29 Jan 2017

Late call up leads to X-Games silver medal for NZ skier

8:38 am on 29 January 2017

A last minute call up has led to Christchurch skier Miguel Porteous winning a silver medal at the X Games in Aspen, Colorado.

Porteous, 17, was a late inclusion in the field American Kyle Smaine was sidelined by injury.

"I was excited to get a chance to compete...my goal was just to put a run down in the X Games environment which is unlike anything I've experienced before."

"I just can't really fathom it right now. It's unbelievable!" he said.

Miguel Porteous

Miguel Porteous Photo: Tommy Pyatt

Following three days of training in snowy conditions the pipe had turned icy and the field of eleven competitors struggled to land their tricks.

After the first of two runs only one competitor, Canada's Noah Bowman, had been able to land a full run.

Miguel Porteous crashed on run one.

"I wasn't really in the right head space to start with...I was still feeling a little bit of disbelief about being there and it was cold. After the first run I got back to the top of the pipe and just tried to relax. I dance around a bit and listened to a song I like before I dropped in."

The strategy worked and Miguel executed a technical run, spinning both ways down the pipe incorporating three double flips.

American Aaron Blunck won the gold medal.