Don’t call it a comeback: Cassie Sharpe wins 2025 X Games halfpipe

However, that expectation was radically subverted when Eileen took a hard crash during the Street Style event earlier in the day, and subsequently pulled out of the halfpipe contest. This suddenly opened up both the podium and the spotlight for the rest of the field—and the women didn’t waste the opportunity, with a fine display of halfpipe skiing that culminated in a big victory for a former champion.

The format

The pipe contest ran with the new format that X Games has happened upon: a two-run “playoffs” to cut the field down to the top four riders, followed by a two-run finals. X has never been shy about switching up formats, and in this instance, I have to say I didn’t mind the new format. There’s a nice rhythm to the two-part event as riders aim to put down a safety run and then improve on it in the playoffs, then try to do the same thing again in the finals.

On the downside, the format eliminates the chances for someone lurking in eighth place to break out onto the podium in a guts-or-glory last run, as we will sometimes see in three-run finals. Instead, the format rewards a strategic and consistent approach: You have to put down two clean runs in four attempts in order to win.

The playoffs: Fanghui Li takes the lead

Unexpectedly, Eileen Gu’s absence allowed another Asian skier to steal the spotlight: Fanghui Li. The 21-year-old from Harbin, China got off to a strong start on the first run of the playoffs, landing a stylish and technical run with spins in all directions and grounded in her strong switch skiing game. Fanghui upped her score on the second run, adding a rightside 900 to take over the top spot heading into the finals.

She was trailed by British-American halfpipe ace Zoe Atkin with her patented blend of big amplitude and reliable grabs, while two Canadians—Amy Fraser and Cassie Sharpe—rounded out the four riders to make the finals.

Not making the cut were Kate Gray, Svea Irving, Hanna Faulhaber and Rachael Karker. Svea was less than three points from making the finals with a clean run bookended by an alley-oop flat 5 japan and a big 900 safety. Rachael put down a solid effort in her return to pipe competition after facing down back issues last season, and Kate showed she was deserving of Eileen Gu’s alternate spot with good amplitude and composure. Unfortunately, Hanna—an amplitude monster who’s a safe podium bet in any contest—pulled out of her first run in evident pain, and didn’t return for a second run. Fingers crossed that all’s good with her.

The finals: Experience pays off

Amy Fraser kicked off the two-run finals skiing with definite swagger, leading off with her signature switch 900 before closing with back to back right and left 900s while nearly running out of pipe on a six-hit run. She’s got three out of four 900s and the only women’s switch 9 in the game, but her execution was a bit off, landing her a score in the mid 80s.

Skiing in her first X Games final since motherhood and a three-year competitive hiatus, Cassie Sharpe showed that she’s still at the top of her game. Cassie linked a polished right 900 safety into a left 900 tail, followed with a smooth air to fakie japan into a big switch left 360 mute and a right flair, and capped it off with a big left cork 1080 stomped clean.

Both top qualifiers Zoe Atkin and Fanghui Li bobbled their first runs in the final, setting up for a nail-biter finish. After Amy and Cassie were unable to improve on their runs, the pressure was on for Zoe and Fanghui.

Going for broke on what could have been a winning run, Zoe made a mistake on her last hit, a switch right 720, destroying her chances of a gold or silver medal. On the last run of the night, Fanghui Lui was able to put down a complete run: air to fakie mute, switch right 5 safety, switch left 7 safety, right 5 safety, left 7 japan, switch right 7. But with a conservative approach, a lot of simple safety grabs and a big miss on the grab on her last hit, it wasn’t enough for her to reclaim the top spot, slipping instead into second place.

Tonight, the gold went back around the very deserving neck of Cassie Sharpe, who showed that legacies can always grow a bit bigger. It was the third X Games gold for Cassie and as far as I know, the first X Games ski halfpipe gold to go to a mother. This is an awesome feat showing that pros like Cassie don’t have to give up their careers to have a family, and it was a joy to watch Cassie proudly holding her young daughter in the finish corral after her win.

“It’s been a long road back, and I’m speechless,” Cassie said. “I can’t believe it. I’m over the moon and so grateful.”

Having her kid at the pipe with her is a game-changer, she added: “It’s so fun. When I’m mad and not landing something, you come down and you’ve got a cute little baby smiling at you. It’s just a mood flipper.”

Needless to say, Cassie Sharpe back on top at the X Games is a big story, and one that could challenge Eileen Gu’s current stranglehold on women’s pipe skiing. If all goes well, we’ll be seeing a happy baby celebrating mom’s big run in the finish corral for the rest of the season.