Australia’s reigning World Champion Alex “Chumpy” Pullin was again the fastest man on the mountain, qualifying for back-to-back snowboard cross World Cup finals in Stoneham, Canada, today.
However, a small error on the last turn, about 50 metres from the finish while running in second place in the six-man final, forced the Australian Institute of Sport / NSW Institute of Sport rider back to sixth place.
The event saw Frenchman and series leader Pierre Vaultier record consecutive wins, with Russian Nikolay Olyunin second and American Jonathan Cheever in third place.
Pullin has clearly been the dominant athlete in qualifying this season with three top positions and second fastest in five rounds of racing.
He won today’s first knockout final and his quarter final before finishing second in the semi-final.
Pullin and his AIS snowboard program head coach Ben Wordsworth remain philosophical about the season.
Wordsworth acknowledges that they have several aspects to work on but added that the areas under review are not major problems.
“His technical skills on the course during qualifying right now are really good but we’re trying to iron out a few things when he is racing,” Wordsworth said.
“Sure he has made mistakes but that’s not a bad thing because I’m certain we will fix that and he is fast.”
Sixteen-year-old Australian Jarryd Hughes was the surprise packet of the day finishing in the top 10 in his first World Cup event.
Hughes advanced to the finals after finishing in 32nd place in qualifying. He placed a creditable third in the first knockout final, behind Pullin and France’s Tony Ramoin.
The teenager again finished third in the quarter final, once more behind Pullin and Ramoin. However, in the semi-final he slipped to sixth place, a result that robbed him of a “fairy-tale” appearance in the main final.
His fourth place in the consolation final signaled that Hughes is an athlete to watch in the future.
NSWIS rider Cam Bolton finished in 42nd place, after going out in the first round of finals while Brian Taylor did not qualify, finishing in 59th.
Nineteen-year-old Belle Brockhoff finished 17th in her first snowboard cross World Cup event, after qualifying for the finals in 17th place.
The next snowboard cross World Cup event is to be held in Valmalenco, Italy, from March 14-16.
However, a small error on the last turn, about 50 metres from the finish while running in second place in the six-man final, forced the Australian Institute of Sport / NSW Institute of Sport rider back to sixth place.
The event saw Frenchman and series leader Pierre Vaultier record consecutive wins, with Russian Nikolay Olyunin second and American Jonathan Cheever in third place.
Pullin has clearly been the dominant athlete in qualifying this season with three top positions and second fastest in five rounds of racing.
He won today’s first knockout final and his quarter final before finishing second in the semi-final.
Pullin and his AIS snowboard program head coach Ben Wordsworth remain philosophical about the season.
Wordsworth acknowledges that they have several aspects to work on but added that the areas under review are not major problems.
“His technical skills on the course during qualifying right now are really good but we’re trying to iron out a few things when he is racing,” Wordsworth said.
“Sure he has made mistakes but that’s not a bad thing because I’m certain we will fix that and he is fast.”
Sixteen-year-old Australian Jarryd Hughes was the surprise packet of the day finishing in the top 10 in his first World Cup event.
Hughes advanced to the finals after finishing in 32nd place in qualifying. He placed a creditable third in the first knockout final, behind Pullin and France’s Tony Ramoin.
The teenager again finished third in the quarter final, once more behind Pullin and Ramoin. However, in the semi-final he slipped to sixth place, a result that robbed him of a “fairy-tale” appearance in the main final.
His fourth place in the consolation final signaled that Hughes is an athlete to watch in the future.
NSWIS rider Cam Bolton finished in 42nd place, after going out in the first round of finals while Brian Taylor did not qualify, finishing in 59th.
Nineteen-year-old Belle Brockhoff finished 17th in her first snowboard cross World Cup event, after qualifying for the finals in 17th place.
The next snowboard cross World Cup event is to be held in Valmalenco, Italy, from March 14-16.
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