Bakuriani hosts back-to-back SBX World Cups
Mar 03, 2021·Snowboard Cross
We are back at the FIS Snowboard Cross World Cup after a short break following the last competition stop at Reiteralm, Austria. Back-to-back individual competitions await us in a brand-new snowboard cross resort in Bakuriani, Georgia.
Bakuriani, in central Georgia, where the FIS Freestyle Ski, Snowboard and Freeski World Championships 2023 are slated to take place, has been working very hard to prepare the World Cup competitions and implement all the necessary tasks for the upcoming test-events.
Upon obtaining World Champs host status, complex preparatory work began. A lot of infrastructural works have been made in Bakuriani, which will make the resort more attractive for both, winter sports lovers and local residents of the resort. In recent years, a bypass road has been built, the road to Mitarbi and Kokhta has been renewed, and recreational zones are also planned to be renovated.
Thanks to the Mountain Resorts Development Company and the Government of Georgia, Bakuriani will meet the 2021 ski season with 3 new ski lifts and new skiing tracks, the work was done by the Austrian-Swiss company "Doppelmayr/Garaventa Group". The upgraded infrastructure with improved services will be able to serve an increased number of visitors.
Needless to say, that the SBX family is super excited to be here and explore this part of the world with a snowboard cross track that looks fantastic.
What happened so far…
With double races in Valmalenco (ITA), the FIS Snowboard Cross World Champs in Idre with one single and one mixed-team event, followed by another individual competition at Austria’s Reiteralm in the books, it has been a season with only new venues to the calendar. Although Valmalenco used to be a regular stop on the SBX tour, it was the season finals of 2012 that the Italian venue had hosted a Snowboard Cross World Cup for the last time, before reappearing on the calendar this year.
Let’s take a closer look on the performances of the female athletes so far. For this, we will start with current World Cup leader Michela Moioli (ITA). With two wins and one fourth place so far this season, this is reason enough for the World Champs silver medallist to be wearing the yellow leader bib. The 2019/20 crystal globe winner will be for sure seeking to defend her overall World Cup winning title, as she claimed at the beginning of the season.
With Eva Samkova (CZE), the Idre bronze medallist, Moioli has some strong competition back in the gates this year. “Ms. Moustache” opened the season with a double podium, one third place and one victory and continued with the small final win at Reiteralm. The World Championships third place surely also underlined Samkova’s strong appearance this season, so we can expect her to fight Moioli for the podium spots in some serious snowboard cross manner.
USA’s Faye Gulini has showed some exceptional good racing in Valmalenco with two second places. Add a good 10th place at Reiteralm and you will understand why she is currently sitting in third rank at the World Cup standings.
Also, the winningest SBX athlete of all time, Lindsey Jacobellis (USA) made it back to the podium at Reiteralm (2nd place), making it a total of 54 podium spots in 97 World Cup starts. The 35-year-old made a clear statement that she is back and therefore we need to have her on our watchlist too, as she is getting closer and closer to a total of 100 World Cup starts.
And of course, don’t count out brand new World Champion Charlotte Bankes (GBR) in the fight for World Cup points, especially after that amazing achievement in Idre at the World Champs.
Unfortunately, some sad news appeared from the Australian team, as mixed-team World Champion (together with teammate Jarryd Hughes) Belle Brockhoff crashed during Tuesday’s training and due to an injury will not be able to compete here in Georgia.
We wish Belle a quick recovery!
Haemmerle able to continue strong performances?
With two wins, one in Valmalenco and one in Reiteralm and a silver medal at the World Champs in Idre, crystal globe winner from 2019/20, Alessandro Haemmerle (AUT) enters the Bakuriani competitions with quite the confidence boost. The Austrian seems to be in really strong shape and winning on home soil is always special and helps create some pretty valuable momentum to enter into the next competition, so it will be interesting to see how the current World Cup leader approaches the 2023 World Championship track here in Bakuriani.
Young Canadian Eliot Grondin, who with just 52 points less, is sitting in second rank in the World Cup standings at the moment, has been showing some really strong performances this season. Not only did the 19-year-old claim second place in Valmalenco, and a strong fourth place at Reiteralm, the young Canadian also grabbed the bronze medal at the World Championships in Idre behind World Champion Lucas Eguibar and silver medallist Alessandro Haemmerle.
Therefore, we need to keep a close eye on the talented Canadian, because we feel that he has still some energy left in his tank to perform really well this season.
Some surprising news on the other hand is that brand new World Champion Lucas Eguibar (ESP) is not going to be able to compete in the Georgian double races, because of some serious back pains and therefore decided to sit out these races in the hope to be able to race at the World Cup finals in Veysonnaz (SUI) on March 20.
With young Frenchman Merlin Surget or season-opener surprise winner Glenn de Blois from the Netherlands and the Italian team with Omar Visintin and Lorenzo Sommariva, the battle for podium spots will be for sure one to watch.
It will be worth tuning in and checking out the snowboard cross athletes sending it on the 2023 World Champs course here in Bakuriani, so don’t miss it!
Qualifications are set for March 3 at 11:30 LOC/ 8:30 CET, which you can follow via FIS App or via live timing on the FIS Website.
Finals are scheduled for March 4 at 11:00 LOC/ 8:00 CET and March 5 at 11:00 LOC/ 8:00 CET.
WATCH LIVE (subject to change):
Thursday, March 4 at 11:00 LOC/ 8:00 CET:
TV: ORF Sport+ (Austria), Eurosport 2 (Asia, Europe), ZC Sport (Czech Republic), TV2 SPXRT (Denmark), ARENA 4 (Hungary), Teledeporte (Spain), Silknet, Euronews (Georgia)
Livestreaming: FIS Snowboard Youtube channel (geo-restricted, find countries where you will be able to watch HERE), CBC Sports Streaming (Canada)
Friday, March 5 at 11:00 LOC/ 8:00 CET:
TV: ORF Sport+ (Austria), Eurosport 2 (Asia, Europe), ZC Sport (Czech Republic), TV2 SPXRT (Denmark), ARENA 4 (Hungary), Silknet, Euronews (Georgia), Teledeporte (Spain)
Livestreaming: FIS Snowboard Youtube channel (geo-restricted, find countries where you will be able to watch HERE), CBC Sports Streaming (Canada)
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