Those who got to the "Portes de Soleil" in France today would not have expected conditions like this here in Avoriaz for the fifth Snowboard Cross of the 2000/2001 Nokia Snowboard FIS World Cup. The valley was covered with fog and the sun only appeared on the very top to make it an excellent day at "La Tete aux Boefs" with spring temperatures and blue skies all day long.
Jasey Jay Anderson seems to like the taste of podium finishes and added another one to his resume when he claimed the gold today, his second after Park City last season. Finishing 1st in the qualifications, 36 hundredths of a second ahead of a surprising runner-up, Jeff Greenwood from the US, the Canadian was the top favorite for the finals and dominated every single heat there.
"It was tough," Anderson said, "really hard work for me, but I was convinced I'd do well from the very start. The course was not one of my favorites — I prefer alpine courses like we had in Whistler. In the upper part you definitely had the advantage with an alpine board to do good carving but it was different further down so everyone got some advantage out of it."
Italy's Simone Malusa, who has only made it to the podium once before, claimed 2nd place today. "That was a tough one," he said, "and I'm very happy with the result. There was nothing else I could add to beat Jasey Jay. He was so strong today — just like someone from a different planet..."
Guillaume Nantermod from Switzerland, who lives in the Morgins, not far from Avoriaz, claimed his first podium this season with a 3rd today.
"There was definitely more potential," the Swiss said, "but it is great that I claimed my first podium this year next to home. I wanted to make it to the very top but there is another chance tomorrow and I would definitely like to figure it out then."
Zeke Steggall from Down Under finished 4th and looked a bit disappointed although it was the first time this season he made it to the finals, after suffering a knee injury at the finals last year. "It was a hard race, but fourth place it okay," he said. "They are going to slightly change the course for tomorrow and I am sure it will be a lot better at the start."
Sweden's Pontus Stahlkloo was knocked out in the quarter-finals today and ended up 10th but defended the World Cup lead. Joni Vastamäki from Finland crashed badly in the qualifications and smashed his knee, which was already injured from playing hockey. However, he is still in 2nd place in the World Cup standings. Alexander Maier from Austria, who finished 9th today, sits in 3rd place overall.
The women's lead in the World Cup is still a fight between French rider Karine Ruby and German Sandra Farmand. They switch back and forth and today it was Ruby who claimed the win.
"I just followed up on our agreement," she said, "and if we keep on, it will be Sandra again tomorrow... The course was a bit harder in the qualifications and you could go much bigger but it was fine this afternoon, too, since the sun did not touch the course and it was nice riding all day long."
Austria's Ursula Fingerlos finished 2nd but hurt her foot twice and was suffering when she got to the finish. "It was really hard and now I think I must have been crazy to continue," she said, "I should have used my brain and not let it go, not matter what happened. The only consolation for the pain is second place — it would be too bad to be fourth and stand all the pain..." Later on she went for surgery and probably will not be racing for at least six weeks.
Farmand finally finished in 3rd place. "I think the hill was too steep to set such a narrow course," she said, "I was good at the start, but had some problems and could not catch up. That is Snowboard Cross — you always need this little bit of luck also..."
Austria's Manuela Riegler claimed 4th place.
Ruby and Farmand also switched positions in the World Cup standings again, with Ruby taking the lead. Fingerlos still sits in 3rd.
More Snowboard Cross racing tomorrow with the season's sixth competition.
— Britta Semmler, MountainZone.com Correspondent
