Haemmerle claims Olympic gold in super tight photo finish
Feb 10, 2022·Snowboard Cross
After the women showed a spectacular show on Wednesday, it was time for the men to show what they had in their tanks on Thursday. Time trial seeding runs took place in the morning at 11:00 LOC and it was time for the finals at exactly 14:00 LOC at the Genting Snowpark in Zhangjiakou.
For the big final of men at the Olympic Winter Games in Beijing 2022 it was Italy’s Omar Visintin, who had broken his elbow last December and did fight his way back in an incredible way just in time for the Olympics, Canada’s young-gun Eliot Grondin and the two Austrians Julian Lueftner and Alessandro Haemmerle in the start gate and ready to battle it down from top to bottom for that Olympic gold. And what a fight that was…
As soon as the gate dropped, the young Canadian, who had a super fast board throughout the entire competition and leading through all of the previous heats, was out of the gate and through the start section with an incredible speed, securing the first position of the heat. Haemmerle was just behind Grondin and after the first jump, the Austrian immediately got into the Canadian’s draft to sit right on his tails. Meanwhile, in the back, Julian Lueftner was sitting in third position and Visintin in fourth.
After one of the roller sections, Grondin and Haemmerle were pumping the hell out of their legs, where the Austrian came closer and closer to the Canadian and with the following jump, Haemmerle gained even more speed and the two then were absolutely neck-and-neck.
Literally head-to-head, Haemmerle and Grondin then made the exact same moves, but with Haemmerle on the inside line and the upcoming right-side turn, that was when he was able to make the pass to get into the lead and from that moment on he would do everything to defend that lead.
Meanwhile in the back of the head, there was also a head-to-head battle going on, but Lueftner was able to defend his third spot in the heat. But of course, everyone who knows Omar Visintin, knows that the veteran would not give up easily.
Looking at the front of the heat, Grondin now was in Haemmerle’s draft and the battle for that Olympic gold medal was continuing. However, Haemmerle was defending his top spot with all he had. Even in one of the upcoming right bank turns, it was the other Austrian, Lueftner, who attacked Grondin and tried to pass him on the inside line for the second spot, however Grondin would not open the door for the Austrian, who then was forced to maneuver far out on the bank, which of course caused him to lose speed. This was precisely the moment, when Visintin overtook Lueftner for the third spot of the final heat of the day.
Grondin pumped really hard on that final roller section in order to gain more speed at that final jump for one more chance to get back to the top spot. The 20-year-old Junior World Champion from Canada came super close to Haemmerle and from afar it looked like maybe he had the chance to dive for that gold medal one more time over that final jump and in the end Haemmerle and Grondin made it over the finish line in a spectacular photo finish moment, where the Austrian finally won gold in his third Olympic appearance and Grondin only 0.02 seconds behind took silver.
In the end, Lueftner wasn’t able to fight back for bronze, which left the Italian to go for the first Olympic medal at his third Olympic Winter Games.
Alessandro Haemmerle commented after the race:
“The race was super tough. Having the seeding runs and the finals on the same day, especially on a course like this, I think it was really exhausting. Eliot (GRONDIN) just gave it everything. He gave it all every run. He was great, so I knew in the final I had to give it all and I’m glad I was fit enough to beat him at the end."
On whether he knew just how close Grondin was to passing him at the finish line:
“I was aware it was close. But looking back and seeing the video, I didn’t realise it was this close. I was shocked at the first moment and saw where the video was coming in, and it was a huge relief.”
On the snowboard cross course at Genting Snow Park:
“The course was great. It had everything in it. Some tough start sections, some carving turns, also big jumps, a lot of rollers. Also, I think it was fair riding all day. Not too many crashes. That is what snowboard cross is about — fair racing and good racing.”
On being the first Austrian to win a gold medal in snowboard cross at the Olympic Games:
“It feels so great. The whole team has been working on this all these years. It’s a huge reward for everyone. Great riding from the whole team. This goes out for the whole team. I’m happy for them as well."
That was truly some amazing snowboard cross racing here at the Genting Snowpark in Zhangjiakou, causing the spectators to hold their breaths until the very end. And this, ladies and gentlemen, is snowboard cross!
The Olympic snowboard cross program moves on to the Olympic premiere of the snowboard cross mixed-team event on Saturday, February 12 at 10:00 LOC. The relay racing format, where one woman and one man make for a team, is definitely super viewer-friendly and offers excitement for the fans in a little bit different way than the individual competition. Don’t miss out to witness which team will take home the first-ever Olympic gold medal at this premiere event.
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Quotes courtesy of Olympic Information Service
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