(Feb. 9, 2011) — If there’s one thing the 15th annual Winter X-Games proved, it’s that teenagers can be world-class athletes at the ages of 17 and 18. The announcers of X Games like to say that the rookie competitors this year are “the generation raised on the X Games” who push the standards and set records, like Canadian snowboarder Sebastien Toutant. The results of the athletes’ determination, perfection and ambition in snowboarding in Aspen, Colo. in late January leaves little room for people to question snowboarding’s validity as a sport. The progressing difficulty and higher standards set this year were undeniably obvious with Torstein Horgmo’s execution of the first-ever triple cork while injured with broken ribs in the Big Air Competition, accompanied by Shaun White’s inability to even get past the Slopestyle qualifying round. Note that White has competed in the Slopestyle event for eight of the nine years in his X Games career — earning himself a medal each year: five gold, one silver and two bronze. In 2011, White earned a sub-par ranking of 13th place out of 16 athletes — seven of which were 17 years old. Even still, White was able to swipe a gold medal this season for his redeeming Superpipe run. Despite La Crescenta’s mid-seventies temperatures and sunny forecast (compared to Aspens’ recent three degree high), excitement still snows down on the slopes for Clark students who want to put their boards to the test. Junior Narine Vartanian and senior Ryan Roach often make their way to a whiter winter in Big Bear. Although not a big follower of celebrities in the snowboarding circle, Roach thinks that there is a lot of talent within the sport from watching amateur videos and of kids who, unlike X Games competitors, ride unsponsored. Roach has been snowboarding for the past two years. “Snowboarding is a pretty good workout,” he said. “I just wish it helped more with cardio, but its good for your legs.” He thinks that snowboarding is pretty inaccessible and an extremely expensive sport to get into, and he was unsure at first if it was something he was going to continue doing. For Vartanian, snowboarding is a bonding experience, as well as an athletic one. “I usually go with my sister, her husband and his sister,” she said. “It’s a nice getaway,” Vartanian said about Snow Summit Resort. In her three years of experience, Vartanian has only had one major fall where she timbered face forward. “It was pretty bad. All the snow piled up on my board and I didn’t even know what to do with myself or how to get up,” she said. Although she considers herself an amateur, she said, “I hate, hate, hate, hate… hate the bunny slopes! They’re so pointless!” Roach snowboards at both resorts in Big Bear — Bear Mountain and Snow Summit — about four times a season. “If I’m more intent on learning a new trick then I’ll head to Bear Mountain. Otherwise, Summit is better for more relaxed riding.”