A familiar skier has returned to the gold-medal podium.
Lawrenceburg, Indiana’s own Nick Goepper placed first in men’s ski slopestyle at the 2021 X Games Aspen on Jan. 31. The champ had fostered his love of the sport at Perfect North Slopes in Lawrenceburg, about 30 minutes west of Cincinnati.
Goepper’s medal makes him the only skier to win the X Games slopestyle gold four times, according to X Games. He last was on the X Games podium in 2017.
“This win feels incredible and it’s validating,” Goepper told media on Sunday. “Especially with all the hard work I’ve been putting in. After a few years off the podium, a little self-doubt started to creep in, but my body feels great, my mind sharp, and I’m stoked to keep going and represent the over -25 crowd.”
Goepper won silver in the 2018 Olympic Games and bronze in the 2014 Games, both in slopestyle.
Slopestyle is a style of skiing that features an array of jumps and obstacles, with some elements that are similar to snowboarding and skateboarding. It was introduced as an Olympic sport in 2014.
Goepper moved to Oregon in 2009 for school and training but returns to Lawrenceburg regularly for visits and ski clinics.
Watch Goepper’s run on the X Games website.
