As Australia’s east coast sweltered, two-time World Champion Alex ‘Chumpy’ Pullin roared back onto the Snowboard Cross podium winning gold at the Feldberg World Cup in Germany yesterday in a dramatic race which saw fellow Aussie Jarryd Hughes claim the silver.
 
The one/two finish by Pullin and Hughes is a first for Australia on the World Cup Snowboard Cross tour.
 
Pullin’s latest win marks seven World Cup victories in a stellar career that has seen the 29-year-old remain consistently at or near the top of the Snowboard Cross world rankings since 2010.
 
Feldberg has solidified the momentum that Pullin says was building and feels “bloody awesome”.   
 
“I’ve had a couple of frustratingly close races this season. It’s really nice to get a win.”
 
The weekend had its ups and downs for Pullin, after he failed to qualify for the finals in the first World Cup on Saturday.
 
“That was a bummer but I learned a lot about the track.”  
 
The proven champion knew what he wanted after the disappointment of the day before.
 
“I came out pretty fired up. It was always going to be a long day and it was really important to put down a fast run in the in the heat.”
 
So fast, that Pullin was the fastest qualifier by almost half a second on a 36 second track.  
 
“To be able to pull that sort of margin gave me a boost. I raced a final in that first heat. To turn Saturday’s bad race day to a good one the next day was important to me. I knew I had the potential and I had to prove it to myself.”

The strong field included the who’s who of  Men’s Snowboard Cross  including the 2014 Sochi gold medallist, Pierre Vaultier (France) and current world ranked number one  Omar Visitin (Italy).
 
“Racing is incredibly close at the moment. One of the best things was that I got to race all the best guys and beat the World Cup leader not once but twice,” Pullin said.
 
“I wouldn’t have wanted to be anyone else today when I was in the gate. Winning was exactly what I wanted. To turn it around after yesterday makes me really happy.”
 
“The best rider is the one who can adapt – even if the course is not in their favour,” Pullin added.
 
Also adapting to the course was Jarryd Hughes, who took the silver but is no stranger to the podium having won a World Cup four years ago at just 17 and took gold in the X Games in 2016.
 
Hughes says his racing style is to focus on what he’s doing and to trust his instincts.
 
Those instincts paid off in Feldberg when ne narrowly made it through to the semi-finals in a photo finish and then fought hard to make it to the big final.
 
“I go in without a set plan and let what I want to do take over. There’s a lot of intensity at the start gate and it’s the people who best deal with it that continue on,” Hughes said.
 
“It was a fun race. I was really struggling with the start and was always in fourth in turn two so it made for a fun day of racing for me and to walk away with two finals is just a cherry on top,” Hughes said.
 
Featuring in the top eight was another Aussie, Adam Lambert who, in his first World Cup events in Germany, won his heat and quarter final but had to settle for the small final, where he finished 7th overall. Cam Bolton placed 21st and Matt Thomas 29th.
 
In the Ladies Snowboard Cross, with two victories already this season, Belle Brockhoff, was unlucky not to medal, having made it to the final four – but she still holds the overall world number one ranking.
 
The fifth Snowboard Cross World Cup will be held in Kazan, Russia from 24 to 26 February. 

Coming off her second season’s gold last week in Bulgaria, world leader Belle Brockhoff has kept the momentum going by winning silver under sunny skies at the first of two World Cup events in Feldberg, Germany.

Her third podium in four races keeps Brockhoff on top of the overall world leader board and her sights squarely set on the coveted Crystal Globe trophy by season’s end.

“I’m feeling pretty good,” Bellesaid immediately after the medal race.  “I do my best every day and it’s working out for me.”

After winning her Feldberg qualifications round and then leading from start to finish in the semi-final, Brockhoff said she “missed the start a little bit” in the big final.

“I lost time at the top and was catching up before I got tangled up on turn four. Ten more inches at the end would have been enough.”

“It’s a really good course here. They’ve done a good job with the course and I’d like to say thanks to the organisers for that.”

The race was won by Michela Moioli from Italy, but Brockhoff has been able to keep the momentum since her win at the World Cup opener in Montafon, Austria extending her World Cup lead (3,200) over Olympic champion Eva Samkova (CZE; 2,650).

