{allcanada} CANADIAN TOUTANT WINS GOLD IN SNOWBOARD SLOPESTYLE AT X GAMES

 

ASPEN, Colo. -- Winter X Games rookie Sebastien Toutant is making quite name for himself in the world of freestyle snowboarding.

The Montreal native grabbed gold in the snowboard slopestyle competition Sunday to finish the weekend with two medals.

"I had no expectations, I just came here to have fun and be with all of my friends at my first X Games," said the 18-year-old, who also claimed the silver medal in the big air event Friday.

"Just to be invited was crazy. After the Big Air, when I got silver, I was thinking I might be able to do really well in slopestyle as well. I put it down and made it happen and it is a dream come true."

Slopestyle tests a rider's ability to handle a variety of terrain by executing freestyle manoeuvres down a course filled with a variety of features.

Toutant, who goes by the nickname, "Seb Toots," executed a Cab 270, a front 270 on the down rail, front board bagel on the rainbow rail, 50/50 backside-rodeo out on the canon box, Cab 12 double on the first jump, front 10 double on the second jump and back 10 double on the last jump to score a 93.00.

Fellow rookie and Regina native Mark McMorris grabbed the silver with a score of 90.00. American Tyler Flanagan grabbed the bronze.

"I was pretty excited up there," said McMorris. "I put it down on the last run, I was really nervous, but I knew I had practised the run a lot and that I had it. As soon as I landed the second jump I felt like I had pretty much done it."

Toutant and McMorris weren't the only Canadians on the Winter X Games podium Sunday, as Kelsey Serwa won gold in the women's skier X while Chris Del Bosco claimed silver on the men's side.

Serwa, of Kelowna, B.C., clocked a time of one minute 28.830 seconds to edge out France's Ophelie David, who finished in 1:29.162.

Fanny Smith of Switzerland was third in 1:29.367.

Danielle Poleschuk of Calgary was fourth at 1:31.588 while Julia Murray of Whistler, B.C., was ninth.

Del Bosco, from Sudbury, Ont., clocked 1:21.197, a hair behind Americans John Teller's 1:21.167 in the men's race.

Stan Rey of Whistler, B.C., was sixth while Brian Bennett of Quesnel, B.C., was ninth.

Entertainment Plaza - TV, Movies, Sports, Music
http://members.shaw.ca/almosthuman99

Babe Of The Month
http://members.shaw.ca/almosthuman99/babeofthemonth.html

Hunk Of The Month
http://members.shaw.ca/almosthuman99/babeofthemonthman.html