X GAMES:

Montreal's Toutant claims silver in big air at X Games

Jan. 29, 2011 — The Canadian Press

ASPEN, Colorado — Montreal's Sebastien Toutant won the silver medal in the snowboard big-air competition at the Winter X Games on Friday.

The 18-year-old Canadian, competing in his first X Games, scored 79 points over two runs. He was edged by one point by gold medallist Torstein Horgmo of Norway.

Toutant led early after scoring 44 points on his first run, but Horgmo landed the first-ever triple cork in X Games history during his second run, earning 42 points for the run and 80 overall.

"I needed one point to get the gold medal but Torstein got the triple and Sage killed it as well," Toutant said.

American Sage Kotsenburg was third with 77 points, while Mark McMorris of Regina was fourth with 73.

"It is great to be up here with Torstein and Sebastien," Kotsenburg said. "They have been killing it all year and it is pretty sick to be on the podium with them."

The snowboard big-air competition features top snowboarders launching themselves off a 26-metre jump.

Elsewhere, Justin Dorey of Vernon, B.C., finished sixth in the men's ski superpipe final.

In women's snowboarder X, Dominique Maltais of Charlevoix, Que., finished second in 1:36.303 and advanced to the semifinal.

In men's snowboarder X, Kevin Hill of Vernon, Frank Boivin of Jonquiere, Que., Christopher Robanske of Calgary, Rob Fagen of Squamish, B.C., Jake Holden of Caledon, Ont., and Calgary's Dan Cokonay advanced to the quarterfinal. S-Magazine