Featured Image: Matt Power
Knuckle Huck is one of the most recent editions to X Games, prioritizing style and originality in the judging. Utilizing the knuckle, or rollover, of the Big Air jump, riders butter, hand-drag and flip their way into a win. Eight skiers session the knuckle over the course of 20 minutes, getting in as many runs as time permits. Scores are based on overall impression.
Knuckle Huck is judged on execution and difficulty of maneuvers, variety, progression of attempt, originality and style.
On the heels of a phenomenal Women’s Ski Knuckle Huck, the men took center stage in Aspen on night one of X Games. To say that it was impossible to understand is an understatement. The roster of eight riders was stacked with names from around the globe. Tormod Frostad, Alex Hall, Mikkel Brusletto Kaupang (Mikkel BK), Matej Svancer, Jesper Tjader, Juho Saastamoinen, Colby Stevenson and Daniel Bacher brought the heat.
We saw a deep bag of tricks all around, ranging from insane double cork variations (looking at you Matej) to bewildering reverts and everything in between. Hell, we even got to see Man Ramp team up with Daniel Bacher for a run. What else could you ask for?
Third place went to Finnish rider Juho Saastamoinen. With the new 2024/25 Fischer Nightstick underneath him, he dazzled judges with arguably the most creative skiing of the night, even throwing in a bewildering final trick that blended a backslide, bio flip and screamin’ seamen into one. Matej Svancer took the silver medal. The Czech-Austrian skier only spun double corks. He certainly embodied the ‘spin to win’ mantra in the best way. It was wildly impressive to watch Svancer take every trick so deep into the landing and ride away with ease.
The gold medal went to none other than Park City’s Alex Hall. It was certainly a good evening for Utah, as fellow Park City rider Rell Harwood took gold in Women’s Ski Knuckle Huck. Hall demonstrated a complete mastery of air awareness, technical prowess and creativity. His tricks ranged from limited to more abstract, but every run was controlled and refined. A Hall is competing in four disciplines this year, and this win brings him a step closer to becoming the first athlete ever to win four gold medals in one X Games.
This marks his 12th X Games medal, tying him with Tanner Hall and putting him just two medals away from Henrik Harlaut’s record for most in XG ski history.
🥇 Alex Hall (USA)
🥈 Matej Svancer (CZE)
🥉 Juho Saastamoinen (FIN)
