Belle Brockhoff bounced back from a slight fall in qualification to finish sixth in the Big Final of the Snowboard Cross World Cup in Solitude, USA, this morning.

After qualifying in 15th for the finals, Brockhoff placed 3rd in her quarter final and semi-final to book a spot in the Big Final.

A mistake on a feature near the top of the course in the final, put her behind and was unable to make up any ground on the leaders. Eva Samkova won the event and leapfrogged Brockhoff into the world number one spot.

She did not slip far, holding onto the second place in the world rankings after a tough day of snow conditions.

In the men's competition, Jarryd Hughes topped the list of Aussies, finishing the World Cup in eighth overall after placing second in the Small Final.

Hughes just snuck in to the finals after qualifying in 41st place, but backed up last month's fourth placing with another top-10 placing today.

Dual World Champion Alex Pullin (17th), NSWIS rider Matt Thomas (22nd) and Cam Bolton (23rd) were not able to make it past the second round of head to head racing.

Josh Miller qualified for finals to finish in 43rd, while Adam Dickson was 53rd in the qualification round.

A World Cup Snowboard Cross team event also took place at Solitude, with Jarryd Hughes and Josh Miler representing Australia. The team unfortunately was knocked out in the first round of competition, finishing ranked equal 13th.

Six Australians have advanced through to the finals of the Snowboard Cross World Cup in Solitude, USA, led by 2014 Olympian Alex 'Chumpy' Pullin.

Pullin was the best placed Aussie with his 4th spot after qualification at the new World Cup venue, with NSWIS athlete Matt Thomas also finishing in a strong 13th place.

Cam Bolton (16th) also qualified, as did Josh Miller (28th) and Jarryd Hughes (41st) who required a second run to make the 48-man strong field that will start the final early Sunday morning AEDT.

On the Ladies side, world number 1 Belle Brockhoff kept up her solid form, qualifying for the final in 15th place.

The next stop on the Snowboard Cross World Cup tour is Solitude Mountain Resort, USA - a new venue for the sport in which Australians have been successful in recent years , inspired in many instances by two-time Olympian and World Champion Alex “Chumpy” Pullin, Current World Cup leader Belle Brockhoff and X Games Champ, Jarryd Hughes.

Along with Pullin, Brockhoff and Hughes Australia’s Snowboard Cross team for Solitude includes Cam Bolton and NSWIS riders Matt Thomas, Adam Dickson and Josh Miller.  

The event, to be held from 19 to 21 January, will be the second World Cup for the 2016-17 season and the first major international snowboarding competition Solitude has hosted. 

That the course will be new to all competitors could well suit the Australians according to OWIA head Coach Ben Wordsworth.

“We’ve never raced at Solitude before and because it’s the first World Cup on that slope, we don’t know what the course will be like,” Wordsworth said.

​However, there’s been lots of snow, which lends itself to building something big and technical – and that generally suits our athletes.”

“We have very high-end athletes such as Alex and Belle who are very good in the technical area.”

“Belle really likes the big rollers, jumps and banks and she’s skilful in that area,” he said. 

Belle Brockhoff triumphed in a thrilling and exciting snowboard cross World Cup opener in mid-December at Montafon in Austria, winning her second career gold in a photo finish in what she described as a challenging course.

After a short break over the Christmas period in Australia Belle re-joined the OWIA Snowboard Cross Team in Ski Cooper, putting in valuable preparation. 

"I had great preparation this week for the upcoming world cup in Solitude and I’m looking forward to the racing this week and starting 2017 strong," Belle said.
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Alex “Chumpy” Pullin, who began his season in Montafon with a third place, says he is on track for this weekend’s event. 

​"I had a good training camp in Ski Cooper this last week and I am looking forward to getting back to the World Cup in Solitude this week with some solid racing."

For Wordsworth, results count. “We’re staying focussed on what we need to do, which is to get results.”

21-year-old Jarryd Hughes, already an Olympian from Sochi, had a great start to his season in Montafon despite being injured, qualifying second and making it to the final where he ended up fourth overall.

“Qualifying second was really a confidence-booster and great way to come into the season,” Hughes said.

“In the run-up to Montafon I was injured (with bone bruising) and only had 12 days on snow the entire month and that included all the race days.”

Time at home after Montafon provided the youngest team member of the OWIA Snowboard Cross team time to recover, relax, train and enjoy a bit of summer.

“I’d be lost without the beach and the snow.” he said. “I was training at home after I got back, but it’s also good to relax and enjoy the summer while I can.”

​​“I left for Utah on January 10 with a few extra days to acclimatise and be with a few other riders to make sure I’m physically and mentally ready for Solitude. I like to focus on what I’m doing.”

His focus has much to do with personal belief and trusting his instincts.

“Some people have a whole lot of plans,” he said when asked what it’s like to stand waiting at the start gate. “I go in without a set race plan and let what I want to do take over. I trust my instincts.”

“There’s a lot of intensity at the start gate and it’s the people who best deal with it that continue on.”

OWIA athlete Cam Bolton is looking to improve on his season opener.

“Cam is healthy and has trained hard over the Australian summer,” coach Wordsworth said.

​“He’s definitely one of our fastest riders. It was unfortunate in Montafon that he was hit by another rider in the quarters and went out."