Category: Torah Bright

Brockhoff and Bright pushed to the limit

16/2/2014

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

Bright finish for Australian

13/1/2014

Torah Bright in qualifying © Mario Sobrino

Olympic snowboard halfpipe champion, NSWIS Individual Scholarship athlete Torah Bright, added her best result in World Cup snowboard cross to her impressive resume when she finished in eighth place in Vallnord-Arcalis, Andorra, today.

The 27-year-old was joined by NSWIS athlete Belle Brockhoff, in the list of top 10 placings.

Bright’s quest to become a recognised snowboard cross athlete was escalated early last year and today was clearly her most successful result in that time.

She went into the first of the knock out finals, consisting of 24 women, with the seventh fastest time in qualifying, which was also a personal best.

Bright was second across the line in her quarter final, which enabled her to advance to the semi-finals.

However she was up against a hot field that included Canadian Dominque Maltais and American Lindsey Jacobellis, who went on to take second and third in the final, with Czech Eva Samkova taking out the top placing.

Bright was fourth in the semi, which meant that instead of advancing to the final to fight for a medal, her next race was in the consolation final with Brockhoff and four others.

Bright was second in the race, just ahead of Brockhoff, who finished the day in ninth overall.

Eighteen-year-old NSWIS athlete Jarryd Hughes, who recorded his maiden World Cup victory in Canada just before Christmas, was also impressive by making the consolation final, adding a ninth overall to his successful World Cup season.

The men’s final was won by Italian Omar Visintin, with Spain’s Lucas Eguibar in second and Italian Lucas Matteotti taking the third spot on the podium.

In other results with Australians, Cameron Bolton was 30th after making the finals, and Daniel Morrissy was 55th.

The Andorra event ends the snowboard cross World Cup season, as the Veysonnaz round, originally scheduled for January 18, has been cancelled.

Hughes still number one

12/1/2014

Jarryd Hughes (Yellow Bib) racing at Vallnord Arcalis © Mario Sobrino

NSW Institute of Sport snowboard cross rider Jarryd Hughes has retained his world number one ranking following a hard fought 11th place in the first event of a World Cup double header in Vallnord Arcalis, Andorra, overnight.

After advancing to the 48 men’s knock out finals with the fifth fastest time in the qualification session, the 18-year-old finished second in the first heat, which put him through to the quarter finals.

With each heat’s top three progressing to the next round, Hughes’ third place in the quarter finals rewarded him with a spot in the semi-finals.

However, a fifth place in this round meant that he was not eligible to race in the day’s medal round and instead went through to the support final, which determined seventh to twelfth places.

Hughes’ 11th overall place still earned him 240 World Cup points, enough to create a 134 point gap between himself and Italian Omar Visintin, who was third overall today behind the winning American Trevor Jacob and Stian Sivertzen from Norway in the silver medal position.

Two other Australians, NSWIS rider Cameron Bolton was 18th after finishing fifth in the quarter finals, and NSWIS athlete Daniel Morrissy was 40th from a fifth in the first knock out final.

Snowboard halfpipe gold medallist Torah Bright continued her quest to compete in three events at next month’s Sochi Olympic Winter Games in Russia with a 13th place today.

Bright went in to the first knock out race, a quarter final, as the ninth fastest in qualifying but her fourth place prevented her from advancing to the semis.

The final was won by Canadian Dominique Maltais, with Bulgarian Alexandra Jekova in second and American Lindsey Jacobellis third.

Australia’s Belle Brockhoff, another NSWIS athlete, placed 24th and did not start the finals despite qualifying.

The second stage of the double header will be contested tonight, Australian time.

Hughes wins World Cup event

22/12/2013

NSWIS Snowboard Cross athlete - Jarryd Hughes first World Cup win and current World Cup leader! © Arden Shibley / @SnarePhoto

Eighteen-year-old NSWIS Australian snowboard cross rider Jarryd Hughes has captured his maiden World Cup victory and the world number one ranking in Lake Louise, Canada.

In a brilliant performance the Aussie teenager ran away from Germany’s Konstantin Schad in second place while American Alex Deibold was third.

The final saw Hughes leave the start gate in third but his ability to produce speed on the technical course soon saw him grab second spot, immediately putting pressure on the German.

At about the half way mark, Hughes found an extra gear and launched an attack on Schad, which rocketed him into the lead.

With about 200 metres left in the final, Hughes piled on the speed, giving himself an unassailable lead, running out a clear winner by about three metres.

