Takeru
Otsuka

Takeru Otsuka became the youngest ever to win Men’s Snowboard Big Air gold, at age 17 when he nabbed gold at XG Norway 2018. He followed it up with another Big Air gold at X Games Aspen 2019, but a left knee injury in May 2019 forced him to miss the next three X Games events. He finished 5th — and landed a first-in-competition frontside quad cork 1800 — in his Big Air return at XG Aspen 2021, and finally returned to the podium for silver at X Games Aspen 2023 behind gold medalist Marcus Kleveland. Watch for 1800s in multiple directions, and for something new: he says he always aims to try new tricks at X Games.