Photo: Nate Abbott/ESPN
Scotty Lago hopes to land on the podium at Winter X
14(As seen in USA Today) Winter X Games 14 starts today in Aspen, CO, running through Sunday. For participants, the event is the competitive pinnacle of their respective sports, which include freeskiing, snowboarding and snowmobiling in multiple disciplines.

First launched in 1997 at Snow Summit Resort in southern California, the event has enjoyed continued growth, particularly since it found a home in Aspen, CO in 2002. Last year, Winter X 13 telecast reaching over 7.5 million homes with 68,100 on-site attendees.

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Andreas Wiig at Winter X 14

In 2010, many are focused on the upcoming Vancouver Games, but despite being "an Olympic year" Winter X remains the undisputed apex of winter action sports in the minds of athletes.

There will be 42 Olympians in the Winter X Games, including 2006 snowboard cross silver medalist Lindsey Jacobellis and all eight from the U.S. halfpipe team

"I think it is really important," says Scotty Lago, a newly minted member of the US Olympic snowboard team. "I'd love nothing more than to go to Aspen and get a medal at Winter X; it'd be awesome."

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Sarah Burke at Winter X 13

Medaling at Winter X Games is perhaps even more difficult than doing so at the Olympics. While Vancouver will have the top four riders from countries around the world, Winter X has the world s top riders, regardless of nationality.

"When you go to the X Games you know all the best riders are going to be there, says Norwegian snowboarder and five-time medalist Andreas Wiig. With other events we might choose filming before the contest, but when it comes to the X Games, it s priority number one.

Photo: Shazamm/ESPN
Michael Island and John Trevor during SMB prelims at
Winter X 13.

The best riders are not just aggressive young men; Winter X also fields an expanding segment of top female athletes. Freeskier Sarah Burke is considered the queen of women's superpipe, and is expected to defend her gold medal status this Saturday night.

"The X Games was the first event to offer equal prize money for the women, says Burke. They've always been really progressive. It's the biggest, most important one to all of us by far.

Tune into ESPN & ABC for LIVE coverage of X Games 14 this weekend and for ongoing action sports coverage visit BNQT.com.

By James Sullivan

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