Crossing the line, Hughes’ race focus erupted into rapture. After the race he was understandably ecstatic and was met with congratulatory embraces from coaches and fellow athletes.

Dual World Champion and AIS/NSWIS athlete Alex “Chumpy” Pullin did not fare as well . After qualifying with the 10th fastest time, Pullin crashed in the first final after coming together with Pierre Vaultier’s, (France) in a racing incident and finished the day in 18th place overall.

In the women’s event, NSWIS rider Belle Brockhoff finished overall in 12th place overall, unable to progress past the quarter finals. Torah Bright was 23rd and missed the cut for the finals.

The women’s event was won by American Lindsey Jacobellis, second place went to Canadian Dominique Maltais and third was taken out by Norwegian Helene Olafsen.

Hughes' strong start to season

8/12/2013

IMAGE: Quarter final #2 men at SBX World Cup Montafon: Lluis Marin Tarroch (AND) in blue, Michele Godino (ITA) in white, Jarryd Hughes (AUS) in green, Mick DIerdorff (USA) in red, Xevier de le Rue (FRA) in yellow © FIS

Australian teenager Jarryd Hughes achieved a World Cup career best result with an eighth place in the season’s opening snowboard cross event in Montafon, Austria, today.

The 18-year-old NSW Institute of Sport rider kick-started his season in fine style with a strong display in qualifying, recording a 12th fastest time and earning a place in the 48-man finals draw.

Hughes crossed the line in the first final in second place and then backed up with a third place in the quarters to move to the semis where the young Australian finished fifth, short of the top three places needed to qualify for the final, which was won by Austrian Markus Schairer, ahead of Italian Omar Visitin and the third placed Canadian Kevin Hill.

Hughes finished the day in second place in the support final, providing a confidence boost in his first event since returning to competition from a knee injury sustained in February.

Hughes’ achievements today impressed Australian Institute of Sport snowboard program head coach Ben Wordsworth who praised the teenager for his off season preparation.

“He is obviously stronger and a lot fitter this season which has given him a really good opening World Cup,” Wordsworth said.

“He is definitely coming along as an up-and-coming boarder cross racer. It was a very good result for him.

“The other guys in the semi were perhaps a little cleaner in the banking and in lines which gave the others a little more speed.”

Fellow NSWIS athlete Cameron Bolton finished overall in 19th after a solid race in the first final.

Bolton led his quarter final after the first bank and according to Wordsworth “he took his foot off the gas a little in the middle of the course” and could not regain his early speed.

Dual World Champion Alex “Chumpy” Pullin elected not to compete in Montafon because of back stiffness, however, Wordsworth predicted that Pullin will compete in the next World Cup in Lake Louise, Canada, on December 21.

Olympic halfpipe champion Torah Bright, who is attempting to qualify for snowboard cross in Sochi, finished in 20th place while NSWIS athlete Belle Brockhoff placed 13th after qualifying eighth in the first round and progressing straight through to final racing.

The women’s event was won by Czech Eva Samkova, while Canada’s Dominique Maltais was second and Norway’s Helene Olafsen was third.

Win puts Pullin on top of the world

17/3/2013

Dual snowboard cross World Champion Alex “Chumpy” Pullin turned silver into gold with a dramatic lunge on the finish line in Veysonnaz, Switzerland, today, to force the first dead-heat victory in World Cup history, providing the crowning accolade to Australia’s highest World Cup and World Championships medal tally in one season in more than 43 years of participation.

Pullin looked destined for second place with just metres to go in the final but the Australian Institute of Sport athlete was able to manufacture a perfectly timed manoeuvre on the finish line that made it impossible for the judges to separate the first two riders in a photo finish.

After a lengthy deliberation, Pullin and Poland’s Mateusz Ligocki were declared joint winners, ahead of the third placed Austrian Alessandro Haemmerle.

The win is the 24th medal won by an Australian athlete in elite wintersport competition this season and combining Winter Olympic Games, World Championships and World Cup medals, Pullin’s gold is Australia’s 300th medal.

Pullin’s victory, his third this season, clinched the World Cup Crystal Globe trophy, the highest honour in World Cup competition, which is awarded to the athlete who finishes the season on top of the series points table.

It is the second time Pullin has won the Crystal Globe trophy and, like his first time in 2011, he has achieved this exceptional feat in the same year as winning the World Championships title, offering irrefutable proof that the Australian, with seven finals appearances in seven races, is clearly the season’s best rider.

