2022 eXponential Awards (excluding Olympics)

I decided that instead of recapping every X Games with an eXponential Awards, I would just go an annual version with bonus Olympics editions. The past couple of years have revealed that the X Games is no longer the dominant force representing action sports. It is still the event with the most variety, but the limited invitations means a lot of great athletes get left out. Furthermore, there are single sport events like Natural Selection and the World Surf League Championship Tour that contribute to the action sports world, and I also wanted to recognize film projects so there’s the new categories of Best Edit/Short Film (anything under 30 minutes) and Best Film. I’m not going to be able to keep with everything, especially all the movies, but given how exclusive contests like the X Games are, I want to diversify my consumption of action sports media and hope to give a better glimpse into the world with this new format. I do realize that I did an X Games Aspen 2022 version of the eXponential Awards so I avoided repeats despite some outstanding candidates from that event.

Best Female Athlete – Rayssa Leal (Skate)
Talk about domination. Rayssa Leal not only showed the world that the little girl heelflipping in a fairy costume was more than a viral photo with her Olympic silver, but she also swept the entire Street League Skateboarding series, winning all three events and the Super Crown. She also won her first X Games gold medal at Chiba and turned pro for April. This is all before Rayssa’s 15th birthday at the beginning of 2023 so she’s got many more years ahead.

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Best Male Athlete – Julien Vanstippen (FMX)
Julien Vanstippen might be relatively new to FMX, but his racing background has given him the bike skills to excel at Best Whip. He got two X Games medals from his first two appearances and then cemented himself as “King of the Whip” in a contest with that name in South Africa. Julien isn’t a one trick pony though. He won Best Upside Down Trick in the same contest and placed third in Red Bull Imagination.

Best Non-binary Athlete – Leo Baker (Skate)
You might question my choice since much of it has to do with Leo Baker not skating. However, to live authentically is what drives all action sports athletes. We finally see things from Leo’s point of view with the premiere of Stay on Board: the Leo Baker Story. The documentary helped us understand that the gender euphoria he experienced after getting top surgery is worth more than any Olympic or X Games gold, and we also got to meet Leo the musician with the release of his first single, “Hold Me Till We’re Home”. He’s still skating, and it’s finally on his terms.

eXponential Awards – X Games Aspen 2022 edition + Natural Selection: Jackson Hole bonus

The X Games has always been described as the true Olympics of action sports, but the lack of some big names puts that claim to question. Granted, COVID-19 is still a huge issue, and the Olympians are going into a country that requires rigorous testing. The missing contenders was even more evident in the Jackson Hole stop of the Natural Selection tour. That was such a different competition that I had to add a little bit of my own two cents and encourage everyone to check out the replays to see a different type of snowboarding.

Best Female Athlete – Zoi Sadowski-Synnott (Snowboard)
For so long, Jamie Anderson dominated Women’s Snowboard Slopestyle, but recent years has seen Zoi Sadowski-Synnott challenge Jamie for the top spot. Zoi secured her third Slopestyle X Games AND got her first one in Big Air, where she confessed that she landed her first backside 1260.

Best Male Athlete – Marcus Kleveland (Snowboard)
The only snowboarder competing in three different events, Marcus Kleveland proved that he could handle the demands of his schedule. He snagged gold in Knuckle Huck and Big Air, and revealing that he isn’t just a tricks guy with an extremely stylish run, he snagged Slopestyle silver.

Newcomer to Watch – Hanna Faulhaber (Ski)

Photo by Anna Stonehouse (Aspen Daily News)

Teenage hometown sensation Hanna Faulhaber had a big crowd behind her, and she didn’t let newbie jitters or difficult pipe conditions keep her from sending it. She flew high and injected her own style, making her a new fave among those watching at home as well as in person.