ASPEN, Colo. (Jan. 29) – Mason Aguirre (Mammoth Lakes, CA) is well on his way to his first X Games medal as he won Sunday’s superpipe prelims at X Games Ten.

Aguirre, who is also on his way to Italy in February to compete at the Olympics, topped Sunday’s stacked field to advance to Monday’s superpipe finals. His best score of 89.33 beat U.S. Snowboarding "rookie" Louie Vito (Bellefontaine, OH) who posted an 87.00, and ’06 Olympian Shaun White (Carlsbad, CA), who placed third with an 86.66.

White, who won his fourth-straight slopestyle gold Saturday, advanced to the finals with a solid second run. In his first run, he hit a bomb hole, or a “cave” as he called it, on one of the walls, causing him to sketch out.

Aguirre is competing in his third Winter X Games. His best finish was a seventh in the 2004 superpipe contest. He was 12th in slopestyle in 2004 and placed 13th in pipe back in 2003.

Monday’s finals will be broadcast live by ESPN at 9 p.m. EST.

X GAMES TEN
Aspen, Colo. – Jan. 29, 2006
Men’s Superpipe Prelims (top 10 advance to finals)

1. Mason Aguirre, Mammoth Lakes, Calif., 89.33
2. Louie Vito, Bellefontaine, Ohio, 87.00
3. Shaun White, Carlsbad, Calif., 86.66
4. Danny Kass, Hamburg, N.J., 86.33
5. J.J. Thomas, Golden, Colo., 85.00
6. Chad Otterstrom, Breckenridge, Colo., 82.00
7. Risto Mattila, Finland, 81.33
8. Mike Goldschmidt, Stratton Mountain, Vt., 79.00
9. Scotty Lago, Seabrook, N.H., 77.66
10. Luke Wynen, Mammoth Lakes, Calif., 77.00
--
12. Steve Fisher, Breckenridge, Colo., 74.66
13. Tommy Czeschin, Mammoth Lakes, Calif., 73.33
14. Danny Davis, Highland, Mich., 69.66
16. Keir Dillon, East Stroudsburg, Pa., 48.33