Longville, MN (February 2, 2016) – ESPN Winter X Games celebrated it’s 20th season in winter action sports and it’s 15th year being hosted in Aspen, Colorado at the base of Buttermilk Mountain. With the excitement of having two snowmobile events (snocross and snowmobile freestyle) at Winter X Games 2016, fans from all over the world created a record breaking attendance and for the viewers at home, they where able to stay connected through the live broadcasting on ESPN and online at watchespn.com

Coming straight off of the ISOC Nationals in Deadwood, SD – Team LaVallee was geared up and ready for Winter X Games 20. LaVallee, who is no stranger to the Winter X Games scene and has earned himself 10 medals, 7 of which are gold, was the only snowmobile athlete invited to compete in both snowmobile events. Team LaVallee’s Pro Rider, Kyle Pallin, was one of the lucky 20 invited athletes to give his go in snocross.

In the Snocross event kicking-off Thursday night, Kyle Pallin and Levi LaVallee’s Mystik Lubricants, Loctite, Polaris, Red Bull sleds were ripping and hole-shots would be key in order to make it into the 20-lap final. In the qualifier round, which contained 2 heats of 10 riders, you needed to place within the top 5 to make it into the final, the bottom 5 were done. Pallin and LaVallee were in the same heat. LaVallee came out swinging with ripping the holeshot but got pinched off of the corner and pushed him towards the back of the pack. Kyle Pallin ended up fighting for a transfer spot but was unable to snag that last position and finished in 6th place, just one spot away for the X Games Snocross Final. Levi LaVallee wanted to do something he has never done before, a back-flip during a snocross race. LaVallee waited to make sure all was clear on the snocross course and backflipped a snocross jump and unfortunately landed a bit off-kilter falling heavy to one-side and injuring his ankle. Which ultimately ended LaVallee’s chance of competing in Freestyle the next day. However, LaVallee was able to perform in the Freestyle practice (just prior to the snocross race) and showed huge extension on his superflips and also displayed a never-seen-before trick on a snowmobile called, a “Lazy Boy Backflip”. See the picture below, it’s pretty huge.

Although Winter X Games medals were not in the cards for Team LaVallee this year, they continue to hang their heads high on the way their riders performed, how perfectly tuned their sleds were in the high altitude conditions, and how we (the snowmobile industry in whole) were able to be apart of one of the biggest stages snowmobiles has seen to date. And for that, we at Team LaVallee are grateful. Thank you, ESPN / X Games.

COMING UP

Salamanca National / Seneca Allegany Resort & Casino, Salamanca, NY – February 5-6, 2016

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