ASPEN, CO (Jan. 23) - It's tough not to put your money on Daron Rahlves (Sugar Bowl, CA) when there's a big title at stake. After all, he's got several under his belt already.

After retiring from the alpine ski racing world in 2006 as one of America's most decorated and celebrated racers - Rahlves had won Kitzbuehel's famed Hannenkahm - no American had won the race in 44 years- he'd taken the title of World Champion in super G, won 12 World Cup races and racked up an impressive seven titles as a U.S. champion.

Sunday, Rahlves - the defending winter X Games ski cross champion - will look to reign again in a sport he picked up just two years ago.

"I feel good. I just got some new skis and everything is lined up. I feel ready," Rahlves said.

Less than a week ago, Rahlves competed in his first World Cup ski cross of the season in Lake Placid. Despite being thrown into a much more competitive field of racers as the sport grows exponentially, it seems, Rahlves finished fifth, the top American in the competition.

"These guys have been tuned up for a while, so it was a big wake-up call. It would have been nice to make the final, but I felt good and it was a solid result," Rahlves said.

Instead of making the trek to Europe for early-season World Cups, Rahlves elected to train close to home and spend time with his wife Michelle and their 18 month-old twins Dreyson (a boy) and Miley (a girl). During his life as an Alpine skier, Rahlves was constantly on the road, bouncing from World Cup venue to World Cup venue. Year after year of living out of a suitcase gets tiring, and the arrival of the twins pulled him back home.

"It's really nice to just have these short five and six day trips," Rahlves said.

A steady stream of top results no matter what sport he chooses to compete in has engrained confidence in Rahlves, which allows him to operate differently than other athletes in the sport. In addition to his success in skiing, he was crowned world jet-ski champion in 1993, in 2006 he completed the Baja 1000 motocross relay, and won his class at the Glen Helen Outdoor National motocross race, last year.  Trying to balance his family life and his seeming unquenchable thirst for competition and challenge, Rahlves handpicks the competitions he enters with specific goals in mind.

For example, last weekend's ski cross World Cup in Lake Placid served as a warm-up for the X Games. He also said he'll do just what he has to in order to make sure he's qualified for this year's ski cross World Championships in Japan. And, of course, he's set his eyes on the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver where he'll aim to collect perhaps the one title that's eluded him despite all his success: Olympic champion.

Based on his proclivity to rise to the occasion in big events, more titles and medals are almost certainly in the cards. After all, he didn't get the nickname "D-Money" for nothing.

Find the X Games schedule here.