Snowboard Cross leaders look to consolidate position under Cortina floodlights

The fourth FIS Snowboard Cross World Cup of the 2024/25 season takes place this weekend in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, with riders hoping for success at the much anticipated night event.

World Cup leaders Eliot Grondin (CAN) and Charlotte Bankes (GBR) both won in Cortina last year and after outstanding performances a fortnight ago in Beidahu, China, come into the racing as hot favorites.

But Italians Lorenzo Sommariva and Michela Moioli are poised near the top of the rankings to add to their points on home snow, and there are plenty of young contenders and experienced athletes seeking to challenge Grondin and Bankes’ lead.

After heavy snow overnight, qualification on Friday was postponed until Saturday 15 February. The revised Saturday programme will see qualification followed by finals, which begin at 18:30 CET.

Bankes looking for her best

Charlotte Bankes had a slightly disappointing first outing in her season, finishing fourth in Cervinia in December, but after a strong Christmas break came back for a perfect competition in Beidahu. The Briton was fastest in qualification and won all her races across the weekend.

“We always knew we’d have a big break so the aim from the start was to be ready for January and not Cervinia in December,” she explains.

“Mostly I still needed time on my board riding which I was able to do over the Christmas break at home and then it was about getting some mileage in heats and focusing on using features to build my speed down a track.”

Bankes ended the third World Cup leading the standings ahead of Cervinia champion Lea Casta (FRA) and Josie Baff (AUS), and could be on track for her third Crystal Globe if the rest of the season continues well. Last year, Bankes was second to Chloe Trespeuch (FRA), who is currently on maternity leave.

“It’s for sure a driver, but I know it will be a massive battle, the women’s field is very strong,” Bankes says of her chances.

Chasing her at the moment are the young athletes Casta and Baff, who reached the podium in both Cervinia and Beidahu; Moioli, second on day 1 in Beidahu to Bankes after missing out on the big final in December; and Swiss riders Sina Sigenthaler and Noemie Widmer. The USA is also represented in the top 10 by 19-year-old Brianna Schnorrbusch, thanks to her sixth place in Beidahu.

Bankes is looking forward to the speedy racing in Cortina and the high interest shown in this particular World Cup.

“It’s a fun event, a great venue under the lights. It’s great as it often gets faster once the sun goes down so makes its really fun and has the feel that we’re putting on a show for the crowd at the bottom which is nice. Also it being at night means more people watch it live at home,” she adds.

Defending champion Grondin on a roll

Eliot Grondin arrives in Cortina with a huge lead in the World Cup standings, 106 points clear of Jakob Dusek (AUT) in second place. Rather like Bankes, he was fourth in Cervinia but bounced back for two first places in Beidahu.

“Beidahu went well, obviously,” Grondin says. “I’m very happy about the consistency in my riding and ability to adapt to the conditions, also the staff made a very good job all throughout the week to be prepared as best as we can."

Behind Dusek on the leaderboard is Italy’s Lorenzo Sommariva, third in Cervinia before finishing fifth and 12th in Beidahu. Despite not making the big finals in Beidahu, Sommariva is upbeat about his performance.

“The races in China both went well for me, because I managed to be competitive despite the snow conditions that were not very favorable to me, due to the very low temperatures. In my opinion there were only positive aspects,” he says.

Like Bankes, Grondin and Sommariva are looking forward to the racing in Cortina. Sommariva says: “Running in Italy is always nice, especially for the fact that even if far from home it is like being there even if we are in another region.”

Grondin beat Jake Vedder (USA) and Jarryd Hughes (AUS) in a close contest at the World Cup in March last year, and like Bankes says the nighttime racing makes the event unique.

In Cortina this year, Grondin and Sommariva are being chased in the rankings by a close group of riders. Loan Bozzolo (FRA) is just one point behind Sommariva in fourth place, one point ahead of Olympic champion Alessandro Haemmerle in third. Merlin Surget (FRA), Leon Ulbricht (GER), Cameron Bolton (AUS) and Quentin Sodogas (FRA) round out the current top 10.

TV broadcast information

Facts & Figures

2: Eliot Grondin and Charlotte Bankes both won two races in Beidahu two weeks ago
3: There are three French riders in the top 10 of both the current men’s and women’s World Cup standings
106: Grondin’s current points lead in the men’s standings

QUICK LINKS

Race Calendar
2024-25 Men's Cup Standings
2024-25 Women's Cup Standings
Start lists - Cortina d'Ampezzo, ITA
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