Winter X Games Athletes Announced

Shaun White – cr. Nate Abbott/Shazamm/ESPN

The ESPN empire has announced the first in the ever-expanding lists of athletes who will compete in the 13th Winter X Games at Snowmass, in Aspen, Co. Of course, the leader of the list is Shaun White, the one name that probably won’t change. White is the star of the X Games (both summer and winter).

The lineup is as stellar as usual; meaning every top skier and snowboarder will be there. In fact, 160 athletes have already been invited to show their skills in skiing, snowboarding and snowmobiling.

All the comps, which take place January 22-25, 2009, will be shown live; not only on ESPN cable, but on major network ABC.

ESPN announced that among those throwing down will be:

- Shaun White: Seven-time Snowboard Winter X Games gold medalist and 2006 Winter Olympic gold medalist
- Gretchen Bleiler: Three-time Winter X Games Snowboard SuperPipe gold medalist and 2006 Winter Olympic silver medalist
- Tanner Hall:  Defending Skiing SuperPipe champion and seven-time Winter X Games gold medalist
- Tucker Hibbert: Three-time Winter X Games Snowmobile SnoCross gold medalist
- Kees-Jan van de Klooster:  Winter X Games 12 Mono Skier X gold medalist
- Lindsey Jacobellis: Four-time Winter X Games Snowboarder X gold medalist and 2006 Winter Olympic silver medalist
- Travis Rice: Three-time Winter X Games snowboard medalist
- Sarah Burke: Two-time Winter X Games and defending Skiing SuperPipe gold medalist
- Daron Rahlves: Winter X Games 12 Skier X gold medalist and widely considered as the most accomplished speed skier in American history with 28 World Cup podiums and three World Championship podiums over the course of the last decade.

There will be more names added to the list; to keep updated, go to  www.expn.com.

Though X Games gold medalists get an automatic invitation to compete, other athletes are chosen by a selection committee which is made up of those who have experience with, and are totally familiar with, the sport.

And if you wonder about the description of ESPN as an empire, consider this: ESPN will be showing these X Games to 122 countries, from Africa to New Zealand. X Games competitions are global, and are held in Middle Eastern countries like Dubai, as well as Brasil, Malaysia, Mexico, China, Spain and many more. There are now X Games bikes and skateboards for sale. The network is a Mecca for action sports, and because mainstream media doesn’t realize how lucrative the action sports world really is, ESPN pretty much has the field all to itself.

That’s how empires are made.