blair morgan first to win backtoback x games
Amsnow
With Aspen, Colorado, as its backdrop, the made-for-television Winter X Games saw Canadian snocrosser Blair Morgan become the first to win back-to-back Gold Medals in event.
A mountain snowstorm rolled in and created atrocious visibility, making Morgan's achievement more spectacular. The special snocross track was very quick, with some monstrous air and limited visibility.
At the end of the three rounds of qualifying, TJ Gulla (Chevy Trucks/Speedwerx Cat), ended up as top qualifier by combining some stunning holeshots with superb riding to claim a second and two wins inthe three rounds. 2000 Gold Medallist Tucker Hibbert (Chevy Trucks/Speedwerx Cat) started with two straight heat wins, but then made a rare error, falling off the track and only recovering to fifth in his final heat. Still, he was easily to transfer to the final round, as did Trevor John (Team Performance Solutions Polaris) who had his fifth in the opening round, then rebounded to two straight heat wins.
Morgan's Woody's/VP Fuels Ski-Doo took a win, second and third. So did Carl Schubitzke's Dodge Trucks/Wiseco Polaris. Reigning European Snocross Champ Tomi Ahmasalo (Formula XPS Ski-Doo) notched three seconds to join them in the final round.
WSA's Semi-Pro division was well represented with Shaun Crapo (Team Performance Solutions Polaris) and Curt Peterson (180 Energy Drink/Ski-Doo) also surviving the two semi-finals. Dennis Eckstrom (Amsoil/Ski-Doo) and Todd Wolff (Bud Light Ski-Doo) finished one-two in the last chance qualifier to fill out the final starting line-up of ten.
Due to the speed of the course, the final was extended to eight laps, and at the green, Gulla again simply exploded up the hill into the lead, with Ahmasalo and Morgan dueling for second, which Blair eventually claimed. By then, Gulla had opened up a sizeable lead.
When Morgan started closing on first, Gulla would respond and hold him off. Then, suddenly, Morgan closed dramatically as Gulla's engine started to tighten up (he lost a motor in Wednesday's practice as well). At the bottom of the hill going over a step-up jump it let go completely, and Morgan had to take quick evasive action, but still just barely clipped Gulla's sled as he slipped by into the lead.
Although suffering from a poor start, Hibbert was simply electrifying in his pursuit, eventually catching and passing Ahmasalo for second. He then set off after Morgan (shades of Winter X 1999, only with positions reversed!), but the gap came down slowly. Again, suddenly, bigger chunks of ground started disappearing rapidly as Morgan's engine started to burble, apparently due to snow that was ingested as he worked through traffic. Hibbert was ballistic in his pursuit, but ran out of time, crosiing the line just behind Morgan.
Ahmasalo backed up his stunning WSA Canterbury Pro Open win with a Bronze. Crapo and Schubitzke rounded out the top five.
Coverage of the snocross action at the ESPN Winter X Games will begin on February 2 nd with round one qualifying on ESPN at 5pm Eastern time, and rounds two and three on ESPN 2 at 10pm Eastern. The Semi Final round will air Feb. 3 rd on ABC's Wide World Of Sports at 1pm Eastern, and the final will air that evening on ESPN 2 at 10:30pm Eastern.