Brockhoff and Haemmerle win season's sole sprint sbx race
Aug 31, 2018·Snowboard Cross
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Belle Brockhoff (AUS) and Alessandro Haemmerle (AUT) have triumphed in the 2016-17 season's third snowboard cross World Cup race which was staged in Bansko (BUL) today.
Both riders lived up to the expectations coming out strong of the time trials two days ago to take home their respective career's third and fourth in the tour's sole sprint event which featured tons of interesting and exciting knock out heats therefore making the first ever sbx World Cup on Bulgarian slope a short but sweeping show and a true advertising for the sport.
Brockhoff, who had won the hole shot in all of her heats staged at the foot of the Pirin Mountains and in front of some 5,000 thousands noisy spectators, crossed the finish line in the women's final first with quite a comfortable lead on best qualifier Eva Samkova (CZE) therefore taking over the World Cup lead with 2,400 points from the reigning Olympic champion (2,250).
“I'm really happy with today. It's been a fun time here in Bansko. They put up a good show, and they built a really good course which worked really nicely. It was the most technical start section that we had. That's cool to see. I love this kind of starts,” Brockhoff said.
With a course length of only 20sec, no turns but a straight line, course builders had focused on the features to avoid a pure drag racing. However, good gliding skills combined with a perfectly waxed board also helped riders to do well.
Best example was Chloe Trespeuch (FRA) who managed to come back strong after a late start and stormed to a third rank finish in the Bulgarian sleet after the first rounds had been taken place in dry and perfect conditions.
Alessandro Haemmerle wins the photo finish against Pierre Vaultier
Photo finish in men's final
While the women's event saw a dominant rider taking home the glory, the men's final became an exciting and close battle for the win on the 330 metres long straight sprint course.
In the end, it was third best qualifier Alessandro Haemmerle who made the smartest move landing first after the pen-ultimate jump therefore being able to pick up the decisive speed advantage over his rival Pierre Vaultier (FRA) who was soaring through the air just a bit longer.
The Austrian racer, still pumped by his win in Solitude two weeks ago, managed to bring the nose of his board to the front finally coming out successful of the photo finish decision against the 2014 Olympic champion who had posted the second best qualifying time last Thursday.
“It's amazing that I was able to take another one after winning in Solitude. I took a risk in the finals landing on the first and not the second possible transition, and it worked out,” Haemmerle summed up.
And Vaultier added: “It was a pretty tough race. It looked out fine in the big final but then Alessandro caught up because he had the better technical move. So, he definitely deserved the win today. It was a brave battle with him and the rest of the final.
Thanks to his second consecutive win, 23-year-old Haemmerle took over the World Cup lead from Omar Visintin (ITA) who finished in fifth position today. The South Tyrolean athlete, however, also has piled up 2,050 points so far but has one win less than the rider from Austria.
But “Izzy” is keen to keep hold to that yellow leader bib: “Being the new World Cup leader is a huge motivation. I will try to defend it as long as I can.”
Baptiste Brochu (CAN) rounded out the men' podium as third celebrating his career's second podium finish.
The snowboard cross World Cup tour continues next week with a double event in Feldberg, Germany. From February 10 to 12, 2017, two individual sbx races are scheduled.
Results
Full results of this season's third snowboard cross World Cup staged in Bansko today can be viewed online.
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