In a land far, far, away - in the sport of snowboardcross which few athletes dare attempt and far fewer master, where whimsy rules and the difference between first place and last place can be as much a matter of luck as it is of skill, four brave American men and one American woman dared to tread for two days of World Cup SBX racing in Austria Tuesday and Wednesday. Veteran Jasey-Jay Anderson (CAN) won the men's competiton both days, proving that experience is golden.

The Austrian competition was fierce and ready to claim victory on its home soil. An SBX victory is tough to come by, and when you factor in a strange place, fierce foreign competitors, weather and course difficulties and some other stuff we can’t conceive of from here on the couch well.

And unless you are a die-hard SBX fan, the list of top finishers won’t mean much to you, but rest-assured they are top athletes, probably heroes in their home country where winter sports athletes are regarded with the respect they deserve. And the U.S. Snowboarding athletes? On day one, the hugely talented Seth Westcott (Farmington ME) took 15th, the ex-racer Graham Watanabe ( Hailey, ID) was 14th and Nate Holland (Squaw Valley, CA) garnered 15th.

Day two saw our committed SBXers, unafraid to fly through the air right next to their fellow racers and their fellow racers' razor-sharp edges: Westcott finished 23rd; Ben Jacobellis (Bondville, VT) was 37; and Watanabe, 45. The lone U.S. Snowboarding woman, Joanie Anderson (South Lake Tahoe, CA) placed 30th in the first SBX and moved up to 25th the second day of racing action.

FIS Snowboard World Cup
Nassfeld-Hermagor, AUT
Dec. 14, 2004
SBX-1
Men

1. Jasey-Jay Anderson, CAN
2. Guillaume Nantermod, SU 3. Marco Huser, SUI
4. Sylvian Duclos, FRA
5. Alexander Maier, AUT

13. Nate Holland, Squaw Valley, CA
14. Graham Watanabe, Hailey, ID
15. Seth Westcott, Farmington, ME

Women

1. Deborah Anthonioz, FRA
2. Katherine Kellenberger, SUI
3. Sophie Rodriguez, FRA
4. Julie Pomagalski
5. Carmen Ranigler, ITA

30. Joanie Anderson, South Lake Tahoe, CA

Dec. 15, 2004
SBX-2
Men

1. Jasey-Jay Anderson, CAN
2. Florent Mather FRA
3. Mario Fuchs AUT
4. Sylvian Duclos, FRA

23. Seth Westcott, Farmington ME
37. Ben Jacobellis, Bondville VT
44. Nate Holland, Squaw Valley, CA
45. Graham Watanabe, Hailey ID

Women

1. Dominique Maltais, CAN
2. Doresia Krings, AUT
3. Carmen Raingler, ITA
4. Julie Pomaglski FRA

25. Joanie Anderson, South Lake Tahoe, CA

— Courtesy, US Snowboard Team