ASPEN — The 2022 X Games at Buttermilk Mountain in Aspen are underway this weekend with plenty of Team USA skiers and snowboarders participating.
One of the Americans competing is Denver native Chris Corning, who also will be representing Team USA in two weeks in the Beijing Olympics.
For Corning,who will also be competing in the men's Big Air competition at the X Games, his evolution as a competitive snowboarder has continued to rise as he looks to be the best in the world in Beijing.
"All I remember in 2018 is that we were there for so long and it was so cold," Corning recalls, after a disappointing finish in the 2018 PyeongChang games. "I came back from it being a little sad that I wasn't able to medal there."
The now Summit County local finished just outside the podium in South Korea, taking 4th place.
Since then Corning's career has exploded. He claimed Big Air bronze at XG Norway in 2018 and Gold in 2019 at the Snowboard world championships. Yet the 22-year-old has no idea what to expect with the COVID-19 restrictions for the 2022 games.
"Not exactly the most excited to sit in my room for 3 weeks, but what can you do," joked Corning. "It is a cool opportunity and I am going to make the best of it."
Because the best outcome this year for Corning would be coming home with a medal around his neck.
"It would mean a lot," Corning explained. "It would mean my entire life's work pretty much. To be able to bring it back to my friends and family would be awesome and I know a few people that want to sleep with it so I want to do well"
Corning hopes to nail a front and back 1800 in the Winter Olympics - but as for as the X Game - he says he wants to keep it low key so he is injury-free when he arrives in Beijing.
