In addition to the slate of competitions previously announced, X Games Aspen 2019 will add three completely new medaled disciplines to the lineup—Snowboard Knuckle Huck, Adaptive Snow BikeCross and Para Snow BikeCross.
For more than 10 years X Games has featured adaptive disciplines at both summer and winter X Games events. Mono Skier X was introduced in 2007, and since then X Games has staged several Adaptive Snowboarder X, Snowmobile SnoCross and Moto X Racing disciplines.
Similar to the Adaptive Snowmobile SnoCross discipline X Games has featured, Adaptive Snow BikeCross will bring the world’s top adaptive racers to the Snow Bike course. Racing on the same course, the adaptive discipline features athletes with physical disabilities who are ambulatory with modifications such as prosthetic limbs. The Adaptive Snow BikeCross discipline will be a final-only format featuring X Games medalists such as Mike Schultz.
"I'll miss the Snocross event, but being able to combine both of my favorite sports into one is even better,” said eight-time X Games gold medalist and Paralympic gold medalist Mike Schultz. "Motocross and Snocross meshed together into one machine, now that's awesome. I'm looking forward to the new sport and am really pumped that the X Games has added the adaptive and para classes this year. I can't wait to get on course and twist the throttle on these things, and psyched that this will be the fifth different sport/competition I've competed in at the X Games."
In the Para Snow BikeCross discipline, athletes who are not ambulatory compete on the same course, with some modification to their bikes. Much like the Mono Skier X discipline once held at X Games, athletes will utilize hand controls and seat modifications to control their bikes in a final-only race. X Games medalists such as Doug Henry and Blair Morgan will compete in this discipline.
On the snowboard side, X Games will celebrate the style and creativity inherent in snowboarding with the first-ever knuckle competition. Instead of hitting the Big Air jump as they traditionally would, riders instead take off the knuckle (roll over) of the jump and huck their most unique trick, finishing in the same landing area. Since riders do not get as much height, the tricks must instead rely on technicality and creativity. Knuckle Huck will feature eight athletes in a jam style format throwing as many tricks as possible within the allotted time.
Fans can catch all the action January 24-27, live on ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC. In addition, all 15.5 hours of live content, plus exclusive competitions, musical performances and X Games Extra shows will be streamed on the @XGames YouTube, Facebook and Twitter pages. Tickets are available now atXGames.com/tickets.
Additional information on all X Games Aspen 2019 events will be forthcoming on www.xgames.com for fans.