Moioli and Grondin claim debut Snowboard Cross world titles in thrilling racing
Mar 28, 2025·Snowboard Cross)
Michela Moioli (ITA) and Eliot Grondin (CAN) took their first World Championship victories at the Engadin 2025 FIS Snowboard, Freestyle and Freeski World Championships on Friday, clinching their wins after tight racing throughout the day.
Moioli had crashed in training on Wednesday, but bounced back for a perfect day of finals where she held her nerve to come past her rivals when it counted. She took gold in a photofinish, beating 2021 champion Charlotte Bankes (GBR) on the line.
Grondin won the qualification and was close to winning every heat, bar the quarterfinal where veteran Nick Baumgartner (USA) edged out the World Cup leader.
In a thrilling final, the Canadian was the one who stayed coolest as 2023 champion Jakob Dusek (AUT) and Beijing 2022 Olympic champion Alessandro Haemmerle (AUT) came together in the closing stages, and he came through ahead of the pack for his second World Championship medal after bronze in 2021.
Moioli takes emotional win
Michela Moioli is already an Olympic champion and three-time Crystal Globe winner, but in five previous World Championships she has always fallen just short of victory. However, the Italian is one of the most experienced on the circuit when it comes to the big occasions, and that experience showed throughout the competition in St. Moritz.
After qualifying second-fastest for the quarterfinals behind Sina Siegenthaler (SUI), Moioli made no mistakes in the heats, booking herself a spot in the big final after overtaking both Manon Petit Lenoir (FRA) and Julia Pereira de Sousa (FRA) in the semifinal.
Pereira de Sousa got the better of Petit Lenoir and 2023 silver medalist Josie Baff (AUS) in her semifinal to make her first-ever World Championship big final, only weeks after winning her first World Cup in Gudauri.
Bankes and Meryeta Odine (CAN) took the other two spots in the medal race, after some dramatic racing in the earlier rounds. In her quarterfinal, Odine was chasing fastest qualifier Siegenthaler and rising star Noemie Wiedmer (SUI) when the two Swiss riders collided on the final turn. The crash also took out Acy Craig (USA), but Odine managed to avoid her competitors and sailed through for the win, with Siegenthaler taking second after getting to her feet.
Siegenthaler’s speed took her out in front in the semifinal, chased by Bankes and Lea Casta (FRA), but the race came back together with Bankes and Odine making the most of the big jumps in the closing stage to claim the crucial qualifying spots for the big final.
Like Pereira de Sousa, Odine reached her first-ever World Championship big final in Engadin, but could not climb to the podium after crashing early.
That left three riders chasing the medals. Pereira de Sousa had the best start with Bankes some distance off the back. By the third intermediate marker, Moioli had overtaken the French rider, with Bankes gaining ground fast. In the finishing straight Bankes overtook Pereira de Sousa, and almost caught Moioli, but the photofinish showed that the Italian’s board had crossed the line first and Bankes was quick to congratulate her long-term rival.
Two falls marred the small final, with Siegenthaler losing balance before the first turn, and Baff crashing after clipping edges with Petit Lenoir later in the race. Casta took fifth place overall, with Petit Lenoir sixth, Baff seventh and Siegenthaler eighth.
Women's highlights
Grondin’s cool head prevails
There were plenty of world medalists in the running in the men’s competition, and the first to drop out was 2023 bronze medalist Omar Visintin (ITA), who lost to young French duo Loan Bozzolo (FRA) and Aidan Chollet (FRA) in his 1/8 heat.
2023 silver medalist Martin Noerl (GER) made it to the quarterfinals, but did not have the speed to contend with Dusek and Haemmerle, who were driving each other onwards towards the medals. Meanwhile 2021 world champion Lucas Eguibar (ESP) was surprised by Nick Baumgartner as the 43-year-old took the win in the quarterfinal ahead of Grondin.
Grondin eased through to the big final with a good win in the semifinal, ahead of Bozzolo, whose form after winning the most recent World Cup in Montafon continues. For the 25-year-old, it was his first appearance in a World Championship big final in five attempts.
After both won their 1/8 heats, Haemmerle and Dusek set up an Austrian run to the big final, using each other in the quarterfinal and semifinal to see off their competitors. Those included Nathan Pare and Jake Vedder, who both overtook Adam Lambert (AUS) in the quarterfinal to make it three USA riders in the semifinals. However, the Austrians proved the faster and booked themselves another showdown with Grondin, after all three also reached the 2021 final alongside Eguibar.
The big final was a showcase of Snowboard Cross. Bozzolo was the only rider not to lead at any stage. Grondin lost speed on the second turn, letting Dusek past after a fast start.
Haemmerle then also made it past Grondin but when the Austrians came together high on the final turn both Grondin and Bozzolo overtook on the inside and had the speed into the finish to claim first and second. Haemmerle outpaced Dusek for bronze.
Baumgartner took fifth overall after a late surge in the small final, ahead of teammates Pare and Vedder. Chollet was eighth.
Snowboard Cross racing in Engadin concludes on Saturday with the Mixed Team finals, beginning at 11:00 CET.
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