In honor of the Winter X Games coming up this weekend, and all the crazy doubles, triples and quite possibly quads that kids will be chucking, this week’s Throwback Thursday hearkens back to the very first X Games Big Air in 1999, won by JF Cusson with nothing other than a switch 720.
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TBT: 1999 X Games Big Air
There’s much to cherish in this classic piece of ski history. Jonny Moseley, erstwhile freeskiing pioneer, holding it down with rodeo 7s—I’m guessing he was calling it a Dinner Roll back then. Candide Thovex, the GOAT himself at the tender age of 16, and already pole-planting off of the lip. The Japanese commentary, because why not? And last but not least, the man of the hour, JF Cusson, rolling in switch on a pair of the original Salomon Teneighties with a backmount that you wouldn’t believe. Pulling out all the stops for the win, JF hucked what today would be known as a switch rightside 720. Of course, back then no one gave a damn which direction you were spinning—which makes it even crazier that JF spun in his unnatural direction. Long story short, while you’re watching all the multi-corks from the X Games this weekend, take a minute to remember where it all came from. Big thanks to YouTube user MrDJFLAT for uploading this fine piece of ski lore.