Big White (CAN) – Leaders withstand pressure to claim Snowboard Cross globes

It's in Canada that the 2023/24 season of the Para Snowboard World Cup concludes. First in British Columbia, at Big White, for the Snowboard Cross finals, then in Yukon, at Mount Sima, for the Banked Slalom finals.

The first episode of these final phases played out in two acts, or two Snowboard Cross races, in very different weather conditions, as the first race took place in the snow, and the second under radiant sunshine. Two races that proved to be very fruitful for the local competitor Tyler Turner (CAN) who won both big finals and secured two new victories, allowing him to maintain the lead in the Lower Limb 1 (LL1) men's Snowboard Cross standings ahead of Daichi Oguri (JPN), second by only 20 points, and Noah Elliott (USA), third. This marks his second crystal globe in the discipline after the one from 2021/22. These last two major Snowboard Cross finals in the Men LL1 category were contested by the same four athletes, namely Tyler Tuner (CAN), the Japanese Daichi Oguri and Junta Kosuda, and Noah Elliott (USA). The experienced Daichi Oguri also secured two podium finishes by placing third twice, confirming his consistency within the top 3 of the category. He first saw his compatriot Junta Kosuda finish ahead of him in second place in the first Snowboard Cross, then it was Noah Elliott who raised his level after his fourth-place finish the previous day.

In the Men LL2 category, the battle for the crystal globe was still open between Ben Tudhope (AUS) and Emanuel Perathoner (ITA). While the young Australian prevailed on the first day, he saw the former Olympian take revenge on the last Snowboard Cross of the season to clinch the precious trophy, with a 60-point lead. Keith Gabel (USA) consistently took third place on the podium, also finishing third in the final discipline standings.

The Italian team dominated the Upper Limb (UL) Men's category during these Snowboard Cross finals. Riccardo Cardani proved to be the strongest in the first race in the snow. Neck and neck with Aron Fahrni (SUI) right from the start of the big final, the Italian managed to apply enough pressure to the Swiss to force him into a mistake halfway through, allowing him to take the lead until the finish line. This first podium was completed by Maxime Montaggioni (FRA). The next day, another Italian faced off against the Swiss in the battle for victory, in the person of Jacopo Luchini, who finished 7th the day before. Aron Fahrni (SUI) had to admit defeat again after a big final marked by the violent collision of the previous day's winner with Masataka Oiwane (JPN). A major fall that unfortunately resulted in a broken collarbone for Riccardo Cardani (ITA). Thanks to this new victory, Jacopo Luchini (ITA) clinched the crystal globe of Snowboard Cross in the Men UL category with a 66-point lead over Aron Fahrni (SUI), second, and Maxime Montaggioni (FRA), third.

On the women's side, Cécile Hernandez (FRA) secured her first World Cup victory of the season by winning the first Big White (CAN) Snowboard Cross ahead of the leader in the Women LL category, Brenna Huckaby Clegg (USA), second, and Romy Tschopp (SUI), third. The next day, Nina Sparks (GBR) returned to the joys of the World Cup podium (the first in Snowboard Cross) by finishing third behind the dominant Brenna Huckaby Clegg (USA) and Cécile Hernandez (FRA), second. The American officially clinched the discipline's globe with 580 points accumulated this season. Very consistent this season, Romy Tschopp (SUI) finished second in these final standings, ahead of Cécile Hernandez (FRA), third, who, thanks to her two excellent results at Big White (CAN), edged out Russel Dennae (USA), fourth, by only 9 points. Monika Kotzian (POL) secured the Snowboard Cross globe in the Women UL category.

The continuation and conclusion of the Para Snowboard World Cup finals will take place further north, at Mount Sima (CAN).