. Elena Hight”88.00
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4. Hannah Teter”85.33
5. Kjersti Oestgaard Buaas”73.00
6. Mercedes Nicoll”67.00
7. Manuela Pesko”66.00
8. Molly Aguirre”65.00
9. Sophie Rodriguez”60.66
10. Kelly Clark”45.66