Belle Brockhoff of Australia competes during the Ladies' Snowboard Cross Seeding at the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics at Rosa Khutor Extreme Park on February 16, 2014 in Sochi, Russia.© Cameron Spencer/Getty Images Australian speed-demons Belle Brockhoff and Torah Bright have been pushed to the limit in the women’s Snowboard Cross event, full of thrills and spills. After two rounds of seeding, Brockhoff and Bright drew each other in the quarter-finals. Not wanting to take out her teammate, Bright held back and was ultimately bundled out, coming fifth after a crash towards the end of the course.
"I made a pass and I was behind Belle and catching and on the last jump before turn five I was hauling," Bright said.
"I was picking up so much speed I was like 'oh no how do I manage this?'. I was cutting so far left to make sure I didn't touch her and fall. It was close and in my head I was like 'don’t take out your teammate you'll be the worst Australian ever'.
"When I fell I looked up and saw she was still on her feet I breathed a sigh of relief and was so grateful."
The 27-year-old ended up being ranked 18th, in an event she only recently picked up.
"I love it. Anything can happen you see people out in the lead and they just fall you see people change positions and anything can happen. That's what's great and that why it is such a great spectator sport. You don't need to understand why a judge scored something that way you don't need to understand the trickery."
Snowboard Cross was Bright's last event at Sochi 2014, in a busy program, which included seventh in Slopestyle on Day 2 of the Games and a sensational Silver in Halfpipe on Day 5.
"The journey has been absolutely incredible.
"This was a challenge that I gave myself and I did it and everybody laughed at me and I just said 'it's just snowboarding'.
"I was prepared to not medal in anything because that’s the reality. I mean the reality is Icould have put down the run I did in the pipe the other night and not have got on the podium.
"I’ll be going out dancing tonight I have to celebrate my medal."
Brockhoff was in great form all day until her Games took an unlucky tumble. The Victorian was sixth fastest in qualifying and after progressing past the quarter-finals she had a fall in her semi-final when caught between Dominique Maltais (CAN) and Alexandra Jekova (BUL) on a corner midway through semi-final 2.
“She [Maltais] just took a really tight line and she’s very aggressive on course, so a flick of her board hit my board and I just crashed,"Brockhoff said.
“I couldn’t stop myself from going over the edge. I was a little bit winded but decided to keep pushing down the course. I was just thinking that if maybe if there was a crash I could get through, but that’s just racing. Everyone are such solid riders here."
At the end of the race Maltais apologised for edging out her much younger competitor, who went on to come second in the Small Final.
“I have no regrets. I’m really happy with eighth place at my first Olympics. I’m learning new things every day and today was a great day.”
Earlier casualties included defending Olympic and World Champion Maelle Ricker (CAN) who took a tumble and did not finish her heat. American favourite Lindsey Jacobellis also had a fall while in a qualifying position in the same semi-final as Brockhoff.
Eva Samkova from the Czech Republic was on fire, winning each of her races on the day, going on to win Gold in the Big Final. In a drama-filled race, Maltais and Chloe Trespeuch (FRA) came from the back of the pack to claim Silver and Bronze. Samkova is only 20 and the World Junior Champion has set the benchmark for the other women around the world.
“She’s so aggressive she gets out first and pumps everything perfectly on the course, I’m really happy for her.”
Brockhoff agreed that her style was very similar to Alex Pullin’s who will race tomorrow along with Jarryd Hughes and Cam Bolton.
Emily Groves | sochi2014.olympics.com.au
"I made a pass and I was behind Belle and catching and on the last jump before turn five I was hauling," Bright said.
"I was picking up so much speed I was like 'oh no how do I manage this?'. I was cutting so far left to make sure I didn't touch her and fall. It was close and in my head I was like 'don’t take out your teammate you'll be the worst Australian ever'.
"When I fell I looked up and saw she was still on her feet I breathed a sigh of relief and was so grateful."
The 27-year-old ended up being ranked 18th, in an event she only recently picked up.
"I love it. Anything can happen you see people out in the lead and they just fall you see people change positions and anything can happen. That's what's great and that why it is such a great spectator sport. You don't need to understand why a judge scored something that way you don't need to understand the trickery."
Snowboard Cross was Bright's last event at Sochi 2014, in a busy program, which included seventh in Slopestyle on Day 2 of the Games and a sensational Silver in Halfpipe on Day 5.
"The journey has been absolutely incredible.
"This was a challenge that I gave myself and I did it and everybody laughed at me and I just said 'it's just snowboarding'.
"I was prepared to not medal in anything because that’s the reality. I mean the reality is Icould have put down the run I did in the pipe the other night and not have got on the podium.
"I’ll be going out dancing tonight I have to celebrate my medal."
Brockhoff was in great form all day until her Games took an unlucky tumble. The Victorian was sixth fastest in qualifying and after progressing past the quarter-finals she had a fall in her semi-final when caught between Dominique Maltais (CAN) and Alexandra Jekova (BUL) on a corner midway through semi-final 2.
“She [Maltais] just took a really tight line and she’s very aggressive on course, so a flick of her board hit my board and I just crashed,"Brockhoff said.
“I couldn’t stop myself from going over the edge. I was a little bit winded but decided to keep pushing down the course. I was just thinking that if maybe if there was a crash I could get through, but that’s just racing. Everyone are such solid riders here."
At the end of the race Maltais apologised for edging out her much younger competitor, who went on to come second in the Small Final.
“I have no regrets. I’m really happy with eighth place at my first Olympics. I’m learning new things every day and today was a great day.”
Earlier casualties included defending Olympic and World Champion Maelle Ricker (CAN) who took a tumble and did not finish her heat. American favourite Lindsey Jacobellis also had a fall while in a qualifying position in the same semi-final as Brockhoff.
Eva Samkova from the Czech Republic was on fire, winning each of her races on the day, going on to win Gold in the Big Final. In a drama-filled race, Maltais and Chloe Trespeuch (FRA) came from the back of the pack to claim Silver and Bronze. Samkova is only 20 and the World Junior Champion has set the benchmark for the other women around the world.
“She’s so aggressive she gets out first and pumps everything perfectly on the course, I’m really happy for her.”
Brockhoff agreed that her style was very similar to Alex Pullin’s who will race tomorrow along with Jarryd Hughes and Cam Bolton.
Emily Groves | sochi2014.olympics.com.au
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