With one World Cup round still to be contested, the world number one has increased the margin over his closest rival, Austria’s Markus Schairer, to 1750 points.

With a maximum of 1000 points up for grabs in the season ending finals in Sierra Nevada, Spain, next weekend, the Australian holds an unassailable lead.

After posting the second fastest time in the qualification session, the day went to plan with the AIS rider notching wins in the round of 32 and his quarter final, before qualifying for the medal round with a second place in a semi-final.

Pullin said the last turn in the final was pivotal to today’s result.

“As we came into the bottom section in the last turn, that was a make or break situation,” he said.

“It was tricky for me because of the slipstream with all riders bunched up again. The decision I had to make was to take a very high line and carry speed across the long flat to the finish or take the low line and block my line but perhaps risk being passed.

“I went for the high line and it paid off.”

In contrast, Ligocki took the low line, which did not generate the same amount of speed out of the turn and although the manoeuvre put the Pole into the lead, Pullin had the velocity approaching the line.

Pullin was able to close a two length deficit, only to brush shoulders with Ligocki about 20 metres from the line, which again cost the Australian valuable speed.

As the two contenders approached the finish, Pullin thrust his board forward just as they crossed the line to bring about the unprecedented dead-heat.

A delighted Pullin said that this season has been “my perfect season.”

“Seven races, seven finals, World Championships victory, Globe locked away, it can’t be better,” he said.

“There’s been a certain amount of intensity, what I call Ninja mode, being able to stay in focus all season.

“I’ve been that way for the last 12 months. Every training run, every weight I lift really counts to me. At the start of the season it is hard to see the big picture but looking back, that’s what I stuck to and that’s what’s worked.

“Winning the overall title was playing on my mind today and I knew I had to go for the win.

“My key today was being really smooth, really fluent and to carry momentum.”

Pullin praised his coach AIS Head Coach Ben Wordsworth for his role, along with his parents who have supported his dreams since he skied for the first time at the age of three and the AIS / Olympic Winter Institute of Australia scholarship program, which has set up the outstanding results enjoyed across a number of wintersport disciplines this season.

NSW Institute of Sport athletes Cam Bolton and 17-year-old Jarryd Hughes both made the finals but were eliminated in the round of 32.

In the women’s event, Australia’s world number eight, NSWIS rider Belle Brockhoff finished the day in ninth place behind winning French rider Nelly Moenne Loccoz, Canada’s Dominique Maltais in second and Czech Eva Samkova in third. Australia’s Torah Bright was 22nd.

Chumpy goes from strength to strength with another win

10/3/2013

world cup leaders after arosa, dominique maltais (can) and alex pullin (aus)

Australia’s dual World Champion Alex “Chumpy” Pullin underlined his high achievements so far this season when he won the World Cup snowboard cross event in Arosa, Switzerland.

Although the Australian Institute of Sport rider went into the event already as the world number one, he leaves Arosa with a vise-grip on finishing the season as the top ranked athlete, which would see Pullin awarded the coveted Crystal Globe trophy for the second time in his outstanding career.

With appearances in all five World Cup finals contested this season, plus a World Championships title, and just two rounds remaining before the close of the northern hemisphere year, Pullin has extended his lead over nearest rival, Austrian Markus Schairer, to 1150 points.

The win, which heightens the gloss to a bright season for a number of other Australian wintersport athletes, is the third in Pullin’s World Cup career and is added to his defense of his World Championship title in January.

But it did not come without a battle with American Nate Holland, who finished in second place and young Spaniard Lucas Eguibar in third.

Holland, a veteran of five World Cup wins, two World Championship podiums and a list of X Games successes, seemed to find another gear as he flew past Pullin between turns three and four in the final.

Then the brilliance of the Australian kicked in and he was able to transform the situation into a win, with the two combatants crossing the line in a nail-biting photo finish.

Pullin said that his fighting spirit, which he has displayed all season, is one of the features that he is most proud of this year.

“It is really tough to get through to the final that decides the podium,” Pullin said.

“That’s something I’m really proud of this season. It’s easy to feel tired, mentally, but I keep pushing myself to the limit where everything is on the line.

“I got away with my best start today and that allowed me to get out and get clean and race down to turn three when Nick Holland made a really good pass with extra speed into turn four but having seen that happen before and executed that pass myself earlier, I knew where he was going to end up.

