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Snowboarder Shaun White pulls out of X Games Aspen to rest for Olympics

Eddie Pells
The Associated Press
U.S. halfpipe snowboarder Shaun White waiting to take a practice run through the Aspen X Games superpipe Jan. 24, 2018 at Buttermilk.
Anna Stonehouse/The Aspen Times

Halfpipe snowboarder Shaun White has withdrawn from the Winter X Games in Aspen so he can return home to rest for the Olympics.

White caught the flu last week. He was practicing in Aspen this week but notified event organizers he would not compete. He leaves for Pyeongchang next Saturday.

Taking White’s place in the lineup for Sunday’s halfpipe contest is Toby Miller, the 17-year-old American who has been training and spending a lot of time with White.

White is an eight-time X Games champion in the halfpipe, but his main focus this season has been earning his third Olympic gold medal.

He scored a 100 two weeks ago in Snowmass to win a qualifying event and secure his spot on the U.S. team.

His next competition will come Feb. 13 in the qualifying round of the Olympics.