FIS Snowboard Cross World Cup season 2022/23 preview

Who to watch – WOMEN (click for FIS profile):

Michela Moioli (ITA) – the Olympic champion from 2018 and three-time and three-time SBX World Cup crystal globe winner, who in general has never finished lower than third rank on the SBX standings, except for the injury-shortened 2013/14 season. Add three World Championships bronze medals and one silver medal from the last World Champs in Idre Fjall 2021 to this portfolio and you have another highly successful athlete who is for sure to be in the podium mix on a regular basis again this season.

Chloe Trespeuch (FRA) – Beijing 2022 Olympic Silver medalist, Sochi 2014 OWG Bronze medallist, 2017 Sierra Nevada World Championships silver medallist and second in the overall World Cup standings of 21/22, the 28-year-old French counts as a highly successful Snowboard Cross athlete. Add 27 podiums, of which 3 were victories in an overall of 72 World Cup starts, that is quite the statistic. Trespeuch is entering the new FIS Snowboard Cross World Cup season, of which she never finished out of the top-5 within the last six seasons.

Charlotte Bankes (GBR) – reigning World Champion and overall FIS Snowboard Cross World Cup Winner from 2021/22. With seven podiums, of which five were victories she for sure was dominating the last World Cup season and will be one of the athletes everyone should have on their list for some more podiums in the upcoming season.

Lindsey Jacobellis (USA) – current Olympic champion, Torino 2006 Olympic Silver medalist and five-time World Champion. With her 37 years, 105 World Cup starts of which 31 were victories, she is for sure one of the most experienced riders in the circuit who is always good for a surprise. Jacobellis already made history by her countless achievements, but she is also the winningest athlete in snowboard cross among men and women.

Not to be overlooked: Odine Meryeta (CAN), Belle Brockhoff (AUS), Audrey McManiman (CAN)

Who to watch – MEN (click for FIS profile):

Alessandro Haemmerle (AUT) – After hugely successful past three seasons, it is no wonder that the Austrian finally came home from the Olympic Winter Games 2022 with a Victory. The current Olympic Champion and three-time crystal globe winner is for sure one of the most consistent riders to hit the World Cup podium in recent seasons. Out of 78 World Cup starts, he managed to get on the podium 26 times, with 14 victories. He will for sure try to maintain his excellent results and try to claim the missing World Championships gold medal in his collection in the upcoming season. 

Martin Noerl (GER) – was a surprise rider for most of us last season. The 29-year-old German, who won the crystal globe last season, only counts four victories in his whole career and in total stood on the podium for four times. Nevertheless, he was listed as favorite for the Olympics as he won the three races in January 2022 right before the Olympics started. We are curious to see whether he will be able to show his strong performance from last season again in the upcoming season.

Eliot Grondin (CAN) – vice Olympic Champion 2022, third place at the World Championships 2021 and fourth in the overall World Cup in the season 21/22. Besides that, the young Canadian can already count 36 World Cup starts, whereof six have been podiums, in detail, one third, three second and two victories, most of them last season. With his 21 years, he is not only an athlete to keep an eye on this season, but also for the future.

Not to be overlooked: Omar Visintin (ITA), Jakob Dusek (AUT), Lorenzo Sommariva (ITA), Merlin Surget (FRA)

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