But Oakley’s Swiss Ski shred master proved that he wasn’t just there to play with the big boys. He was there to beat them.

The young phenom dazzled the crowd with technical grabs and a switch double misty 1440 to claim the event’s silver medal.

But the defending Women’s Slopestyle Champion charged back from behind in the final round of the contest on Thursday – racking in a 95.00 to claim her third-consecutive Winter X Games Gold Medal in the event. She’s the first woman ever to have accomplished the feat.

“I’ve never seen the level so high as I’ve seen it today,” Kaya said, rocking her Oakley eyewear and gear. “Everyone is taking training seriously, eating well, and working hard, it’s going to be a crazy couple of years.”

But it wasn’t anywhere as easy as it had been in the past.

Exhibit O: The super private media event on Tuesday night, where Oakley Team Snowboard and Ski Stars took industry reporters on a horse-drawn sleigh ride to the ultra-remote Pine Creek Cookhouse.

Literally in the middle of nowhere, Snowboard Team Rippers Eero Ettala, newly-signed Maddy Schaffrick, Gretchen Bleiler, Kohei Kudo and Matt Ladley – as well as Ski Star Simon Dumont – dined with and chatted with the media about the coming X Games contest this week and Oakley’s 2012 snow apparel/gear line. All following a chilly and undeniably memorable journey by slay in the dark of night in the outskirts of Aspen.

Oakley Star Alpine Skier Lindsey Vonn dominated her fourth consecutive Cortina Super G race to tally her 47th Alpine World Cup triumph – powering her ahead of Renate Goetschl to stand along at third on the women’s all-time win list.

The win also extends her already commanding lead in the World Cup Standings by 291 over Tina Maze.

Oakley’s brave skier has been scaling mountaintops all throughout the treacherous Andes mountain range in South America – documented in his (and filmer Bjarne Salen’s) “Adventure Through the Andes” webisode series.

It’s finally coming to a climax – with the two daredevils charging Aconcagua, the highest mountain peak in South America and the tallest outside Asia.

Just how sick was 2011? Peep his bonus footage racked up from a mere three months throwing down in Whistler – as well as some of his sick video parts throughout the years and the season.

You know, like H.O.R.S.E. – except in snow…on boards.

Well he’s at it again – but this time, instead of taking on a fellow snowboarder, he’s challenging fellow Oakley athlete and Ski Star Jossi Wells.

One word: Epic.

You don’t wanna’ miss this…

Oakley’s team ripper, who broke out at Winter X Games 15 last season with a resounding Big Air victory, lead the charge at subsequent events with his stellar riding as the IOC considered Ski Slopestyle as an Olympic event.

The IOC was convinced.

Now Alex, after shredding park early season on home turf in Park City, began training at the USSA’s new facility: The Center of Excellence – to begin working toward his new goal. The Winter Olympics.

In this episode, the B&E is taking you through early season shredding at the Park at Mammoth Mountain.

Laced with new tricks, styles and ways to ride the park, this new edition goes hard.

They call her G Baby.

Hit the slopes with Oakley Ski Star Grete Eliassen as she throws down in some major pow and rips up a private park jump shoot in the below Freeskier/Teton Gravity Research vid:

His breakout Winter X Games Big Air victory in Aspen last January was complemented by some huge victories at the FIS Freestyle World Championship and the Dew Tour.

But when he’s not shredding on his skis, Alex keeps plenty busy.

Take a peek at him throwing down in several sports back home in Utah and beyond during the Fall offseason (in his Oakley motocross, golf and other performance gear):

Fresh off a resounding sweep at Lake Louise, she sought to extend her already commanding lead in the overall World Cup standings on home turf. And she did resoundingly – by claiming her fourth straight series race with a Super-G victory.