Australian Snowboarder Matches Historic Eight Gold Medals with Groundbreaking Performance
Australian snowboarder Scotty James tied Shaun White’s record for most X Games gold medals in skiing and snowboarding, claiming his eighth title Saturday night at X Games Aspen 2026 in the men’s snowboard superpipe event.
The 31-year-old delivered a performance for the history books, landing a never-before-seen trick combination—a switch backside 1440 to backside 1440—to seal his fifth consecutive X Games SuperPipe victory. James scored 95 points, easily defeating Japan’s Haku Shimasaki in second place.
A Moment of Pure Athletic Innovation
James briefly touched his hand to the snow after the second jump but judges awarded him the full score, recognizing the unprecedented feat. The back-to-back backside 1440s represent two of the most difficult tricks in halfpipe competition, with each requiring riders to spin 1,440 degrees—four full rotations—while facing down the hill.
“I felt I wanted to do something for myself and for halfpipe and to push backside riding as much as I can,” James said after his victory, celebrating by crowd surfing into the hundreds of fans in Aspen, Colorado. He wore his trademark red boxing gloves during the triumphant run.
Building Momentum Before Milan Cortina
The victory represents a major statement heading into next month’s Winter Olympics in Milan Cortina. James has already demonstrated a range of triple cork tricks—three head-over-heels flips—as part of his repertoire this season, positioning him as a medal contender on the Olympic halfpipe.
The X Games Aspen event captured significant viewership this year, reaching 15.2 million viewers across ESPN and ABC, up 48 percent compared to the previous year. The contest marked one of the most anticipated events heading into the Games, as riders elevated their competition levels throughout the season.
Standing Alongside a Legend
By matching White’s eight X Games gold medals, James joins an exclusive tier of winter sports excellence. White captured his record across competitions from 2003 to 2017, competing in both slopestyle and superpipe events throughout his legendary career.
James has cited White, along with other groundbreakers like slopestyler Mark McMorris and 2014 Olympic halfpipe champion Iouri Podladtchikov, as inspirations for pushing the sport’s technical boundaries.
Looking Ahead
X Games Aspen 2026 concluded Sunday with additional marquee events including men’s snowboard slopestyle and men’s freeski halfpipe. The event showcased emerging talent alongside established champions, with U.S. athletes claiming multiple gold medals across the first two days of competition.