“I stuck right on his tail and in the final two jumps I put the hammer down and attacked hard. It paid off.

"As we crossed the line, I threw my board out in front and had the win.

“It was racing at its best and it was really cool to finish the day like that with everything coming down to the line. It feels like such a good victory. It was challenging and enjoyable.

“The photo finish shows that the sport is increasingly challenging to win, even heats right through to the final. They’re all really tight to win.”

Statistically, Pullin needs to finish the year with the number one ranking to equal his all-conquering 2010/2011 season, when he won the first of his two World Championships and the Crystal Globe, but irrespective of whether that occurs, he is adamant that this season has been the best of his glittering career.

“I would say that this season is my best. Whether I get the Crystal Globe or not, this has been my best as far as racing, the best with performances in heats, because the sport is getting more challenging to win.

“In this time and being an Olympic year this has been the best season I could have wished for. Making finals all the way through, normally you would not see that, even with World Cup leaders.

“This has been one of those seasons where you have had to put down those performances. I have been the only one to do that so far. I have been in finals at every event and I feel proud and strong with that. So far I couldn’t ask for more.

“We have rivalries like the Vettels and the Jenson Buttons in Formula One and the Rossis and the Casey Stoners. We’ve got that going on this tour. It’s really fun. It pushes me and my riding at every competition.

“You need to go out and put down your best performance at every single event.”

In other results with Australians, NSW Institute of Sport rider Cam Bolton qualified for the finals also, finishing in 35th place while in the women’s draw, world number eight and NSWIS athlete Belle Brockhoff was 11th, making it through to the consolation final.

Olympic halfpipe Champion Torah Bright finished in 20th place, after making her first career appearance in snowboard cross head to head finals racing at the World Cup level.

Chumpy is world number one

3/2/2013

Australia’s Alex “Chumpy” Pullin’s brilliant season gathered even more momentum when he grabbed the world’s number one ranking following a hard fought second place in the snowboard cross World Cup final in Blue Mountain, Canada, today.

While the Australian Institute of Sport snowboarder had his eyes on another victory, he clearly underlined that he is the benchmark athlete in this year’s series, being the only SBX rider to win through to every World Cup final contested so far this season.

He said he was pleased to back up his history making second world crown a week ago with today’s gripping battle, which almost resulted in another win.

However, Canadian Christopher Robanske finished narrowly in front of the Australian, while former World Championship medallist, American Nick Baumgartner, was third.

Pullin delivered a strong follow up to his World Championship defence in Stoneham, Canada, on January 26 when he was third fastest in yesterday’s qualifying session, a winner in the first knock out final and a quarter final, second in the semi-final, before being edged off the top podium step by the Canadian in the last race of the day.

Pullin said he was determined to keep the pressure on his opponents after the World Championship win.

“I knew going into this event that there was expectation on me to again do well and the last thing I wanted was not to put in a good performance today,” Pullin said.

“But I knew that if I kept the positive mental state that I have maintained all season, make sure I continue to enjoy racing and have fun, that everything will come together.

“This is what I’ll be doing for the rest of the season, making sure I continue enjoying the racing.”

Pullin’s podium finish, the eighth of his World Cup career, pushes him 320 points clear of the second ranked Robanske in the chase for the coveted Crystal Globe, which is awarded to the athlete who finishes the season with the most points.

Pullin won the Crystal Globe in the same year he collected his first World Championship title in 2011.

AIS snowboard program head coach Ben Wordsworth said that he and Pullin had two goals at the start of the season – to successfully defend the World Championship and to record another World Cup series win.

With one of those goals in the bag, they are approaching the remaining nine rounds, including one in Sochi, Russia, the venue for next year’s Winter Olympic Games, with a great deal of determination.

“There were a lot of passes in the final with Chumpy going from second to fourth and back to second,” Wordsworth said.

“It’s always difficult to come off a big win like the World Championships and get back up and motivated to do well again the following week but he rode really well today.

“He learned a lot last year and now he is racing well, riding well and with all the hard work he put in over the break, it is a credit to him. He deserves everything.

“He is now looking forward to Sochi to make sure he is fast on that course.”

It was also a positive weekend for other Australian snowboard cross riders with NSWIS athlete Cam Bolton finishing in 17th, after posting the fifth fastest qualifying time while talented teenager Jarryd Hughes was 24th in qualifying and 32nd overall.

In the women’s draw, NSWIS scholarship holder Belle Brockhoff was 16th