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January 28, 2007
Winter X Games 11 SBD Snowboarder X Final Release,
SLIM WIN BY ANDERSON
Joanie Anderson Narrowly Grabs Snowboarder X Winter X Games Gold
Aspen, Colo. - In a major upset, young gun Joanie Anderson dodges a crashing Lindsey Jacobellis just feet from the finish line of the Snowboarder X competition to secure her first Winter X Games gold.
"I'm so stoked and shocked," said Anderson. "The course here is always sick. I think it's the best boardercross competition."
Twenty-year old Anderson from South Lake Tahoe, California has competed in the Winter X Games for four years, each time advancing to the finals. But it was not until 2006 that she stood on the podium with a second place finish. This year, it looked as if Anderson would win silver once again until 21-year old Jacobellis from Stratton, Vermont caught her backside edge, letting Anderson grab the gold.
Coming off as the 2007 FIS World Champion, Jacobellis was aiming to take home the gold this year. On the heels of a disappointing silver medal after a crash near the finish of Boardercross in the 2006 Torino Olympics, Jacobellis caught her heelside edge, flipping over to slide across the finish line just ahead of Maelle Ricker.
Ricker, the 2006 defending Snowboard X Champion, a 28-year old from Whistler, BC, Canada, was vying for her second gold, but was glad to be on the podium.
"I was hoping to defend my title but it didn't work out that way," said Ricker. "But I feel pretty good."
Posted by Dina at January 28, 2007 10:01 AM
