Consider yourself officially warned:  In the next week snowboarding will change forever.   Year after year the Winter X Games has been a staging point for progression of the legendary variety; you can expect this year to be no different.   The best extreme athletes in the world who call the snow their home are at this very moment descending upon Aspen, Colorado to make their mark.
 
Eero Ettala:  Eero is known for being a laid back easy-to-get-along-with type of guy but, there is absolutely nothing laid back about the way he rides.   He's the madman who gave the snowboard world plenty to talk about with his switch triple back flip attempts in '07.  That balls out riding style combined with a world class X Games slopestyle course should equal one hell of a show in Aspen Saturday.
 
Pat Moore:  The poster child for progression in snowboarding IS Pat Moore.   Every year he subtly steps up his game and makes it look easy.   Cracking the top 10 in slopestyle during his first X Games appearance (WX10) was just a hint of this kids potential.  Winter X 12 looks to be Pat's scheduled blast off point; Anyone who doesn't know the secret already will be pleasantly surprised when this East Coast soldier lights up the slopestyle course.   
 
Marie-France Roy:  The next time you tell someone they ride like a girl you better watch your back; Marie-France Roy might be standing behind you ready to prove how little you know about women's riding.   If you have ever seen MFR ride then you know why the gap between men and women in snowboarding is constantly shrinking.  She is one of the few women riders who has stomped a 900, and you better believe she's got the proverbial cahones to throw one down at the X Games while the world watches.  MFR is tough. Not girl tough, just straight up take-no-shit tough.  She broke into the slopestyle top 10 in 2006 and can be expected to give the slopestyle field a run for their money this year in Aspen.
 
Travis Rice:  Anytime Travis Rice straps into his snowboard an epic moment could be just around the corner.   Travis is best known for making grown mountains cry but has been seen on the X Games podium in his spare time.  Out of his 4 top 10 finishes, 2 earned him medals.   He wore gold in 2002 and bronze in 2005.   Some of the hairiest big mountain lines on earth have Travis Rice's name slashed across their face. There is a good chance slopestyle and big air won't make him flinch. Check out Travis' new teaser! Click here!
 
Shaun White:  There are ten shiny reasons to believe Shaun White is on top of his game and six of them are gold.   He has stood on the Winter X Games podium every year since 2002!  After placing 2nd and 3rd in slopestyle and superpipe respectively last year Shaun is still the man to beat.  Shaun White is always capable of winning any competition he's entered in and his fellow riders know it. Check out Shaun's site here!
 
Michal Novotny:  At the age of 17 Michal cross country skied 10 miles to his first boardercoss competition.  His dedication to the sport is just as strong now as it was then.  In 2006 he was crowned the Czech Republic National Champion in boardercross as well as the first Czech world cup snowboardcross champion.   This is only his second year at the X Games but don't expect anything less than the poise and skill of a veteran world class competitor.
 

It was the type of storm that everyone knew was coming. The weathermen saw it; we saw it-my grandma even saw it. It was a throbbing orange mass waiting like a pirate to come ashore and then pillage us with powder. Resorts prepped and the riders got busy. Everywhere from Zach Leach in Salt Lake City, UT to Travis Rice in Jackson Hole, WY to Shaun White in Colorado, were ready for the storm.

Marie-France Roy and crew took it to the backcountry last season for an epic trip of female proportions! Days upon days of shredding untouched powder with some of the best girls around. Marie kept a journal of the trip, chronicling the adventures of girls gone WILDERNESS! Enjoy!