Cardrona Athlete Jossi Wells Wins X Games Gold

February 1, 2016

Cardrona Athlete Jossi Wells Wins X Games Gold

Wanaka local & Cardrona athlete Jossi Wells has made history, becoming the first New Zealander to win a Winter X Games event.

Wells captured his first gold medal at the Winter X-Games this morning (NZ time) in the Mens Freeski Slopestyle event, held in Aspen, Colorado.

The 25-year-old produced a strong first run of 88.3, which was the highest score until he improved it in his third and final run with a 90. This was too good for American superstar Gus Kenworthy who finished second with a score of 87.33, ahead of third placed Oystein Braaten of Norway.

Wells told ESPN X Games reporters: “To come here in my tenth time and finally get the gold that I’ve been after since I was back here when I was 17 is amazing, I’m so happy”.

Bruce Wells, father of the famous freeskiing family, is a regular face at prolific freeskiing competitions but it was extra special with mother Stacey Wells watching in the crowd. Jossi told X Games reporters: “To have her here when I have won the gold…I’m speechless,". Jossi’s brothers Byron and Beau-James were also invited to this year’s X Games, Byron finishing 7th in the Mens Superpipe and Beau-James sitting out due to injury.

Jossi and his brothers have been skiing at Cardrona since they were two years of age and have been sponsored by the resort since they began competing from a young age. Parents Bruce and Stacey Wells moved to Wanaka to work at Cardrona over thirty years ago - Mr Wells as a patroller and Mrs Wells in the childcare centre. The Wells brothers were literally raised on Cardrona’s slopes, the home of New Zealand’s national Park and Pipe Team. The resort is internationally recognised as an elite freestyle training facility with 21 Sochi medallists training and competing on its slopes prior to the 2014 Winter Olympics. The Wells family have a platter lift named after them at Cardrona (“The Wells Platter”), which services their unique 22ft Olympic Superpipe.

The victory was extra sweet for Wells who has finished second in the Winter X-Games Ski Slopestyle in 2008 and 2013. The Cardrona athlete has also been impressive across a variety of Winter X Games events, picking up a bronze medal in the 2012 Big Air and a silver medal in the 2010 SuperpipeHe also just missed out on receiving a medal at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympic Games, finishing fourth in the Superpipe.

ENDS

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