ASPEN, Colo. — Canada’s Cassie Sharpe claimed bronze in the women’s ski superpipe event on Thursday, the opening night of X Games Aspen 2018.
The Comox native, who will be heading to the Pyeongchang Olympics in February, needed to put together her best work in her third and final run after a difficult start, and did so by scoring 88.66 points to claim third place.
“I tried doing my most difficult run first… my last jump was a cork 10 and I broke my thumb again,” said Sharpe, whose finger was already in a splint.
“For my second run, I was still a little shaken. But for the third run, I was back on track and managed to focus on what I needed to do.”
Maddie Bowman of the United States won gold with a score of 92.00. Fellow American Brita Sigourney grabbed silver with 90.33 points.
The 25-year-old Sharpe entered the X Games off a World Cup victory in Snowmass, Colo., on Jan. 12, edging out Sigourney atop the podium.
Thursday’s result is Sharpe’s best in three appearances at X Games Aspen, finishing seventh last season and fourth in 2016.
Her lone X Games gold came in the women’s ski superpipe event in Oslo in 2016.
Meanwhile, Mike Riddle of Sherwood Park, Alta., just missed the podium in men’s ski superpipe. The 2014 Olympic silver medallist finished fourth with a score of 84.66. Calgary’s Noah Bowman came sixth (82.33) while Simon D’Artois of Whistler placed seventh (56.33).
Americans swept the podium, with David Wise winning gold (94.00). Alex Ferreira came second (91.33) while Torin Yater-Wallace was third (86.66).
Also, Brett Turcotte of Clearwater won his first X Games gold in snowmobile speed and style event, beating American Levi LaVallee in the final head-to-head race.
Turcotte narrowly edged out LaVallee, 88.94 to 88.67 for gold.