3 flips for Hirano but a 4th win for James at Winter X

By EDDIE PELLS
AP National Writer

ASPEN, Colo. (AP) — The calculus on the halfpipe remained hazy as ever when Scott James notched his fourth victory at the Winter X Games even though he didn’t attempt snowboarding’s most-difficult trick. The question heading into the Olympics is whether it’s even worth it. Less than five weeks after becoming the first to do a triple cork in competition, Ayumu Hirano again landed a triple-flipping jump on his first trick. But, as was the case the first time, Hirano could not land the next jump. It left Hirano, the two-time Olympic silver medalist, with a silver medal in Aspen, as well. And James, who took bronze in Pyeongchang four years ago, earned another gold.