Photo: Wells upside down in pipe   Credit: Getty Images Sport, Doug Pensinger

He once again opened with back-to-back left and right 900s, but added the elusive double flip to his already amazing run. Following the double, Wells layed down a huge 720 to his patented switch 720 shifty. To finish, Wells boosted an alley-oop flatspin 540 and layed down a perfect 1080 on the right wall.

Wells's performance once again proves he may be the most well-rounded park and pipe skier out there at the moment.

In a clean sweep, Wells has podiumed at every major event he’s competed in this season, including a gold and silver at the first two stops of the Winter Dew Tour and now a silver at the most prestigious freeski and snowboard event in the world.  

He is currently in top position for an overall Ski SuperPipe win at the Dew Tour and if today’s performance is any indication, his chances look very good.

The Skiing SuperPipe gold medal went to France’s Kevin Rolland, who scored an impressive 95.00 for the victory.  Wells was three points off the lead with a score of 92.00 and last year’s gold medallist, Xavier Bertoni, also from France, rounded out the podium with a score of 90.00.

 
Photo: Xavier Bertoni, Jossi Wells, Kevin Rolland    Credit: Getty Images Sport, Doug Pensinger

Wells, who qualified first in the Elimination round yesterday, continued his stylish skiing today in the superpipe finals.

"I am happy with how I skied," Wells said. 

"I was most excited about my double flip and I couldn't be more stoked for second place right now."

The Skiing SuperPipe event at the Winter X Games represents the progression of the sport and showcases the best pipe riders in the world.  The 567-foot long, 22-foot deep "U-shaped" SuperPipe is 66 feet from lip-to-lip with a pitch of 18 degrees.  This translates into maximum amplitude and speed for the athletes to perform their tricks.

The SuperPipe comp wraps up four days of intense competition where New Zealand saw its biggest ever contingent. Jossi was invited to compete in Ski SuperPipe and Ski Slopestyle and at the last minute received an invite to Ski Big Air.  Younger brother Byron also competed in Ski SuperPipe. 

According to Freeskier Magazine, “Byron skied years above his age, boosting his last hit to the moon, only to have his ski come off upon landing. While he didn’t qualify for finals, Byron turned more than a few heads.”

For the first time ever two kiwi women received invites.  Snowboarding’s Shelly Gotlieb competed in Snowboard Slopestyle and Freeskiing’s Amy Sheehan received a last minute invitation to compete in the Women’s Ski SuperPipe.  Her brother Lyndon was on the alternate list for Men’s Ski SuperPipe but sustained a knee injury during a practice run.

For Winter X Games media information, including press releases, logos and additional images from past events, log on to www.espneventmedia.com.

To view medalist runs, visit the Winter X Games You Tube Channel - http://www.youtube.com/xgames.

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