Cyclists have the Tour de France, snowboarders and freestyle skiers have the X Games. For 20-year-old Elizabeth Hosking, however, it is the Olympics that rank high on her list.

“I was watching the X Games when I was younger and one day, I wanted to go there so much, but for me, the top of the top is the Olympics. Doing both in the same year is just amazing! mentioned Hosking, on the eve of his first X Games which will take place in Aspen this weekend.

This competition represents a pivotal moment in the careers of snowboarders and skiers. The halfpipe specialist nevertheless believes that the Olympic Games are interfering more and more with the objectives of the athletes.

“It’s only recently that the Olympics have had a big impact in freestyle. We see the shift in the vision of the best in the world, who think of the Olympic Games which take place every four years. The mentality seems to change and they want an Olympic medal. Still, every year, everyone is excited to go to the X Games! Well, that will never change. »

A different dream

The X Games have thus preserved over time the prestigious aura that characterizes them.

“I can’t say no to an invitation to the X Games,” says Laurie Blouin, who will also be in action in Colorado, then in Beijing in a few weeks.

Unlike Elizabeth Hosking, Blouin could not aim for the Olympics when she was 12, since her favorite sport was not presented there. The 25-year-old snowboarder remembers very well the first time she was welcomed to the X Games in 2019. It was the consecration, the achievement of a real dream for her.

” It was crazy ! I couldn’t believe it and I was really happy just to receive the invitation. It was sick. When I was younger, I didn’t dream of the Olympics, the X Games were the biggest competition, ”recalls the one who had been crowned champion of the big jump (Big Air) during this edition.

The Pyeongchang Olympics silver medalist agrees that since 2014, when freestyle events were added to the Olympic program, it’s increasingly important for snowboarders to qualify for the Games when they are able. After all, the opportunity only comes once every four years…

On the other hand, the invitational format of the X Games brings a very rewarding honorary aspect.

“The X Games are always going to have a special place in our sport. It’s the biggest competition in extreme sports and it’s hard to be invited. The organization does what it wants and invites whoever it wants. At the Olympics, it’s a bit like a World Cup, where you need people who represent more countries. Both are important, but simply different. »

The Quebecer did not feel the need to participate in most World Cups this fall. She preferred to focus on her training, at the Center Maximise, as in her backyard, while limiting travel.

However, she could not turn her back on the X Games, where she will try to win a fifth medal.

“I thought about it, about the risks, I also avoided making other trips, but there is a way to be careful and to be very vigilant. »

Through the front door

Elizabeth Hosking had also received an invitation to the Dew Tour earlier this season, but as a second substitute. She refused and preferred to focus on the World Cups.

For his trainer Brian Smith, it was essential that his protege live his first X Games by being immersed in the heat of the action.

“I really wanted her to deserve her place as a competitor. Receiving the recognition of the organizers is very appreciated and it shows that they really want her to participate,” he explains, pointing out in passing the costs involved in a stay in Aspen.

“Elizabeth is young. If she didn’t have it this year, she was sure to have it next year. With all the work she has done, she deserved her place. »

The youngest Olympian in the Canadian delegation in Pyeongchang, Elizabeth Hosking approaches the Beijing Games from a different perspective this time. Among the top 5 at her last three World Cups and ranked seventh at the 2021 World Championships, she has gained confidence and plans to stand out at the X Games and at the Games. Especially thanks to his 1080, which she has mastered since the fall and which has allowed her to reach all these finals.

“The feeling of impostor (that I had) in 2016 is gradually disappearing. I know that I have my place among the best. Participating in the Games is one thing, but winning a medal is another milestone. I realized that I had the right to stand out, to perform and have my moment. »