European Cup to set race mode for snowboard cross athletes

It is time for the snowboard cross athletes to get into race mode again and see where they stand after all these months of training. One European Cup race will give this opportunity at the Pitztal glacier (AUT) on Thursday, Nov 28, ahead of the World Cup kick off in mid-December in Montafon (AUT).

Also, Austrian National Championships will be held at the same time, where of course SBX crystal globe winner Alessandro Haemmerle will be aiming to claim his first national title after last year’s very successful season. “The races here in Pitztal give a really good orientation of where you stand within the international competition field. I have worked really hard during season preparation and my teammates and I pushed each other really hard. But now I am really looking forward to switch training mode into racing mode,” Haemmerle says, who will not only be challenged by his teammates at the upcoming races in Pitztal, but amongst others also by a very strong US team with World Champion Mick Dierdorff, Hagen Kearney and Nick Baumgartner, also by the German athletes Paul Berg and Martin Noerl and of course Spain’s Lucas Eguibar.

In regards to the National Championship title his biggest competition is his brother Luca Haemmerle, who has won the title last year, as well as Julian Lueftner, Lukas Pachner and many more.

On the ladie’s side of things, fighting to defend her title will be Katharina Neussner, who also this year seems to have the odds in her favour. Her challengers are Pia Zerkhold, Anna Galler and Lara Stockreiter.

We can’t wait to see those athletes pulling out of the start gate and fighting for the much-acclaimed podium spots.

The season preview for the FIS Snowboard World Cup will be coming up soon with detailed information about the race venues, athlete profiles to look out for this season and many more.

The full FIS Snowboard Cross World Cup calendar can be found HERE.