Rock Rapids, Iowa (January 22, 2015) – Olympic gold medalist and Ignite Christian Academy graduate Sage Kotsenburg returns to competition this week during the Winter X Games, which runs from January 22-25 in Aspen, Colorado.
After what Kotsenburg self-described as a roller coaster year, including winning an Olympic gold in Sochi and a media tour of interviews with the likes of David Letterman, Kotsenburg is excited to hit the slopes again this weekend.
"It's just crazy what a year it's been," Kotsenburg said in a short X Games preview video. "I just wanted so badly to go snowboard again. Once [the media tour] ended, it felt like I was finally back to where I belonged almost-back to Sage snowboarding. That's all I am. I'm just a snowboarder."
The 21-year-old who resides in Park City, Utah, hopes to win his first X Games gold this week. His top previous finishes include a silver medal in men's snowboard slopestyle at Winter X Games Aspen 2012 and a bronze in men's snowboard big air at Winter X Games 2011.
This year's slopestyle competition begins on Friday, January 23. The men's snowboard slopestyle final is scheduled to take place at 11:30 a.m. (MT) on Sunday, January 25.