Snowboarder Magazine Exclusive: Interview with winner of X Halfpipe Qualifiers

Ryo Aono emerged onto the American halfpipe scene this past December at the Breckenridge Grand Prix. While he held his own in Breck, few people figured him to be the next great Japanese halfpipe prodigy. With a flawless second run in the X Games halfpipe qualifier, Ryo Aono is well on his way to making X Games history as the first Japanese rider to win a medal at Winter X.

I tracked down Ryo after his winning run for a few words. Ryo doesn’t speak any English and my Japanese is a little rusty so the following translation may be a bit off. Hell I’m not even sure it was Ryo I was interviewing. Regardless whoever this rider is, he has his sights set on victory in Aspen.
-Pat Bridges

Pat Bridges: Konichiwa!
Ryo Aono: Konichiwa!

PB: So this is your first X Games, right?
RO: Very, very first time at X. Aspen is extreme.

PB: Are you nervous?
RO: In Japan there is no word nervous.

PB: But you are dropping into the biggest halfpipe contest in the world against Shaun White, Danny Kass, Andy Finch and the best pipe competitors anywhere.
RO: Every day when I go riding alone at my home mountain I am riding with the best halfpipe competitor in the world.

PB: Big talk from a relative unknown.
RO: While Shaun White was playing around with his skateboard and Danny Kass was petting the Dingo in Hollywood with Lil Johnny and the BVD clan, I was training to win Winter X.

PB: So you think you are going to be able to win the gold?
RO: Tomorrow night a Divine Wind will blow through the X Games halfpipe. The riders who didn’t qualify for the finals are lucky. They will be spared the ritual humiliation that will come tomorrow night. Shaun White will be using his bandana to save face and Danny Kass will pull the pin on a real grenade and wish for harikari.

PB: Are there steroids in snowboarding?
RO: Why? Do you want some?

PB: Do you have anything else you’d like to say?
RO: Heigh----ki Sorsa did his family proud. He is samurai!

PB: Arigato.
RO: Arigato “eYe” son.

Riders Advancing on to the Finals:

1. Ryo Aono
2. Shaun White
3. Mason Aguirre
4. Danny Kass
5. Iouri Podladtchikov
6. Kevin Pearce
7. Kazuhiro Kokubo
8. Antti Autti
9. Gary Zebrowski
10. Elijah Teter

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