Taylor Gold was the top man in snowboard superpipe at the X-Games in Aspen ©The Aspen Times

Taylor Gold lived up to his name, topping the podium in the first-ever snowboard superpipe session at the Winter X Games in Aspen in the United States.

The inaugural contest was a 20-minute jam session, where 20 riders tried to impress the judges.

It was a medal sweep for America, with Jake Pates in silver and Toby Miller taking home bronze from the Buttermilk Ski Arena.

"It was really fun watching everybody ride," Gold said.

"I honestly enjoyed it as much, if not more, than the actual contest (on Thursday), just because of all the creativity."

The men's ski big air was a thrilling competition, coming down to the very last routine.

Defending champion Birk Ruud of Norway landed a forward triple-cork 1800 - and had to wait and see if he'd done enough to take gold.

Unfortunately for him, Swedish superstar Henrik Harlaut hung on for top spot and there was a new champion.

"For sure the best jumping I've ever done in my whole life," an ecstatic Harlaut said.

"And I did two or three jumps that I've never done before."

Andri Ragettli of Switzerland took the bronze medal. 

In the women's ski big air, France's Tess Ledeux's two 1260-degree rotations helped her to a first gold medal.

Mathilde Gremaud of Switzerland finished with silver, while bronze went to team-mate Sarah Hoefflin.

Tomorrow is due to be a big day of eliminations and finals, with the highlights being the men's ski slopestyle, men's snowboard slopestyle, women's ski superpipe and women's snowboard superpipe finals.