“I wouldn't expect to be that consistent going into the season although I always try to ride my best every single time. The girls are really good, and it's definitely going up each year. It's good, it's pushing our sport, but I haven't been as consistent as I have been so far. So, I'm really happy,” Brockoff said in a post-race interview.

Jarryd Hughes was the best performed of the Australian men making it through to the semi-finals, where he unfortunately slipped and went down mid-course, placing fourth, ending up eighth overall.

“8th Place today in Feldberg. Not what I wanted but I'll take it,” Hughes said on Twitter.

Alex Pullin placed 21st, Cam Bolton 28th, Matt Thomas 32nd, Adam Lambert 52nd, Adam Dickson 59th and Josh Miller 38th. 

“Bring on the double,” is the approach by Belle Brockhoff to this weekend’s Snowboard Cross World Cups in Feldberg, Germany.

The snowboarders will contest two events, beginning Friday night with qualifying, the finals live on Eurosport on Saturday from 10pm and the second race on Sunday night – again live on Eurosport.

After last week’s shorter sprint course in Bansko, Australia’s Snowboard Cross athletes Belle Brockhoff, Alex “Chumpy” Pullin, Cam Bolton, Jarryd Hughes and Matt Thomas revert to a more traditional one-minute course length.

24-year-old Sochi Olympian Brockhoff is aiming for the coveted overall season leader’s Crystal Globe trophy, having won two of the three Ladies World Cup Snowboard Cross events this season (Montafon and Basko) and backs up her first career win almost a year ago in Spain.
 
“My first win (Baqueira Beret, Spain in March 2016) was a goal I’d been aiming for a while,” Brockhoff recalled. “I’ve always wanted to win races and be the best since I got into the sport.”

Of her two recent World Cup victories in Montafon and Bansko Belle is always looking to see where improvements can be made.

“Looking at footage of the races that I have won helps give me an indication of where I can improve still.”
For the upcoming Feldberg World Cup this Saturday, training is underway and includes assessing the course before arrival.   

“We usually see some pictures of race course before we arrive, which gives us an idea. From there we have to figure out the course in just over an hour and do our best lap in time trials.”

“Every course can be more or less technical than others and always have different features to figure out, which challenges you,” she said. 

“I’m excited for this season and really looking forward to the years ahead on the tour. I am happy with my progress and feel that I’m not near my potential yet. I have so much to learn and I’m excited to do so.”

Coach Ben Wordsworth says whilst the Feldberg course will be different to that which they saw last year, the snowboarders are ready to go.

“Belle is doing pretty well,” said coach Ben Wordsworth. “Having won her first-ever event last season, she came back this year really motivated. She wants that Globe.”

“Her equipment is good at the moment and she’s very focussed.”

2010 and 2014 Olympian and dual World Champion Alex Pullin, who narrowly missed the podium last week in Bansko in a tight finish, is currently in fifth on the World Standings and looking forward to the weekend.

So too is Cam Bolton who, according to Coach Wordsworth, “rode pretty well last week and it was unfortunate he went out before the final”.

Jarryd Hughes is consistently performing and sitting in 8th position in the overall FIS Snowboard Cross World Cup standings. He will be looking for strong results in Feldberg.  

Matt Thomas is learning with each World Cup this season.
 
"The season so far has been challenging, in a positive way,” Thomas said. “The World Cup in Solitude felt as though I was riding really well. I was able to overtake in the quarters finals then made a mistake in the third last turn opening the line too much and dropping from first to sixth and being pushed up into the fencing.”

“I feel as though there was a real opportunity there.”

“Bansko was more challenging even though the training day and qualifying was felt similar to Solitude. The race day though didn't go to plan and I didn't perform as well I could, not fully clearing a feature in the course cost me a lot of speed and therefore, dropping back from being inside the top three for the first round.”

Going into Feldberg, Thomas’ goals are set.  

“This week at Feldberg we've recapped. The goal this week is to focus on keeping it simple and have fun. Focusing on replicating the work in Solitude whilst learning from the mistakes will hopefully pull off two good results." 
FIS Officials have said that conditions in Feldberg are good.

