Three New Zealanders on Invite List for Prestigious Winter X Games

Comment Share Posted on Saturday January 9th at 9:12 a.m. Tweet

Snowboarder Shelly Gotlieb, and freeskiers Jossi and Byron Wells have all received invitations to the premiere action sports event in the world, Winter X Games 14.

Shelly Gotlieb Flying High at Cardrona Alpine Resort Photo: Pablo Azocar

Teammate Lyndon Sheehan is an alternate for Skier Superpipe.

Gotlieb is the first to represent New Zealand at the X Games in Snowboard Slopestyle placing her amongst the top 17 women in the world.This will be Jossi Wells' third X Games. He has been invited to compete in both Skier Slopestyle and Skier Superpipe. Wells became the first Kiwi to win a Winter X medal, bringing home the silver in Skier Slopestyle in his first X Games in 2008.

Byron Wells joined his older brother Jossi at last year's Winter X Games and has once again been invited to compete in the Skier Superpipe. As an alternate for Skier Superpipe teammate Sheehan will join the competition should any of the invited riders for any reason be unable to compete.

Winter X Games 14 will be held January 28 through January 31, 2010 in Aspen, Colorado.

More than 200 of the best action sports athletes including past Olympians will compete in Skiing, Snowboard and Snowmobile. 51 Olympians participated in last year's Winter X Games.

All athletes receiving invitations to compete at Winter X Games 14 are chosen by a sport-specific selection committee. Criteria and timing of invitations varies by sport and discipline as it is based on the state and event schedules of that particular sport. The only exception is each gold medalist from Winter X Games 13 (2009) receives an automatic invitation to compete.

For a full list of invited athletes and more info, visit the ESPN X-Games site.