ASPEN, Colo. — Torah Bright earned her first Winter X gold medal Thursday night, using a near-flawless second run to beat Olympic medalists Gretchen Bleiler and Hannah Teter in the women's superpipe to open the four-day action sports extravaganza.
Bright, a 20-year-old Australian, had a solid first run, earning an 85 that gave her the lead until Bleiler overtook her on the final run of the first round.
Bleiler, an Aspen native, skipped last year's Winter X Games to prepare for the Torino Olympics, where she ended up taking silver behind Teter. Bleiler's impressive first run, which included a frontside 900, held up until Bright nailed just about every trick in a technically-sound, super-smooth second run.
Bright, the Winter X silver medalist behind American Kelly Clark last year, landed a difficult backside 540 and followed that with a 720 that earned her 94.66 and first place.
Teter, who hasn't competed since undergoing knee surgery in April, fell on her first run before landing a 900 on the second that boosted her into third at 85.33. She was later bumped from the podium by fellow American Elena Hight, who dropped a backside 900 on her way to 88 points and a bronze medal.
Bleiler, the 2003 and 2005 Winter X superpipe champ, had the final chance to top Bright, but fell early in her run to remain in second.