Jackson Strong At The 2013 Winter X Games

Aspen in Colorado was once again home for the Winter X Games and the place of battle for the world’s best snowboard, ski and snowmobile athletes. Although the well-documented talents of five-peat champion Shaun White are always worth checking out, the 2013 X Games was of particular interest to us because of the participation of Metal Mulisha rider Jackson ‘Jacko’ Strong. With two X Games gold medal for Best FMX Trick in the Summer Games, Jacko thought he would see if his freestyle skills would translate to the Snowmobile Best Trick competition at Aspen.

If the X-Games presenters were to be believed, the Aussie rider had a grand total of four hours on the seat of a Snowmobile and had only ever even SEEN snow twice before. How’s that for ballsy? Even despite the inexperience, with a winter equivalent of the Body Varial that won him gold at Los Angeles, Jacko’s run had all the makings of becoming X Games history.

Clearly feeling nervous on the day, Strong’s runs were sadly not to become the stuff of legend. Although tantalisingly close, both runs came up short. A mis-timed grab on his first run led to a bad fall that saw his Snowmobile needing to be recovered from the car park (yep, really) while an over-rotation on his second run flung him over the handlebars. Daring stuff, but still only enough to get him 6th at Aspen. If we don’t see him trying something similar next year we will be very surprised…

Run 1:



Run 2: