On hand for the announcement were six invited Winter X Games athletes, including: Mikkel Bang - 2009 Winter X Games Ski Big Air and Slopestyle bronze medal winner; Sarah Burke - 2009 Winter X Games Ski SuperPipe gold medal winner; Xavier Bertoni - 2009 Winter X Games Ski SuperPipe gold medal winner; Mathieu Crepel - 2008 Winter X Games Snowboard Slopestyle 9th Place; Kevin Rolland - 2009 Winter X Games Ski SuperPipe 8th Place; and Jacob Wester - 2009 Winter X Games Ski Big Air bronze medal winner.
“The Winter X Games is one of the biggest events of the season for us,” said Burke, a five-time Winter X Games medal winner. “I am looking forward to competing in Tignes in March.”
The event will bring together ESPN's X Games franchise with French pay TV broadcaster Canal +, the local expertise of Tignes and expert course design led by Chris Gunnarson and Snow Park Technologies.
“Canal + is thrilled and proud to work with ESPN to bring Europe this unique event: the Winter X Games. The Canal+ group will put all of their efforts to give this event the maximum exposure in France and French-speaking countries that it deserves,” said Jean-Louis Dutaret, president of CANAL+ EVENTS.
“We couldn’t ask for more in a first-ever Winter X Games to be held outside the U.S.: first-class athletes and courses, a terrific mountain resort in Tignes and a perfect co-host and broadcaster in Canal +,” said Rick Alessandri, ESPN senior vice president and managing director, X Games Franchise.
“Tignes has been chosen to host the Winter X Games Europe, which is the pinnacle for us. Tignes has worked all summer with Snow Park Technology to provide amazing pipe and slopestyle courses as good as Aspen,” said Sebastien Merignargues, Tignes resort manager.
There will be eight different competitions staged over three days, including Ski and Snowboard SuperPipe and Slopestyle for men and women as well as a Snowmobile demonstration.
The first wave of athletes invited to France to compete for medals and prize money also includes:
- Gretchen Bleiler - Three-time Winter X Games Snowboard SuperPipe gold medal winner and 2006 Winter Olympic silver medal winner;
- Simon Dumont - Two-time Winter X Games Skiing SuperPipe gold medal winner;
- Kevin Pearce - Two-time Winter X Games silver medal winner;
- Torah Bright - Two-time Winter X Games Snowboard SuperPipe gold medal winner and 2006 Winter Olympian; and
- Levi LaVallee - Three-time Winter X Games Snowmobile gold medal winner
