Amy Purdy (facing camera) competes in Special Olympics Unified Snowboarding during X Games Aspen 2019
(Phil Ellsworth/ESPN Images)
Henry Meece (L) and Carson Geiger compete in the Special Olympics Unified Snowboarding during X Games Aspen 2019
(Phil Ellsworth/ESPN Images)
Special Olympics Unified Snowboarding is one example of X Games inclusion.
(Phil Ellsworth/ESPN Images)
ASPEN, Colo. – The 23rd edition of X Games Aspen is underway this weekend, featuring 15.5 hours of extensive coverage and live content distributed on ESPN, ABC and the ESPN App.
Among the many competitions featured on Buttermilk Mountain, the Snow Bike discipline adds Adaptive and Para Snow Bikecross (Saturday, 1 p.m. ET, ABC). These events continue the X Games’ longtime commitment to adaptive sports.
X Games Vice President, Tim Reed, said: “A foundational element of the X Games community and culture has always been inclusion and X Games Aspen 2019 is another shining example. We are so proud to host Special Olympic athletes, adaptive and able-bodied athletes all under the same program, creating a really unique and one of kind environment.”
Besides the addition of the Adaptive and Para Snow Bikecross events, here are four other things to know about inclusion at X Games Aspen.
1. X Games first debuted an adaptive discipline in 2007 with Mono Skier X at X Games XI in Aspen.
2. The Special Olympics Unified Snowboarding Event returned to X Games Aspen for the fifth year on Thursday and featured Special Olympics athletes teaming with X Games stars like Chloe Kim and Scotty James.
3. Women have been involved at X Games since 1995, competed in the first Winter X Games event in 1997 and X Games has offered equal prize purses for men and women since 2009.
4. In 2016, ESPN and X Games launched Shred Hate, a bullying prevention program that aims to increase awareness about the bullying epidemic and reduce bullying in schools, and hosts schools visits and Kid’s Day this year.
[Editor’s Note: Visit ESPNPR’s Instagram Stories account today as X Games host Jack Mitrani will be spotlighting Kid’s Day and the #ShredHate initiative.]
