SBX is back in Spain’s Sierra Nevada
Mar 05, 2020·Snowboard Cross
It is with great excitement that the FIS Snowboard Cross World Cup is returning to the resort where skiing and snowboarding is possible in one of Europe's most southerly ski resorts, in an area along the Mediterranean Sea predominantly known for its warm temperatures and abundant sunshine.
It is the first visit of the SBX World Cup circuit in Sierra Nevada, Spain, since 2012/13. Snowboard cross athletes have however since then visited Sierra Nevada for the FIS Freestyle and Snowboard World Championships 2017, where Lindsey Jacobellis (USA) grabbed her 5th World Championship gold medal ahead of France’s Chloe Trespeuch (FRA) and Michela Moioli (ITA).
Pierre Vaultier (FRA) took home his first and only WSC gold medal that year ahead of local hero Lucas Eguibar (ESP) and Australian veteran Alex Pullin with the Spanish king in attendance to witness the great event.
Ahead of the World Cup event, a press conference was organized by the local organizing committee at the historic site of the Alhambra. FIS Snowboard Cross race director Uwe Beier, the president of the Royal Spanish Wintersport Federation, May Peus, chairman of the Cetursa Sierra Nevada, Jesus Ibanez and the two local heroes Lucas Eguibar and Regino Hernandez took part in promoting the event in the historic palace of Carlos V in front of national and international media.
"I want to thank the exceptionally great Organizing Committee for welcoming us here again in beautiful Sierra Nevada. The course looks very good and we can expect some great racing on Saturday, I am sure," Beier said.
Leader bibs in Italian hands
After the back-to-back races in Big White (CAN), where Michela Moioli won the first race and took second on day two after Belle Brockhoff managed to overtake the Italian on the very last centimeters before the finish line, making it a special way to celebrate Australian Day, Moioli keeps her leader bib on.
With a total of 3.600 points, which is a 700-point-margin ahead of Belle Brockhoff with 2.900 points, and Eva Samkova (CZE) sitting in third with 2.210 points and two competitions left, the battle over the Snowboard Cross crystal globe is still not over yet with 1.000 points to grab at each competition.
Everything is still open and we know that in snowboard cross anything is possible, so let’s see what the Spanish sun and course will bring and who will be able to race to their very advantage.
On the men’s side of things, the leader bib is also in Italian hands, as Lorenzo Sommariva (ITA) managed to grab the yellow bib from Alessandro Haemmerle, who shared the World Cup leader picture with Michela Moioli on the first competition day in Big White, but then on day two, the Italian took enough points, to take the yellow bib.
Sommariva is however only 340 points ahead of the Austrian, who won the crystal globe last season and stated at the beginning of this season that his goal this year was to defend his title, which promises a tight battle at the last two competitions yet to come.
Sitting in third is Eliot Grondin from Canada, who took his first ever podium spot on home soil on competition day number one in Big White (CAN). He has a total of 1.940 points, so 560 points behind the current leader.
It will be for sure a tight battle for that leading spot at the competition in the south of Spain, where hopefully the weather gods will be on our side and ensure a great day of racing.
Sierra Nevada title defenders from March 2013: Dominique Maltais (CAN – no longer active) and Pierre Vaultier (FRA – not competing this season due to injury).
Qualies are scheduled for March 6 at 12:00 CET, finals are set for March 7 at 12:00 CET.
WATCH LIVE
ORF Sport+ (Austria), Eurosport FRA (Europe), CT Sport (Czech Republic), YLE Areena (Finland), ZIGGO Additional (The Netherlands), Teledeporte (Spain), Canal Sur (Spain), Eurosport (Spain), NBC Sports gold (USA), CBC Sports Streaming (Canada), Eursosport Player (Europe)
Live streaming will also be available on our Youtube channel. Please note that due to broadcasting rights restrictions, live streaming may not be available in your region.
Full list of countries with the live streaming available can be found HERE.
QUICK LINKS
)
)
