After extensive travel, more than 30 hours for some, the riders have arrived at the Northern Japanese island of Hokkaido where the next two stages of the 2000/2001 Nokia Snowboard FIS World Cup is scheduled for the coming two weekends.
Simlar to last year, the riders stay in downtown Sapporo while the races will take place in Makomanai, about a 40-minute drive, the site of the 1972 Olympic Winter Games.
The snowboard cross riders will kick off the event on Friday with Pontus Stahlkloo from Sweden and France's Karine Ruby still sitting in the hot seats of the current standings. In the men's division there are quite a few riders to be considered for the top ranks, above all Canadian Jasey Jay Anderson who won the last three SBX World Cups in a row.
Other contenders are World Champion Guillaume Nantermod from Sitzerland, Germany's Vice World Champion Markus Ebner, Alexander Maier from Austria and France's Guillaume Sachot.
For the women, Sandra Farmand from Germany is Ruby's strongest rival. The two had traded off the wins throughout the beginning of the season until Ruby got two in a row under her belt and then both had to leave a victory to Candian rider Maelle Ricker at Kronplatz in mid-January. Carmen Ranigler from Italy and France's Marie Laissus should also be considered.
Head-to-head duels in parallel giant slalom are scheduled for Saturday. French rider Mathieu Bozzetto is currently leading the Parallel standings ahead of Slovenia's Dejan Kosir and Bozzetto's teammate and friend Nicolas Huet. Others trying to close the gap on the leaders are Sweden's Richard Richardsson, Markus Ebner from Germany, as well as the Austrian riders Dieter Krassnig and Felix Stadler.
Karine Ruby and Carmen Ranigler are the number one contenders for a win in the women's race. Third ranked US rider Rosey Fletcher claimed three slalom wins already this season but also needs to be considered for the PGS. Other contenders are Isabelle Blanc from France, Sweden's Sara Fischer and Marion Posch from Italy, the slalom specialist who surprisingly got her best results in giant slalom this season.
The season's seventh halfpipe contest will conclude the Sapporo-Makomanai stage on Sunday. Stefan Karlsson from Sweden is sitting in the hot seat in the men's standings thus far, chased by his teammate Magnus Sterner, German rider Jan Michaelis, who is hot to repeat his first-ever win from last week in Berchtesgaden, and Canada's Brett Carpentier.
Sabine Wehr-Hasler from Germany claimed the World Cup lead last weekend after winning two competitions in the same weekend. Stine Brun Kjeldaas from Norway is currently in 2nd place in the standings but didn't sign on for this week's World Cup.
Other contenders for a top rank are the Japanese riders Michiyo Hashimoto and Yoko Miyake.
Temperatures around -10° and some snowfall are expected over the weekend. According to riders who have been out training the slopes are in good shape and exciting competitions can be expected for the weekend.
— Britta Semmler, MountainZone.com Correspondent