“Due to the fresh snow, sinking temperatures and a more stable weather forecasted than the ski cross community experienced last weekend in Bulgaria, conditions are looking favourable for the World Cup on the Seebuck face,” FIS officials stated.

“Course shapers have redesigned re-designed specific parts of the ski cross course from last week into a boarder cross track.”

The Feldberg World Cup qualifying begins at 8.30pm (AEDST) on Friday. Finals will be broadcast live this Saturday, Friday February 11 on Eurosport from 10pm. The second World Cup will again be broadcast live on Eurosport on Sunday evening at 10pm. 
 

Belle Brockhoff has claimed her second World Cup win of the 2016/2017 season in Bankso, Bulgaria, to reclaim the number one spot on the Snowboard Cross world rankings. 
 
The 2014 Sochi Olympian returned to the top of the podium in Bankso after she secured a win in the season-opener in Montafon in December.
 
The third event of the 2016/2017 season featured a new sprint style of racing with a course length of only 20 seconds, with no turns but a straight line, which obviously posed no problem for the Aussie. 
 
"I'm feeling really happy about today, I had a few good runs, and this time there were less mistakes than I usually put in," Brockhoff said.
 
"I looked for those one percenters for my coaches, and really focused on on the day." 
 
Back to back wins in the quarter-final and semi-final races saw the 24-year-old progress to the Big Final, where she proved why she is amongst the World's best, edging out Czech snowboarder Eva Samkova and France's Chloe Trespeuch. 
 
The gold medal for Australia, sees the NSWIS rider claim the maximum 1000 points, putting her at the top of the World Cup standings.
 
"I'm really happy to now be the tour leader, it's been goal of mine for a long time and I am looking to maintain that.”
 
In the men's event, tight competition and a photo finish in the Big Final saw Alex Pullin finish in fourth place, while team mate Cameron Bolton claimed 12th.

Other Australian results included X Games Champion Jarryd Hughes in 21st, NSWIS riders Matt Thomas, 36th, Adam Dickson, 49th and Josh Milller, 53rd.
 
Pullin now sits in fifth position in the World Cup standings, ahead of Hughes in eighth and Bolton in 16th. 
 
The snowboard cross World Cup tour will take to Feldberg, Germany, next week with a double event scheduled from February 10 - 12.

IMAGE: Belle Brockhoff with the win and world number one ranking in Bankso, Bulgaria © FIS

It was another successful day of qualifying last night as five Australians made their way through to the finals of the Snowboard Cross world cup in Bulgaria.

The men kicked off the sprint-style event, with Alex 'Chumpy' Pullin (4th),  Cam Bolton (7th) and Jarryd Hughes (19th) all getting the green light after impressive first runs.

Matt Thomas (28th) also made the second round of qualifying runs, with Adam Dickson and Josh Miller just missing the cut for Saturday's finals.

Current world number two Belle Brockhoff then followed the boys, finishing 2nd in qualification with another great run and will take a load of confidence after a tough competition last time out in Solitude.

Coach Ben Wordsworth said the riders have had to adjust to the sprint course, but have done so successfully.

"We try and keep the preparation the same with each event," he explained.

"Good course analysis, plenty of video review and aiming for a fast qualification time for the best gate selection on finals day."

"The times today were all around 19 seconds so it all happens pretty quickly, but the athletes like it technical and it still has some good size jumps which suit our guys."

Another World Cup awaits our Australian snowboard cross athletes, heading across the pond to Banslo, Bulgaria; making its debut appearance on the world cup tour.

World number 2 female Belle Brockhoff will be looking to keep up her strong current form, after finishing 6th in the final in Soltitude.

While in the men's field, current Top 10 riders Alex Pullin and Jarryd Hughes will compete on one of the shorter courses designed for the tour calendar, and will also be joined by Cam Bolton and NSWIS riders Matt Thomas, Josh Miller and Adam Dickson.

​Bulgaria will pose a different test for the athletes than what they have faced so far this season, with a more technical start section which is placed on a steep face.

From there, riders will head into the main features which consist of a step down, triple, table top and final jumps varying in size from 16 to 22 metres.

Speed will be key to success in the shorter form of the track, with qualification starting tomorrow night (AEDT) at 7:45pm for the men and 10:30pm for the women, with live scoring found on the FIS website.