Season preview: 2019/20 FIS Snowboard Cross World Cup
Dec 09, 2019·Snowboard Cross
One can already feel the excitement in the air ahead of the FIS Snowboard Cross World Cup season 2019/20, which will get underway in style in the Austrian alps on December 13, 2019 at Montafon. Summer has been good, with plenty of time for athletes to recharge their batteries, but we can’t wait for the 2019/20 SBX World Cup to start!
The tour will kick-off in the classic venue of Montafon (AUT) on Dec 11-13, then head to Cervinia (ITA) from Dec 20-21, before heading overseas for a race in Big White (CAN) on January 24-26. After that it’s back to Europe, where the races will be held in Feldberg (GER) from Jan 31-Feb 02, Sierra Nevada (ESP) on March 6-7, with everything wrapping up at the longest-running venue on the SBX calendar - Veysonnaz (SUI), from March 13-15.
Venues (click for more info):
Montafon (AUT), Dec 13 - This venue has been host to the SBX World Cup since 2012, but had to be cancelled two times since then due to lack of snow and bad weather conditions. Since last year’s race was one of the cancelled events, everybody is eager to get back to business at this resort. Featuring one of the most spectator-friendly venues on the World Cup - with excellent viewing throughout the length of the course and grandstand seating at the bottom - Montafon truly has something to show off. Not to mention the highly entertaining nightlife down at Schruns valley, where thousands of spectators gather for a music concert and the prizegiving ceremony for their favorite athletes at the awards ceremony at the main stage, when the party really kicks into high gear.
Cervinia (ITA), Dec 21 - In the course of two years of organizing the FIS Snowboard Cross World Cup, Italy’s Cervinia resort proved itself as a top-tier World Cup venue, with the course’s huge, sweeping turns and multiple passing areas lending themselves well to thrilling back-and-forth racing throughout the competition. When you consider the fact that Cervinia is nestled under the shadow of the Matterhorn for one of the most stunning backdrops in snowboarding, and add in a couple Italian athletes on the podium last season, like Michela Moioli and Omar Visintin, then you’ve got the makings of a future snowboard cross classic in the Italian Alps.
Big White (CAN), Jan 25 & 26 - This season will be the first time that the FIS Snowboard Cross World Cup will take to the slopes of British Columbia’s Big White Resort for the Barrels & Berms competition in January, and it will be the first SBX World Cup on Canadian soil in over six years. Fans at Big White will be in for an extra treat when the World Cup hits the resort, as not only will they get to see the men and women fight for the podium in their respective competitions, but they’ll also get to witness the exciting new format of mixed team snowboard cross, which is a legitimately thrilling variation of the team event featuring one man and woman on a team in relay format, and which also has been added to the upcoming Beijing 2022 Olympic programme. A more detailed explanation of the mixed team event can be found HERE.
Feldberg (GER), Feb 1 & 2 - Located just over an hour away from Zurich and boasting 14 lifts, plenty of slope-side amenities, and excellent finish-area viewing, Feldberg has all the facets one would like to see in a SBX World Cup venue - all of which made Feldberg a perfect candidate to step up and become the first snowboard cross World Cup venue on German soil since Berchtesgaden back hosted competition back in 2003/04. The crowds love the snowboard cross action in the Schwarzwald area, especially since local heroes have hit the podium multiple times in recent seasons.
Sierra Nevada (ESP), March 7 - The FIS Snowboard cross World Cup will make its return to the highly-regarded resort of Sierra Nevada (SPA) this season - the first visit since 2012/13. Snowboard cross athletes have however since then visited Sierra Nevada for the FIS Freestyle and Snowboard World Championships 2017. It is with great excitement that the SBX World Cup will be returning to the resort where skiing 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.
Veysonnaz (SUI), March 15 - The final stop on the FIS Snowboard Cross World Cup tour yet again in 2019/20, Switzerland’s Veysonnaz resort, has established itself as the most long-standing and dependable stop on the SBX circuit, having hosted World Cup competition nearly every season back to 2009/2010, during which time the resort has been the scene of the World Cup finals twice. And it’s no wonder that Veysonnaz has been such a go-to venue for SBX action once one lays eyes on the Swiss course. Big, fast, and technical all at once, Veysonnaz demands the best out of the riders in every run, from qualifiers through to the big final. This season’s grand finale in Switzerland should be grand indeed!
