Shaun White Will Not Compete At 2012 X Games Los Angeles

2011’s Skateboard Vert gold medal winner Shaun White has decided to skip the 2012 X Games Los Angeles. White would have competed against Pierre-Luc Gagnon in this years competition, the very same competitor he sent to the silver medal platform during last years Vert competition.

In 2011 Shaun White landed his final run of the night, snatching victory from competition favorite Gagnon who was shooting for his fourth-consecutive Skateboard Vert gold medal.

Speaking for White publicist Samantha Hill revealed:

“Shaun has decided to sit out this year’s X Games in Los Angeles. This has been a lively year so far; he’s now getting back on his skateboard and is excited for summer.”

Speaking to ESPN.com Gagnon said of White’s absense:

“I was kind of expecting him not to skate this year. I know Shaun’s been in New York and I know he doesn’t have a ramp to skate right now. I definitely had a feeling that [X Games] didn’t seem like his main priority, and he’s not the kind of guy to show up and wing it.”

White has by no means been slouching, in early 2011 he won three gold medals at the Winter X Games, scoring a perfect SuperPipe score in Aspen after pulling off back-to-back double cork 1260s. White has also won two golds in France in SuperPipe and Slopestyle.

While the event will still feature last years silver medalist and Bucky Lasek, the competitions bronze medal winner, it could be the young competitors who bring the most new excitement to the event, youngsters like Mitchie Brusco who at 15-years-old has already been hitting the halfpipe for 10 years. Brusco last year hit the competitions first ever competitive 900 in the early rounds of the Big Air competition. Brazil’s Pedro Barros, 17, will also be a young competitor to watch.

It might be a different season but if you haven’t seen Shaun White’s perfect score at the 2012 Winter X Games here it is:

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