MOUNT SNOW, Vt.–The finals were set. J.P. Walker, Tina Basich and Peter Line were ready to battle for gold in Slopestyle. No, the Winter X Games has not changed its format, it's ESPN's Winter X Gamers Challenge.

Ten participants from around the country had the opportunity to show off their Slopestyle skills in the ESPN Winter X Games-Snowboarding video game. All 10 finalists were flown to the 2001 Winter X Games in Mount Snow, Vt. for the final competition. From those 10, three played for gold.

The first competitor was Keith Desimone, a 23-year-old student from Garden City, NY. Desimone selected J.P. Walker as his athlete. Desimone started off well, getting huge air and working the rails, but fell hard twice and ended up third with 76,815 points. But the experience is one he will never forget.

"This has been awesome," said Desimone, who had to use his friends Playstation2 game console because he didn't own one. "This has been the best weekend of my life. Especially now. This is sick."

Sean Murphy, Desimone's friend, said he didn't give him much advice, but he thought he should have practiced a little more.

"Well he comes over everyday, but we didn't play everyday, we mostly just drank beer," said Murphy.

Second place went to Robert Smith, a 26-year-old moving company driver from Michigan. Smith decided to go with veteran snowboader Tina Basich, who attended the competition, as his rider.

"Why did I pick Tina? I don't know. It just seems like the girl riders can do a little bit more. (They're) more flexible actually. I didn't feel obligated because she was here."

Basich, who is participating in this year's games in Slopestyle and Big Air, was honored to represent Smith.

"I was so flattered that he picked me, because he didn't have to. He's a guy and he could have picked a guy, but that's very sweet of him. He did great."

Smith, who practiced for about five hours a day and even brought his PlayStation2 with him to Vermont, admits nerves could have played a part in his performance. He finished with 94,456 points.

The eventual gold-medal-winner didn't even own a PlayStation2 and had to drive four hours to enter the contest. Matthew Anderson had to rent the game console and the games to practice. Whatever he did paid off because he's heading back to Lexington, S.C. with a real Winter X gold medal.

"With all the pressure I thought I would mess up somewhere, but I didn't. I had a strategy going in and I tried to go by it perfectly," said the 14-year-old, who finished with 102,976 points. "I've just been trying out a lot of different things...like seeing how you can get the easiest points."

Anderson's father,Gary, made the trip to Mount Snow with him and says his son is having a ball. Anderson didn't have to make any compromising with his son concerning schoolwork and practice, "he does his schoolwork...he's an A student,' said the proud poppa.

Anderson chose Peter Line, who also was in attendance, as his rider.

"They're pretty much the same, put he looks pretty cool and he can do some pretty good moves."

Lines, who isn't participating in this year's X Games due to an injury, thought the experience was pretty cool and was impressed with the computer generated likeness of himself.

"It's scary...it looks just like me. Although I think I look cuter than all those other guys."

Beside their medals, all three finalists received an autographed professional snowboard by Basich and Line.

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