The sun returned for today's Snowboard Cross and made it a perfect event with exciting fights in head-to-head racing on probably one of the longest snowboard cross courses in the world.
Whoever had questioned Canadian Jasey Jay Anderson's ability to be a true all-around snowboarder got their answer today. With his third consecutive win in this event, he completed the hat trick and leaves no doubt as to his strength in this discipline, in addition to his prowess in alpine racing. The new addition to the Nokia Team was in 2nd place after the qualification round, behind US Halfpipe rider Scott Wescott, and he smoked the course throughout the finals, always first out of the start gate.
"The course has been a really good one and it had advantages for both alpine riders and freestylers," Anderson said with a smile even bigger than usual. "Scott went out and won the qualifiers by a good amount so he proved that it could be done on soft boots by over a second. My hat's off to him.
"It was good for alpine if you take for instance the first jump at the top, that was definitely an advantage for those on a freestyle board. I went so far off that jump all the time and was lucky that I didn't blown my shins apart... The course was pretty long and they have put all the hard staff at the top so by the middle you were spent. In the lower part, it was much easier but you still had to keep at it."
Guillaume Sachot claimed 2nd place for the first time in the World Cup. "This is just great and I really like the fact that it happened just before the World Championships," he said. "I have made it to top-10 in snowboard cross a couple of times this season, but it feels really good to be on the podium. The course has been better than what we saw so far this season and it was good for both jumps and good carving so I liked the race today."
Zeke Steggall from Australia and Wescott had been 2nd and 3rd after the start, chasing Anderson right from the start before crashing. Steggall was able to make it up though and for the first time since his bad crash at last year's World Cup finals made it to the podium.
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Sweden's Pontus Stahlkloo went out of the line and missed a gate in the semi-finals. Finishing in 5th place today he still keeps the yellow World Cup leader bib with Anderson and Sachot in 2nd and 3rd.
Maelle Ricker completed the double victory for the Canadian women's team and felt it was a special win: "I blew my knee here at the World Cup finals two years ago so I take it as revenge also," she said. "I still had that race in mind when I got here and was pretty nervous but then I just went and pulled it together. It was really fun racing. The course lacked a bit of air which I like a lot, but it is great that I made it."
Sandra Farmand from Germany and France's Marie Laissus had a hair's breadth finish for 2nd and 3rd place. Only through watching the video finish was Farmand confirmed ahead. She had a bad crash during training yesterday and had not been sure she would race today.
"It worked much better than I expected after that crash," Farmand said, "and I was just a bit scared in front of the last jump so I reduced the speed while Marie was pushing the limits. It is great to be second, especially if you did not expect such a result at all." Laissus agreed.
"It was just a question of millimeters," she said smiling, "but third is fine for me. Now I know about my strength and can really attack at the World Championships next week."
French rider Karine Ruby missed the final heat by crashing in the semi-finals. Finishing 5th today she still keeps the lead in the standings ahead of Farmand and Laissus.
The World Cup takes a break now while the riders go on to the World Championships in Madonna di Campiglio, Italy, January 21-28.
— Britta Semmler, MountainZone.com Correspondent