Ones to watch – WOMEN (click for FIS profile):
Eva Samkova (CZE) – the Utah 2019 SBX world championship gold medal and the 2018/19 SBX crystal globe are only the most recent achievements of this exceptional Czech rider’s star career. Add a gold medal from the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games, and a bronze medal from the PyeongChang 2018 race, and it’s tough to deny that Eva Samkova is one of the greatest athletes in the sport’s history. And if you’re trying to spot her out on the course, just look for the trademark moustache that will be painted onto her face - “for luck and just for fun,” according to Samkova herself.
Lindsey Jacobellis (USA) – the American is without a doubt the most dominant athlete in snowboard cross history. Not only because of her 30 SBX World Cup victories (plus one in halfpipe!) - which is the most for any SBX athlete, male or female - but also because of her five World Championship titles, her Torino 2006 Olympic silver medal, two crystal globes and 10 snowboard cross titles at the X-Games. Since winning the very first race of her career back in 2003/04, the Californian athlete has, incredibly only finished outside of the top-10 four times in 78 events, and shows no signs of slowing down at age 34.
Michela Moioli (ITA) – the reigning Olympic Champion in snowboard cross is also a two-time SBX World Cup crystal globe winner, who in general has never finished lower than third rank on the SBX standings, except for the injury-shortened 2013/14 season. Add three World Championships bronze medals to this portfolio and you have another highly successful athlete who sure to be in the podium mix on a regular basis again this season. As well, Moioli won the silver medal at the Utah 2019 Snowboard, Freestyle & Freeski World Championships mixed team event together with teammate Omar Visintin.
Not to be overlooked: Nelly Moenne Loccoz (FRA), Chloe Trespeuch (FRA), Charlotte Bankes (GBR), Lara Casanova (SUI)
Ones to watch – MEN (click for FIS profile):
Alessandro Haemmerle (AUT) – After a hugely successful 2018/19 season, it is no wonder that at the World Cup finals in Veysonnaz the Austrian walked home with the first crystal globe of his career. Although never having won an Olympic or World Championship medal, Haemmerle is one of the most consistent riders to hit the World Cup podium in recent seasons. Out of 59 World Cup starts, he managed to get on the podium 16 times, with seven victories in those 16 podiums. He will for sure try to maintain his excellent results and try to claim the overall globe a second time in a row.
Pierre Vaultier (FRA) – The two-time reigning Olympic champion (Sochi 2014 & Pyeongchang 2018) and the Sierra Nevada 2017 World Champion, Pierre Vaultier is also a six-time SBX crystal globe winner. No man has won as many World Cup races as the 32-year-old Frenchman, with his 22 victories putting him head and shoulders above his peers. He also holds the record for the male athlete with the most podium appearances (35), and though Vaultier missed the last half of last season due to injury, expect him to take his place back amongst the SBX elite once again in 2019/20.
Omar Visintin (ITA) – The SBX crystal globe winner of 2014/15, who finished second in the overall rankings last year, Visintin will be entering his 12th World Cup season in 2019/20. His resume until now is 12 podiums with four victories in 62 World Cup starts. Also, last season marks his seventh-straight finishing in the top-10 overall. Together with his female team mate Michaela Moioli, Visintin won the 2019 Solitude World Championship silver medal in the mixed team event.
Not to be overlooked: Mick Dierdorff (USA), Lucas Eguibar (ESP), Alex (Chumpy) Pullin (AUS), Paul Berg (GER), Martin Noerl (GER), Jake Vedder (USA)
Livestream:
Perhaps the biggest news of the season for fans of FIS Snowboard, Freestyle, and Freeski action was the announcement that ALL World Cup events will be live streamed on the FIS Snowboard or FIS Freestyle YouTube channels this season.
Available for free viewing in all nations where a national broadcaster does not hold exclusive rights to the event, the new live streaming agreement with broadcast rights holder InFront Sports and Media is an important and exciting one for our sports moving forward, and we look forward to growing engagement and viewership over the season as awareness spreads.
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