SBX World Cup set to get underway in Chiesa in Valmalenco
Jan 22, 2021·Snowboard Cross
Finally, the time has come to see world-class snowboard cross athletes get out of the start gate again.
The FIS Snowboard Cross World Cup will finally kick-off in the Italian resort of Chiesea in Valmalenco with a pair of individual races on the weekend of January 23-24, 2021.
At the same time these season opening competitions are important as athletes will fight for their World Championship tickets for the major event happening in Sweden’s Idre Fjäll on February 11-12, 2021, where medals will be up for a grab in an individual competition and one mixed-team event.
Another positive news reached the FIS Snowboard Cross family earlier this week, when the organizing committee of Georgia’s Bakuriani announced that they will be hosting two individual competitions on March 4-5, 2021.
This means that the heavily affected calendar of the FIS Snowboard Cross World Cup regained some competitions, which together with the finals in Veysonnaz on March 20, add up to five World Cup races.
But first things first – let’s get this season started here in Valmalenco! This is the venue of the 2011/12 World Cup finals and actually the FIS Snowboard Cross World Cup took a long break before returning to it now in the 2020/21 season.
Who will be the fastest on the women’s side?
Since it will be the first race of the season, all cards are open.
For sure we will need to have an eye on last year’s crystal globe winner and current Olympic Champion Michela Moioli (ITA) on the women’s side, who did not miss a single opportunity last season to jump on the podium making either first or second place. Italy being her home soil, she will for sure try to open the season with a win.
Last year’s winner of the first race of the season however was Czech’s “Ms. Moustache” Eva Samkova, also current Solitude 2019 World Champion. Samkova has won the crystal globe twice in her career so far, but the 27-year-old athlete has for sure some more career highlights planned. Although the rest of the past season did not go as planned, it will be interesting to see, what Samkova has in store for this season.
We also need to keep an eye on Belle Brockhoff (AUS), who made her comeback last year after an injury forced break in the 2017/18 season. Thankfully, she came back stronger and got herself into the mix for the podium spots in almost every competition last season. That is what we call a statement. She finished second in the overall SBX ranking, so we can certainly expect a strong and confident Brockhoff back in the start gate this year again – maybe already in the first race of the season?
Haemmerle on fire again?
It is no secret that 2019/20 SBX crystal globe winner Alessandro Haemmerle (AUT) has set his goal to grab a third crystal globe again this season, making it a potential three-peat. As this season is unfortunately cut a little bit short, he will need to give his everything from race day one in order to make this possible. So, for sure, he will be one to watch in Valmalenco.
Always one to count on for podium spots is veteran Omar Visintin (ITA), who has not finished outside of the top-10 overall SBX rankings since 2013. His performance is always exceptional and therefore we are eager to see what’s in store on his home soil. Will he be able to stop Haemmerle?
Of course, one cannot leave out names like Lucas Eguibar (ESP) or Bolton Cameron (AUS), who also like to mix and mingle for the podium spots, or Lorenzo Sommariva, who is another Italian in the fight for possible home soil wins here in Valmalenco and who finished second in the overall World Cup ranking last year, battling it out with Haemmerle until the very last heat of the season - literally.
Two competitions, two chances - who will be the most dominant athletes of the season-opener?
Tune in to find out!
Time trial qualifications for the competition on Saturday are going down on January 22 at 10:55 CET for the men and at 13:35 CET for women, which you can follow via FIS App or via live timing on the FIS Website.
Finals are set for January 23 at 13:30 CET and January 24 at 14:00 CET (with qualification runs on the same day before finals).
WATCH LIVE
Saturday, Jan 23 at 13:30 CET:
TV: CT Sport (Czech Republic), Arena 4 (Hungary), Rai Sport (Italy)
Livestreaming: FIS Snowboard Youtube channel (please see countries where the livestream is going to be available HERE), Eurosport player (Europe), CBC Sports Streaming (Canada)
Sunday, Jan 24 at 14:00 CET:
TV: Arena 4 (Hungary)
Livestreaming: FIS Snowboard Youtube channel (please see countries where the livestream is going to be available HERE), Eurosport player (Europe), CBC Sports Streaming (Canada), L’Equipe Web (France), Rai Web
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