ESPN Winter X Games, the premier action sports event in the world, will add the discipline of Snowmobile Freestyle to its sports lineup at Winter X Games 11 to be held January 25-28, 2007, it was announced today by Ron Semiao, senior vice president, ESPN Original Entertainment. Winter X Games 11 will air live on ESPN and ABC from its home at Buttermilk Mountain in Aspen, Colo.

Snowmobile Freestyle will feature 10 riders competing on the inaugural Winter X Games freestyle course. Riders will take individual runs and test their skills on jumps ranging from 45´ to more than 100´ long. Judging will be as simple as the bigger the tricks the better the score. The variety of jumps will allow the riders to showcase the full arsenal of tricks that the sport Snowmobile Freestyle has to offer.

“Snowmobile Freestyle is an exciting sport that has been progressing over the last few years,” said Semiao. “We feel it is a great fit for Winter X Games that will bring in new riders as well as attract new viewers. Snowmobile Freestyle will not only offer a dynamic competition, but will compliment the existing sport of Snowmobile SnoCross – an event we have had in Winter X Games for 10 years.”

“The Freestyle community is ecstatic about Snowmobile Freestyle being an event at the Winter X Games,” said Joe Duncan, Snowmobile Sport Organizer. “This will elevate the sport to a new level, allow new talent to emerge and bring incredible tricks to an already amazing sport. With 500-pound machines doing backflips, it is sure to amaze on-site spectators as well as our television audience.” Details on the complete format, riders and TV programming will be forthcoming. ESPN, The Worldwide Leader in Action Sports, first developed its X Games franchise in 1995. Today the X Games and Winter X Games are the biggest action sports events in the world. As part of the ESPN Original Entertainment division, X Games, Winter X Games and All Access are just some of the original action sports programming currently shown on ESPN and ESPN2. The brand has also grown to include international X Games events, ESPN.com, EXPN Radio, the large format film ESPN’s Ultimate X, and various X Games-branded r tail products. Winter X Games will remain at Buttermilk Mountain at Aspen Snowmass through 2010.

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