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The countdown to Vancouver is on (T-minus 11 days), and some of Colorado’s gold-medal hopefuls took their last pre-Olympic runs over the weekend.
Aspen’s Gretchen Bleiler won the Winter X Games women’s superpipe competition for the fourth time and hopes to build on her snowboarding success with a gold medal at the Olympics, writes The Denver Post, which notes her silver-medal win in Torino in 2006.
Another Aspen local, Daron Rahlves, had a rougher ride at this weekend’s games. The freestyle skier crashed during the Skicross competition Sunday, reports ESPN, which also has video of the fall. The 36-year-old Rahlves won the race at the 2008 X Games and is considered a favorite in the event’s Olympic debut.
At the local hospital, doctors diagnosed Rahlves with a dislocated right hip, but allowed him to leave. A U.S. Ski Team spokesman tells The Denver Post it’s unclear whether Rahlves will be able to compete in Vancouver or if he will be replaced on the national squad.
Vail’s Lindsey Vonn managed to win and lose over the weekend. On Saturday, Vonn lost her bid for a perfect downhill ski season, finishing fifth at a World Cup race in Switzerland (via The Denver Post). But she rebounded and won the Super G race and season title the next day.
“In a way, it was not so bad losing yesterday,” Vonn told Reuters. “I’d rather lose here and win in Vancouver.”
Watch Bleiler’s gold run here if you missed it.