Jacobellis let's it rip. Photo courtesy of US Snoaboarding / Foley

Seth Wescott (Farmington, ME) had a rough day at last weekend’s Chevrolet U.S. Snowboard Grand Prix. The Snowboardcross Gods were not smiling upon him when "In the first round I was landed on. The crash stretched the MCL in my left knee and my right shin was sliced open," said Westcott. "It loosened up enough that I was finally able to walk normally on Friday. I took all week off and focused my energy positively. It’s not good, but it’s good enough."

Good enough to be crowned Snowboard Cross World Champion at Sunday’s FIS World Snowboard Championships in Whistler. In its first stop on North American soil in the championship’s ten year history Wescott led every heat and made a critical pass in the round of eight in his quest and ultimate triumph for gold.

Fellow Team rider Jayson Hale (Sierraville, CA) earned a bronze in the brutal day-long battle. His challenges included running each heat with the new World Champion Wescott and being roughed up by the gigantic Alex Maier of Austria. If that name seems familiar, it probably is. His brother, the "Herminator" is one of the best ski racers on the planet. Too bad the snowboarding didn’t work out as well as the skiing, guys. "He passed me, but he crashed and I ran him over," said Hale.

Lindsey Jacobellis (Stratton, VT) is on a hot streak. Jacobellis led her heats all day and also delivered a World Championship win for U.S. Snowboarding. Last weekend at the Chevrolet Grand Prix of Snowboarding at Mt. Bachelor she picked up silver in SBX and gold in halfpipe.

"It was long and tiresome, but the Bachelor course was long so that helps. I did well in the jumps and used the transitions well. My best part was out of the gate and at the top. Tomorrow I plan to hang out and sleep and then freeride and see the mountain." As the World Champ she has earned the right, dontcha think? Look for her next weekend in the halfpipe event here. She is one of the few multi-discipline riders and always a podium contender.

Head Coach Peter Foley adds, "I love Whistler, I’ve always loved Whistler. This is unreal. I live a charmed life!" So that’s what having the job security of producing two World Champions feels like.

FIS SNOWBOARD WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
Whislter, British Columbia - January 16, 2005
Men’s SBX

1. Seth Wescott, Farmington, Maine
2. Francois Bovin, Canada
3. Jayson Hale, Sierraville, Calif.
4. Michael Layer, Germany
5. Marco Huser, Switzerland

19. Graham Watanabe, Hailey, Idaho
22. Michael Rosengren, Bozeman, Mont.

Women’s SBX

1. Lindsey Jacobellis, Stratton, Vt.
2. Karine Ruby, France
3. Maelle Ricker, Canada
4. Dominique Maltais, Canada
5. Carmen Raniglerm, Italy

— Courtesy, US Snowboard Team