Eileen Gu Goes No. 1 in X Games League Winter Draft
Fall is in the air, which means it’s nearly time for the inaugural winter season of the X Games League. The X Games League made its debut this summer and introduced the action sports event series’ new expanded format into global, team-based competitions.
On September 16, the MoonPay X Games League (XGL) Winter Draft took place in Los Angeles, ultimately building out the four clubs for the 2027 XGL Winter Season from some of the best athletes in freeskiing and snowboarding.
The four clubs, which include XC Golden State, XC New York, XC Park City, and XC Whistler, are part of the League’s larger structure of year-round, co-ed competition.
The draft drew a crowd of more than 500 viewers and 40 athletes, representing 14 different countries. The first round kicked off on an exciting note as four-time X Games medalist and Olympian, Eileen Gu, was chosen with the first overall pick by XC Golden State, by the club’s General Manager, Jonny Moseley.
“I just wanted to say how excited and honored and grateful I am to be the first overall pick of the X Games League,” said Gu. “Thank you so much to XC Golden State. I’m really excited to make something super magical happen this season.”
Moseley’s selection of Gu for XC Golden State was followed by XC New York GM Dave Sypniewski’s selection of snowboarder Mark McMorris and XC Park City’s GM Sharalee “Haze” Hazen’s pick of snowboarder Yiming Su. The first round of the draft closed out with XC Whistler’s GM and the founder of Forecast Ski, Ryan Stutt, selecting Megan Oldham for the club.
Courtesy of X Games
Joining Gu on XC Golden State are Luca Harrington, Anni Karava, Henry Sildaru, and Lainey Steen, as well as snowboarders Scotty James, Mari Fukada, Hiroto Ogiwara, Marcus Kleveland, and Lily Dhawomavej.
Skiers Kirsty Muir, Finley Melville Ives, Zoe Atkin, and Matej Svancer will all join XC New York along with snowboarders Mark McMorris, Mia Brookes, Taiga Hasegawa, Red Gerard, Patti Zhou, and Jessica Perlmutter.
XC Park City is comprised of skiers Mathilde Gremaud, Birk Ruud, Indra Brown, Alex Hall, Troy Podmilsak, and Kelly Sildaru, as well as snowboarders Yiming Su, Cocomo Murase, Yuto Totsuka, and Sara Shimizu.
Lastly, Mac Forehand, Rocco Jamieson, Amy Fraser, and Naomi Urness join Megan Oldham for XC Whistler with snowboarders Liam Brearley, Gaon Choi, Valentino Guseli, Tess Coady, and Cameron Spalding.
The XGL Winter Season will officially kick off January 29-31 at Buttermilk, Colorado. Stop two will take place in Calgary, Alberta, from February 19-21, before the season concludes with the Championship event in Ruka, Finland, from April 9-11. Athletes will have the opportunity to earn points for their teams across all three events, creating a mainstream-sports-style model for action sports.
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