November 11th, 2010

Tignes, France

First ever Winter X Games Europe to take place at Tignes Ski Resort in France in March 2010

ESPN, CANAL + Events and Tignes Ski & Snowboard Resort will launch the first Winter X Games Europe March 10-12, 2010. The event will be the first Winter X Games held outside the United States. The event will bring together ESPN's world class X Games franchise with France’s leading pay TV broadcaster and local expertise of Tignes. A definitive list of the world's top winter action sports athletes will be invited to France to compete for medals and prize money. There will be eight different competitions over three days, including Ski and Snowboard SuperPipe and Slopestyle for men and women as well as a Snowmobile demonstration.

photo: ESPN

CANAL + Events CEO, Jean Louis Dutaret said, “We are delighted to work with ESPN and the X Games team to bring the Winter X Games to Europe. CANAL + Events and ESPN events team will draw on all their experience to ensure this is the biggest and best winter sports event in Europe in 2010. As for soccer, rugby and many sports, CANAL + Group will consider X Games as a global project, including TV, Internet and mobile. In a Winter Olympic year, and only a few weeks after athletes have competed in Vancouver, fans in Europe will again be able to watch the top names in the world compete head to head.”

”Nothing could be more justified than Tignes as the host resort of the first Winter X Games Europe. Tignes, the sportiest European ski resort, is always at the forefront of action and freestyle winter sports,” said Tignes Ski & Snowboard Resort Manager, Sebastien Merignargues.

photo: ESPN

Rick Alessandri, ESPN Senior Vice President and Managing Director, X Games Franchise said,  “Working with CANAL + and Tignes, and drawing on more than 10 years experience of running the Winter X Games in the United States, we are excited to bring winter action sports fans in Europe the best action sports event they will see in 2010. This first event outside the U.S. reflects the continued global growth of the X Games franchise as well as the progression of action sports in Europe.”

CANAL + Networks (CANAL +, CANAL + SPORT, Sport +) will show the Winter X Games in France and French-speaking territories (Caribbean, French speaking Africa) live (or on-delay) so that those unable to come to Tignes will be able to see the event.  ESPN will be responsible for all distribution outside of France.