Not too many rookies can say they had a year like Alex Schlopy had in 2011. In his Winter X debut, the Park City native grabbed gold in big air, claimed the first gold ever awarded at the World Championships for slopestyle skiing and capped it off with a win on the last stop of the Dew Tour. Not only that, Schlopy did it by landing a combination of high amplitude tricks and a switch double cork 1620.

With a historic rookie campaign in the books, Schlopy set his eyes on doing the only thing harder than topping the podium: staying there. After suffering a knee injury at X Games in 2012, Schlopy moved into intense off-season training both on and off snow.

Coming strong into 2013, Schlopy earned his stripes and built his way back up into a tough field of competition. With four top ten results and an X Games invite, he is maintaining his health and is on his way back up to the top of the game.

ALEX SAYS
This season went pretty much exactly as I had hoped, if not better! My goal wasn't the podium this year. I know I need a few more tricks. What I did have a problem with was consistency, which was my biggest goal for the season. So making finals at all the slopestyle events and being able to put runs to my feet makes me stoked for next season! Coming into next season I'm going to spend more time trying to learn tricks. I know what I want for next season and I know what it will take to be on the podium, so it's time to work for it! Plus have some fun... as always.

FIRST TRACKS
Schlopy’s mom (Olympian Holly Flanders) and uncle (U.S. Ski Team alpine alum Erik Schlopy) got him on skis when he was two years old, but he never really liked the sport until he found freestyle when he was 11. The Park City native started competing at 12, and from then on he’s loved the sport and how it's progressed.

OFF THE SNOW
Schlopy loves to be outside, and in the summer you can find him dirt biking, skateboarding, mountain biking, at the beach; basically doing anything to keep him active and having fun. He says ”I think a break from skiing is a good thing, and keeps it fun!”