Ski Slopestyle is a discipline that is normally ruled by the young it kid on the block, but this season is proving to be the opposite! Señor Tom Wallisch, one of the oldest competitors in the discipline, has been on a tear as of late, turning convention on it's head. Through calculated riding and style, Tom has managed to ward off his younger rivals to win the two biggest events of the year to date (the Winter Dew Tour stops in Breckenridge and Killington).

With all this momentum, it looks like the X Games Slope title could be Tom's for the taking. All his success though, has put him in the cross hairs of his competitors. Tom knows this, and you can bet that he isn't going to back down from the fight. He's not about to be out done by some wet behind the ears young guns. X Games is Tom's territory and nobody's gonna take over his block. This will be a turf war. Unfortunately, none of you will be able to see the posturing at the start gate, but here's a list of guys Tom will be flashing his gang signs at:

Bobby Brown

Reps: Breckenridge Ski Resort, Red Bull, Salomon, Under Armour, Bing

Known for: Large and technical airs

Bobby has been very vocal about how he wants to be the new face of skiing. He's been claiming it in the new Microsoft Bing ad campaign you might have seen just after the NFC Championship Game. He's also the first athlete to stomp two doubles in a run during a slopestyle competition, the first to land a triple cork and the first skier to win two golds in one X Games.

Undoubtedly, Bobby is a man of many firsts and X Games gold is within his reach. But Bobby hasn't lived up to all the hype he and the media have put out there. He needs to figure out a way to channel the success he had to two years ago, when he first made a name for himself, if he expects to defeat Tom. To do this Bobby needs to be the first to land a triple in slopestyle competition, since Tom's rails and doubles are on par with Bobby's.

Sammy Carlson

Reps: APO Skis, Oakley, Rockstar Energy, Nike 6.0, Dakine, Skull Candy, Kicker

Known for: Progressive style and tricks

Sammy Carlson is the reigning Winter X Games Gold Medalist. Last year Sammy took command of the course and showed what a dynamite rider he is. Sammy is good under pressure and defending his title means a lot to him.

Sammy can go toe to toe with Tom. They are very equally matched, but Sammy has one trick up his sleeve: a switch triple rodeo. Sammy has never landed the trick in competition. Regardless, Sammy doesn't need to pull out his triple to win, he just needs to be fluid, hold his grabs and clean every rail. Sammy has the best chance to catch Tom slipping and take the Gold!

Russ Henshaw

Reps: Völkl, Marker, Red Bull, Dalbello, Addidas, Leki, Perisher

Known for: Solid competitive riding and smooth rotations

Russ is a beast! He is Australian, so it comes naturally. Last year Russ came close to tasting X Games Gold; he finished with a Silver. Russ is the most motivated competitor in this field, since winning X Slope has been his life long goal. Russ is also one of a select few who has cleaned a triple in competition; last year he stomped one at the the Jon Olsson Invitational. So if the jump line is prime, Russ will be on time. You can bet that he will stomp a triple.

Russ's triple might be the only thing that can take out Tom at this year's X Games, though. His lack of variation in axis is a weakness. Judges like Tom's switch double rodeo. Even if the course isn't able to be tripled, don't count Russ out. If Russ cleans a nice run, it could be curtains for Tom, and Russ will be rocking that gold!

Elias Ambühl

Reps: Atomic, Redbull, Sweet Protection, YNIQ

Known for: Partying hard and skiing harder

Elias is skiing's Swiss Playboy. He's at the forefront of progression and has a huge variety of double corks in his trick bag. He even has a triple cork; which he used to win the Jon Olson Invitational last year! Dude's got game! Last year, Elias also finished with a Bronze at this event. So he knows how to handle the pressure.

Elias is a completely different style of rider than Tom. Elias is like Chocolate and Tom is Vanilla, they go well together, but everyone always has their favorite. And right now the judges have been saying that Vanilla is their favorite at every event this year. Regardless, Elias intends to change their mind, and he intends to do it by spicing it up with a triple cork. He's been claiming it, so expect to see it. Elias' run in finals is going to be one of Tom's greatest threats to victory for this year.

Nicky Goepper

Reps: Völkl, Under Armour, Windells

Known for: Being the “Young It Kid”

Nicky has long been known around the industry as the next big thing since Bobby Brown; now is his chance to prove it. He has been working his tail off to earn that title. He isn't your regular over privileged kid either; paying his tuition at Windells Academy by working for the money. His hard work and dedication are paying off, too. So far this season, Nicky finished in the Silver and Bronze at the Breckenridge and Killington Winter Dew Tours; respectively.

Nicky has a multitude of double off axis tricks he can bring to bear against Tom. But he needs to find that wild card win over Tom. For Nicky, that wild card is adding more difficult grabs into his doubles. If you see that, this young kid from the flat lands of Indiana, will be casting a tall shadow over his senior, Tom, on the podium.