Dominique Maltais (CAN) and Seth Wescott (USA) have clinched the season's second snowboard cross race of the 2013 FIS Snowboard World Cup tour in Telluride, Colorado.
The women's World Cup leader secured a back-to-back win in an absolutely impressive way dominating the course ahead of her fellow countrywoman Maelle Ricker (CAN) and Alexandra Jekova (BUL). The 32-years-old thus comfortably sits on the top position of the World Cup ranking having collected the maximum of 2,000 points so far.
On the men's side, Wescott celebrated his career's third World Cup victory in a photo finish. Two years ago, the 2006 and 2010 Olympic Champion had lost a similarly close race in Telluride to Pierre Vaultier (FRA). This time, the SBX veteran had the luck on his side crossing the finish line just a few inches ahead of reigning World Champion Alex Pullin (AUS).
Christopher Robanske (CAN) rounded out the podium as third.
Britain's Zoe Gillings was knocked out in the Quarter Finals.
Key facts
- Maltais also wins the season's second race after being victorious in the SBX World Cup opener in Schruns, Austria, last weekend
- Career's ninth for Maltais
- Career's third for Wescott, who won twice in Arosa, Switzerland before
- 10th top-3 result for Wescott
- Omar Visintin (ITA) defends his World Cup lead coming in as eighth ranked rider today with a total of 1,320 points. Pullin sits in second of the ranking with 1,300 points
Quotes
Dominique Maltais (CAN), first: I'm really happy. It was tough today because the conditions were changing a lot. I had to improvise in the finals but I guess I did pretty good.
I guess the people are expecting a lot from me at the World Championships. So, the pressure was there before the two World Cup wins already. That's good as it is also a very good preparation for Sochi.
Seth Wescott, first: I love courses like this one. This is why I done well here and also in Arosa. When you can pull out of the start and only try to search for speed that's when I ride the best.
At the same time, courses like that usually end up allowing for really close finishes because everyone is working for that speed.
I had a horrible final jump and that was what got me that other year. And I knuckled again here and I was just trying to get to that finish line like 'please don't have this happen again.'
The World Cup win is really good. It's been a hard last year for me coming back from that bad injury (torn breast muscle in Veysonnaz, Switzerland). It's been a long road to be big where I am now again.
I love the World Championships, I love the Olympics, I like the big days. Stoneham is kind of a home race for me, it's only three hours from home. I'm looking forward to it.
Maelle Ricker (CAN), second: The second rank is a little redemption for Montafon last week. I had a little bit of fire into my bum.
It was super fun but really challenging. You had to work really hard to get those landings.
I really wanted to have a strong race before Christmas, because we now have such a long break until the worlds. It's nice to go into the worlds with some confidence.
Alex Pullin (AUS), second: It was an absolutely incredible day of racing. The course was perfect. To share it with legends like Seth Wescott who was the guy who brought me into the sport watching him win the World Championship title in Whistler a few years ago is just awesome.
There were passes the whole way down. It was the best feeling, best racing. I feel that I really earned that one. I'm just looking so much forward to the rest of the season.
The 2013 FIS Snowboard Cross World Cup - One Tour, One Champion
The 2013 FIS Snowboard Cross World Cup consists of ten competitions on top courses all over the world, featuring both individual and team competitions and always focused on the goal of delivering quality over quantity.
Each course is purpose-built with freestyle-based features such as big table-top jumps, wu-tangs, step-ups, step-downs, rollers and banked turns that provide several opportunities to overtake.
Depending on the venue, the course features are built to accommodate spectacular four or six rider heats and to provide intense head-to-head, fast-paced action.
The FIS Snowboard Cross World Cup is the only tour of its kind and fully supported by both riders and teams. The global circuit features the world's best female and male athletes at every World Cup stop, including World Champions and Olympic medallists who are fighting to become the overall champions of the season.
This season's top highlight will be the FIS Snowboard World Championships at Stoneham, Quebec (CAN) at the end of January 2013.
Results
Final results women: http://www.fis-ski.com/pdf/2013/SB/7406/7406RLR0.pdf
Final results men: http://www.fis-ski.com/pdf/2013/SB/7407/7407RLR0.pdf
Final bracket women: http://www.fis-ski.com/pdf/2013/SB/7406/7406RLRF.pdf
Final bracket men: http://www.fis-ski.com/pdf/2013/SB/7407/7407RLRF.pdf
World Cup standings women: http://www.fis-ski.com/pdf/2013/SB/7406/7406WCS.pdf
World Cup standing men: http://www.fis-ski.com/pdf/2013/SB/7407/7407WCS.pdf