Snowboarding - Marc Frank Montoya Marc Frank Montoya has not made his name in snowboarding by competing in contests but mostly by filming movies and appearing in magazines. The 2002 Winter X Games in Aspen will be the first time that Marc will compete in the X Games Slopestyle competition. Marc was invited to compete in Slopestyle at the 2001 Winter X Games but was sick with the flu. He said in a recent interview "I am still real focused on filming for videos but I like the Slopestyle competition and think it is a good opportunity to show people what you got." Marc is only planning on competing in the 2002 Winter X Games, Vans Triple Crown, and the Sims Invitational because they have the most fun courses. He has mostly impressed the snowboard world with his big mountain skills in the backcountry of Alaska and Utah. The progression of his career is important to him because now he feels it gave him a chance to be good at everything.

Marc Frank Montoya is coming to Aspen to kick some brand new new flava' in your ear.

Marc took the past summer off from snowboarding to skate, spin records and work on his lowrider at home in Denver. Once a sponsored skateboarder, the pressure is now off and he can enjoy the summer. He will be in his second year riding for Sims snowboards on a board that he designed. Marc spends most of his time on a 157 that "is a wide board with a good side-cut and pretty stiff. It is perfect by my standards." He likes being involved in designing all the equipment he uses beyond his board.

He grew up skateboarding in the inner city of Denver, CO and didn't start to snowboard until he was 16 years old. Marc is the first known professional Mexican-American snowboarder and feels that it worked to his advantage because "it showed people that not only white kids could snowboard." He has never snowboarded in Aspen before, but is glad that the 2002 Winter X Games will be there. He is sure that many of his friends from Denver will be there to cheer him on and he hopes his mom will be able to make it with some other family members. Marc rides for Sims, Technine, Osiris, Smith, Dub, Northwave, Drop Gloves, Apollo Backpacks and Hot Skates Co.

Moto X - Kenny Bartram Kenny Bartram is heading to the ESPN Winter X Games for the second time to ride in the Moto X Big Air event. With a recent Big Air win at the ESPN X Games in Philadelphia, he knows what it takes to win a Big Air competition. He is among a new group of the most progressive freestyle Moto X athletes that have recently crossed over from the Supercross circuit to the high-flying freestyle scene. In an interview conducted while he was in Utah filming for a new movie, Bartram said, "I am stoked to ride on the snow again." The ESPN Winter X Games is the only event that gives the freestyle Moto X athletes a chance to compete on snow. While Bartram does not plan to practice on snow before the Games, he does "have some big tricks" in his head to work out before Winter X.

Cowboy Kenny throws out a big whip, what will he have this winter?

The ESPN Winter X Games in 2001 hosted the first Moto X Big Air event on snow in history. The gold medal winner Mike Jones was recorded as the first to jump on snow during practice, but did not start things off with a bang. Bartram was the first athlete to lay things on the line when he busted out a one-handed Superman Seat-Grab and the bar was raised for the rest of the competition. He was worried about landing the first time but now feels comfortable after he learned that the snow provided enough traction. Bartram will undoubtedly display his new tricks on the snow in hopes of taking another Big Air gold at the 2002 ESPN Winter X Games.

Bartram comes from a long line of motorcyclists, starting with his great grandmother (Avis West), who was one of the Motor Maids of America in the early 1900s. He has continued the family tradition of motorcyclists but is breaking new ground with his freestyle skills. Bartram first learned the basics of freestyle from long time friend and freestyle king, Travis Pastrana. The two are known for being the last freestyle riders to use 125-class bikes in competition, but in the last year, Bartram has made the switch and will be riding a two-stroke 250 at the Winter X Games. Bartram is sure to be to a top contender in the Moto X Big Air competition at the ESPN Winter X Games where he will go head to head with freestyle's best athletes. Kenny rides for KTM, No Fear, Spy Eyewear, Tag, Alpinestar, FMF, ARAI, Dunlop, Twin Air, Marshall's Racine, One and RK Chains.

Snowboarding - Gretchen Bleiler Gretchen Bleiler is a 19-year-old U.S. Snowboard team member who is considered to be a key member of the next wave of women riders. She is known for pushing the limits in the SuperPipe as she stomps huge tricks right from the start. Bleiler's home is in Snowmass Village, right around the corner from 2002 Winter X Games host mountain Buttermilk. She has already had an extremely successful career with medal contention at almost every major event. Last year at the 2001 Winter X Games, she had a seventh place finish in the SuperPipe with runs that could have put her on the podium, while the two riders that inspire her the most, Shannon Dunn and Natasza Zurek, finished first and second.

Gretchen blasting high above the lip at her home mountain of Snowmass.

Bleiler earned her spot on the U.S. Snowboard team by winning the 2000 Salt Lake City World Cup by landing a huge McTwist that she had never tried in competition before. It was her first major competitive win. She spent most of her time in the past year training with the U.S. Snowboard team, but has taken time to compete in all the sport's major competitions. After her seventh place finish at the Winter X Games, she had a remarkable third place finish at the U.S. Open with a big frontside 540 off the pipe's first hit and a 720 at the bottom to please the crowd. This year she will undoubtedly be a top contender for podium spots at the 2002 Winter X Games, as she amps up for the Olympics and other major snowboard events.

She will have a huge amount of local support at the 2002 Winter X Games this year with her mom, four siblings and endless friends that all live in the Aspen area. Bleiler graduated from Aspen High School two years ago and has since focused on her snowboarding career. She loves snowboarding because it requires having the outdoors be her office. She rides for Salomon Snowboards, Oakley, Aspen's Pride Snowboard Shop and the Aspen Skiing Company.

Skiing - Tanner Hall The reigning champ of free skiing, Tanner Hall represents the progression of skiers as they amp up for the inclusion of Ski SuperPipe and Slopestyle in the 2002 ESPN Winter X Games in Aspen. Celebrating his 18th birthday this past October, Hall is among a new breed of professional skiers. After two life-changing competitive seasons, Hall won a gold medal in Big Air at the 2001 ESPN Winter X Games and placed first at the 2001 Red Bull Huckfest, the 2001 U.S. Open, and the 2000 Superfly Slopestyle at Whistler, B.C. The trick of choice for Hall has been a Switch Rodeo 720 that is usually thrown with a little of his own Tanner flavor. With the spotlight on Hall, he has the opportunity to show winter sports that new flavor of skiing.

Tanner Hall showing the world why he's young and on top of his game.

Hall no longer has to worry about cutting class to make it to the slopes in the winter after moving away from a ski racing high school in Park City, Utah. When he is not on the road he spends his winters in Mammoth, CA with a collection of other ski and snowboard jibbing professionals. It was a quick transition from his early years as an aspiring mogul competitor on the big mountains of Montana to stardom on the freestyle skiing circuit. Tanner, with the support of his parents, likes the role of a professional skier not only because he can rip in any snow park, but also because it allows him to show his skills as a big mountain rider. Riding steeps, rocks and trees is as important to him as jibbing contests because he knows the importance in landing the best parts in ski videos.

Aspen, CO will host the premier of Ski SuperPipe and Slopestyle in the upcoming 2002 ESPN Winter X Games. Most snow resorts today offer terrain parks and halfpipes to recreational skiers and snowboarders. This has led to a youth movement toward these elements, with talented skiers and snowboarders spending the majority of their time in the parks and/or the pipes. Tanner Hall will be a key athlete to watch in the premier of these events at the Winter X Games VI. He skis for Oakley, Rossignol, Red Bull, Giro and Mammoth Mountain.

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