Josie Baff has finished the World Cup season in the best possible way, taking home victory in the final snowboard cross event of the season at Mont Sainte Anne in Canada.
 
In an impressive season for the 20-year-old Jindabyne rider, Baff opened and closed the season with World Cup victories, collecting five medals in total, which also included a spectacular silver medal performance at her first ever World Championships earlier this month, finishing the season ranked third in the world.
 
Baff advanced through the round-of-32 and quarter-final heats in second place, and then stepped it up in the semi-final crossing the line in first to advance to the big-final.
 
In the big-final, Baff had an amazing run moving into the lead just after the top section, and remained in first place holding off the other competitors all the way to the finish line to record the second victory of her World Cup career.
 
Behind Baff on the podium in second place was Austrian Pia Zerkhold, with Chloe Trespeuch of France in third.
 
“It’s awesome, my wax tech at the top said you know what, you won the first race, why don’t you win the last,” said Baff.
 
“I had a good start for the first time today, I wasn’t sure what to do when leading the pack, but I just tried to stay calm, and patient and it worked.”
 
“I was just hoping none of the girls would out draught me down the finish straight.”
 
The final standings saw Charlotte Bankes of Great Britain in first place with 723 points, Trespeuch in second with 650 and Baff third on 493.
 
Also in action for Australia was Adam Lambert, who made the small-final for the second time at Mont Sainte Anne finishing sixth.
 
Baff will now compete at the Junior World Championships in Passo San Pellegrino, Italy, on March 30-31.

Josie Baff has continued her breakthrough season with a bronze medal overnight at the snowboard cross World Cup event in Veysonnaz, Switzerland.
 
The medal is Baff’s fourth of the season, which includes the first World Cup victory of her career back in December, and a silver medal at her first ever World Championships earlier this month.
 
After qualifying seventh fastest for finals, Baff was drawn in the same side of the bracket as two-time Olympic medallist  Eva Adamczykova of the Czech Republic, with Baff advancing through the quarter and semi-final rounds in second place just behind the Czech rider to reach the big-final medal round.
 
The star-studded big-final featured the top four women on the World Cup standings, and it was a spectacular race with close side-by-side racing with Baff fighting to the end, moving into third place right at the finish line to just edge out Chloe Trespeuch of France.
 
Taking the win was Charlotte Bankes of Great Britain, with Adamczykova in second place.
 
“It was really close racing and very hot today in the sun, so I am very grateful to my coaches and wax technicians, I couldn’t have got it done without them,” said the 20-year-old Jindabyne rider.
 
“After a disappointing World Cup last week in Sierra Nevada, it’s always nice to be back on the podium.”
 
“Heading into the World Cup final in Mont Sainte-Anne and then the Junior World Championships I can definitely carry this momentum.”
 
Also in action for Australia in the men’s event was Adam Lambert who advanced through to the quarter-final stage to finish in tenth to record his second best World Cup finish of the season, with Cameron Bolton in 31st.
 
After seven World Cup events this season, Baff is ranked third on the standings on 353 points, trailing Trespeuch of France in second place with Bankes in first place on 578. In the men’s standings Cameron Bolton is in 12th and Adam Lambert 16th.   
 
The snowboard cross tour will now head to Canada for the final two World Cup events of the season in Mont Sainte-Anne on March 25-26.  

Three-time Olympian Cameron Bolton has finished the leading Australian at the World Cup snowboard cross double-header in Sierra Nevada, Spain, with a sixth place finish on the second day of competition.

In warm sunny conditions in southern Spain with temperatures reaching above ten degrees, making conditions tricky for competitors, 2023 World Championship medallist Josie Baff and Bolton both finished in ninth place on day one, with NSWIS teammate Adam Lambert in 17th.

On day two, Bolton advanced through the round of 64, 32 and 16 in second place in each heat to reach the semi-final round for the second time this season.

In the semi-final, Bolton crossed the line in third to just miss out on the big final medal round. In the consolation round, Bolton finished second, giving him a final ranking of sixth, matching his performance at the World Championships at the start of March.

Baff and Lambert repeated their performances from day one, finishing in ninth and 17th.

With three events remaining, Baff is currently ranked third on the World Cup standings, with Bolton in 11th and Lambert in 20th.

The Snowboard Cross World Cup tour now heads to Veysonnaz, Switzerland, with qualifying on March 15, with finals on March 16.

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Cam Bolton (Red bib) in action at Sierra Nevada Photo: FIS Snowboard

Josie Baff has claimed Australia’s fourth medal at the FIS World Championships in Bakuriani, Georgia, with a silver medal performance in the snowboard cross event.
 
The medal is even more impressive considering it’s her first start at a World Championship event, and adds to a successful season where she recorded the first World Cup victory of her career and a second podium earlier in December.
 
With bad weather expected over the coming days in Georgia, the event - originally scheduled for Friday - was moved forward two days to ensure the race was ran in the best conditions possible.
 
Baff was in great form in the early heats, winning her round of 32 and quarter-final races to advance through to the semi-finals.
 
She crossed the line in second place in the semis to advance through to the big-final medal round, up against past Olympic gold medallists Lindsey Jacobellis of the USA and Eva Adamczykova of the Czech Republic.
 
Baff moved from third place to second halfway down the course in the big-final and managed to find space and comfortably remain in the silver medal position from that point to the finish line, finishing behind Adamczykova who took the victory with Jacobellis in third place.
 
“I kind of just let out a little squeal, and I was like, wow this is really, really cool, and then after a few minutes it sunk in and I kind of realised what I had done,” said the 20-year-old Jindabyne rider.
 
“It was a long day, and the runs were long and exhausting, so I was really happy that my legs were able to hold it together for that last run.
 
“It’s really nice to have this medal and I’m so grateful for my coaching team and the wax technicians who did an amazing job of making my boards speedy, so I’m very happy.”
 
In the men’s event, Cameron Bolton and Adam Lambert had a strong day reaching the semi-final round, just missing out on advancing to the big-final after finishing third and fourth in the same heat.
 
In the small-final, Bolton narrowly missed crossing the line in first in a photo finish, giving him a final ranking of sixth, with Lambert in eighth, making it three top-eight performances for Australia.
 
Tonight (AEDT) in Bakuriani, the Snowboard Cross Teams event will be taking place, with Australia represented by Baff and Bolton.