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World Cup riders and Olympic hopefuls have the opportunity to check out the venue for the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympic Games, which will feature (as far as the snowboarders are concerned) parallel giant slalom and halfpipe.

Snowboard cross is not part of the Olympic program, but a tinge of Olympic spirit was already in the air today, during the season's eighth SBX race, held on Park City, Utah's "Clementine" run — next to the 2002 parallel giant slalom course. Today's race was part of the "Countdown to Gold," a series of test events prior to the Games. Most of the 5,000 people who lined the slope are involved in the Park City Youth Program, established by the Salt Lake Games organizing committee to inspire young athletes from all over Utah.

"My riding has not been too bad...I was just missing a little luck and that was on my side today...."— Jasey Jay Anderson (CAN)

Riders and spectators alike enjoyed the sunny day, and the spring-like conditions could not have been better. Jasey Jay Anderson and Mathieu Morency made it a double win for Canada in the men's race. Anderson, who dominated the earlier qualification rounds, smoked the course through the finals.

"My riding has not been too bad," said Anderson, who also won the giant slalom in Nagano last weekend. "I was just missing a little luck and that was on my side today. On this fast course, the alpine riders definitely had an advantage — or at least those who didn't chose a soft board. It was a perfect race for me and I'm glad I made it."

Morency made it to his first World Cup podium, finishing 2nd. "I was really waiting for this and I am so happy that I worked it out," he said. "It was just great."

	Ah, sun!

Pontus Stahlkloo from Sweden took 3rd place, ahead of Germany's Markus Ebner, but still keeps the yellow World Cup leader's bib. Suffering from an injury he sustained during training this week, Australian Zeke Stegall finished 5th, but remains 2nd overall. Swiss NOKIA rider Guillaume Nantermod took 6th place, and is 3rd in the overall standings.

Farmand Wins Second SBX
Winning the women's race, Sandra Farmand from Germany took her second snowboard cross of the season. "I wanted to go shopping in the outlets next to our hotel, but thought it would be better to get some prize money first," she joked. "To be honest, I did not feel very well today, but whenever it's like that, I do pretty good.

"People kept trying to convince me to use my alpine board, but I'm glad I didn't listen to them and took the soft one instead," Farmand added.

Austria's NOKIA rider Manuela Riegler finished 2nd, ahead of Carmen Ranigler from Italy and defending snowboard cross World Champion Julie Pomagalski from France.

Farmand now takes the lead in the standings, with Ranigler remaining 2nd, ahead and Marie Laissus from France, who injured her ankle in training yesterday and stayed out of the race today.

Though the Olympic pipe is not yet in place, the World Cup visit will continue with a halfpipe competition on Saturday and a giant slalom Sunday.

—Britta Semmler, MountainZone.com Correspondent