Utah 2019: Snowboard Cross preview

Jan 31, 2019·Snowboard Cross

Reigning World Champion Lindsay Jacobellis (USA) in action during the first official training at Solitude © FIS Snowboard

The Utah 2019 FIS Snowboard, Freestyle and Freeski World Championships are set to open with a bang this week, with snowboard cross lined up to start off a huge 11 days of competition at with qualifications on Thursday, January 31, followed by finals on Friday at Solitude Mountain. Then, on Sunday, a little bit of history will be written here at Utah 2019, as the first-ever top-level mixed team SBX competition - featuring teams of one man and one lady competing head-to-head against other such team in a relay - will go down on the biggest stage of the season.

Most of the top men and ladies of SBX were on hand two years ago when Solitude had its lone turn hosting World Cup racing in what was a snowy and entertaining competition, and those who excelled in the 2017 race could have a leg up on their competitors here at the world championships on a course that follows a similar line and with similar features to the World Cup course from two years ago.

Heading into the Utah 2019 world champs SBX competition it’s tough to say who might be the favourites based on the standings, as so far this season there’s only been one stop on the World Cup tour, with back-to-back competitions taking place in December in Cervinia (ITA).

Still, there’s no arguing with the strength of the top rider on the current ladies’ standings, as five-time world champion Lindsey Jacobellis currently stands above all on the World Cup rankings after Cervinia. The winningest snowboard cross athlete of all time has never lost in an SBX world championships competition, and will be looking to make it an astonishing six titles - and an unprecedented three in a row - with a win on home soil at Solitude.

However, the likes of PyeongChang 2018 gold medal winner Michela Moioli (ITA), two-time world champs silver medallist Nelly Moenne Loccoz (FRA), Sochi 2014 gold medallist Eva Samkova, and Charlotte Bankes (GBR), have all started the season strong and are likely to be a factor in Friday’s finals.

For the men, France’s Pierra Vaultier came into Utah 2019 as the reigning world and Olympic champion, as well as the reigning World Cup crystal globe winner for three years running. However, Vaultier crashed heavily in his first training run and is doubtful for Utah 2019 competition.

Omar Visintin and Emanuel Perathoner of Italy, two-time world champion Alex “Chumpy” Pullin and Jarryd Hughes of Australia, a couple of upstart Germans in Martin Noerl and Leon Beckhaus, a deep host American team that runs the spectrum from 20-year-old Jake Vedder to 40-year-old Nate Holland, Austria’s Alessadro Haemmerle, four-time world champs medalist (one individual, three team) Lukas Equibar of Spain…the potential contenders in the men’s Utah 2019 SBX competition are too numerous to list, setting the stage for what should be an excellent event.

And as for the mixed team event on Sunday…with no true precedent for this competition format in FIS snowboard cross history, and with history set to be made with its’ inaugural running on such a grand stage, to say the event will be must-watch viewing could prove to be an understatement.

Watch live: NBC Sports Gold, ORF Sport +, BNT 3, Yle Areena, Silk Universal, Silk HD 1/2/3, BBC Red Button & online, Polsat Sport News, Match Arena and Match Planet, RAI (tba), RSI Sport

Full TV broadcast info here

Live-streaming will be also available on FIS Snowboard YouTube channel (geo-blocked in countries with exclusive media rights agreement).

Competition Programme

Thursday, January 31

9:40 MST - Men's Snowboard Cross Qualification

12:20 MST - Ladies' Snowboard Cross Qualification

Friday, February 1

11:00 MST - Men's and Ladies' Snowboard Cross Finals

Sunday, February 3

11:00 MST - Snowboard Cross Mixed Team

2019 World Cup Leaders

Men: Martin Noerl (GER)