Bankes and Noerl defend Crystal Globe

What a thrilling last day of racing it was on Sunday’s final race of the FIS Snowboard Cross World Cup season in Mont Sainte Anne, Canada, where the young Josie Baff (AUS) claimed her second career win and German Martin Noerl not only won the last race of the season by a hair’s breadth, but more important secured the crystal globe with this win. Besides Noerl, also Charlotte Bankes (GBR) got awarded with the crystal globe as both have been the best overall athletes of the FIS Snowboard Cross World Cup season 2022/23.

As predicted it was snowing 20 cm over the night and didn`t stop snowing until the race was over. The organizers with the many volunteers met super early at the hill and did their best to ensure a good race, which we had.

Baff ending season as she started it
In the last big final women of the season, we saw Chloe Trespeuch (FRA) in red, Josie Baff (AUS) in green, Eva Adamczykova in blue and Pia Zerkhold (AUT) in yellow.

Out of the gate it was Adamczykova who was leading the women into the start section, followed by Zerkhold, Baff and Trespeuch in fourth position. The two young riders Baff and Zerkhold showed some really good riding over the first obstacles and so went into the lead.

Trespeuch who was in fourth position after the start section slowly made her way forward and first overtook Adamczykova and then Zerkhold.

Experienced Adamczykova took the inside line in bank four and overtook Zerkhold and Trespeuch back. But this pass didn’t last for too long as Adamczykova was in the outside line going into the last left turn, lost speed and got overtaken again by Trespeuch and shortly after also by Zerkhold.

Australians Baff stayed out of all position fights and rode all the way down to the finish in first position. Everyone thought Trespeuch will ride to her fifth second place when suddenly the young Austrian pushed her bord in front and won the battle for second position in the photofinish.

Baff who also won the first race of the season now closed her season with a victory. With the second place Zerkhold achieved her career best result, Trespeuch got third and Adamczykova had to accept another fourth place.

World cup leader Bankes only made it to the small final, which she won. She was already almost crying when she crossed the finish line, because she knew, no matter what Trespeuchs gets in the big final, the crystal globe was hers.