Snowboard Cross World Cup back in Bulgaria

Boarder cross riders have headed to Bulgaria to compete in the 2017-18 FIS Snowboard World Cup season's seventh SBX event which will be staged as a sprint race in Bansko on Saturday, 27 January 2018.

Following the ski resort's last year's successful debut as a World Cup host, the world's best athletes are up to take on an unique challenge again which could easily be characterised as the purest form of „you break, you lose“.

With the course only being a little over 300 metres, riders complete the whole distance which is mainly spiced up with a bunch of roller in under 20 seconds.

But thanks to a great amount of snow, course builders were able to ramp up three decent jumps all similar to the sizes athletes can expect next month in South Korea which therefore makes Bansko also a very good training ground for the 2018 Olympic Winter Games in PyeongChang.

However, a short course doesn't necessarily equal lack of passing. In contrary, last year's racing provided tons of photo finish decisions and head to head duels from top to bottom.

As a result, Bulgaria's most popular ski resort is providing the perfect setting for the next round in a thrilling race for the crystal globes which has emerged from a battle of three to a battle of four on the women's side of things.

2014 Olympic Bronze medallist Chloe Trespeuch (FRA), who placed third in Bansko last year, is currently leading the ladies' ranking with 4,100 points.

Michela Moioli (ITA; 3,830) and five-time World Champion Lindsey Jacobellis (USA; 3,380) are second and third but don't have the best associations with last year's sprint racing as both finished on a disappointing ninth and eighth rank, respectively.

Nelly Moenne Loccoz (FRA; 3,120) has also been able to catch up.

In the men's event, the top four of the World Cup ranking Alex Pullin (AUS; 3,346), Pierre Vaultier (FRA; 3,320), Alessandro Haemmerle (AUT; 2,720) and Omar Visintin (ITA; 2,680) had made it to last year's final heat with the best end for the Austrian who clinched his fourth and so far last World Cup win ahead of the reigning Olympic Champion from France.

The qualifiers as well as finals for this season's seventh World Cup SBX are scheduled for Saturday, 27th January. Qualifiers are slated for 9:30 AM (8:30 CET), finals for 12:30 (11:30 CET).

The latest programme can be checked .

Live TV information for the SBX Sprint World Cup can be found here.