ASPEN, CO (Jan. 23. 2015)—It was a jam-packed day on the snowboardcross course at X Games. Beneath bluebird skies and in front of throngs of fans, the men’s and women’s snowboardcross fields raced on Friday afternoon in Aspen, Colorado. In the end, the U.S. Snowboard Team walked away with two medals—a gold in the women’s competition and a bronze in the men’s race. Standing on the X Games podium was nothing new for both medal winners. Lindsey Jacobellis (Stratton Mountain, VT) won gold in the women’s field and Nate Holland (Squaw Valley, CA) won the bronze on the men’s side.
The day started with qualifying runs on the snowboardcross course. 24 men and 12 women slid into the start gate during qualifying, fighting for six spots in two subsequent semifinal heats. The track was firm and fast throughout the day, and the men and women snowboardcross riders flew down the washboard sections, around the banked turns, and over the massive booters—including a tabletop dubbed “Fat Bob” and a rhythm section called “Shady Alley.”
Jacobellis passed Canada’s silver medalist Dominique Maltais on the flat section of “Fat Bob.” The move put Jacobellis in front of the pack with about three-quarters of the race left. Jacobellis never relinquished her lead after the aggressive move. She squealed in delight as she crossed the X Games finish line in first place for the ninth time, proving again that she’s the most dominant female snowboardcross competitor of all time. Rounding out the podium were Maltais of Canada in second and France’s Nelly Moenne Loccoz of Italy in third.
“I just tried to slow things down and look for passing opportunities,” said an elated Jacobellis with her new gold medal around her neck. “I did not win the start and had to go with what I had in front of me and try to stay out of traffic.”
On the men’s side, six competitors earned spots in the final after an intense day of qualifying and semifinal runs. The international field of riders in the final had snowboarders representing Germany, Canada, Austria, Italy, and two men from the U.S. Snowboard Team—Holland and Nick Baumgartner (Iron River, MI). Immediately out of the start gate, Canada’s Kevin Hill took a lead that he only increased throughout the race. Behind Hill, however, a tight pack of five racers jostled and jockeyed for the two remaining spots on the podium.
The pack of riders trailing Hill got tangled up midway through the course, but X Games rookie Omar Visintin of Italy and Holland successfully navigated the carnage. In the end, Hill won gold, Visintin took silver and Holland grabbed his 10th X Games medal with a bronze.
“This wasn’t your typical X Games course,” said Holland. “It was a little tighter and with six guys riding fast I knew there was going to be chaos. It was a stone-cold bar brawl in there and I knew it would be…. I had so much fun. I never expected to win gold. I am just pumped to medal. And, Kevin Hill rode like a maniac today.”
Next up for the U.S. Snowboard Team at X Games 2015 is the Snowboard Big Air on Friday night, which is slated to be an Olympic sport in the 2018 Olympics in South Korea.
HIGHLIGHTS
- The 2015 snowboardcross competition at X Games marked the first time in sports history that a drone was used to capture aerial footage during a live sporting event.
- Today’s win was the ninth gold medal for Jacobellis at X Games in snowboardcross.
- Jacobellis has won 11 total X Games medals, including a snowboardcross silver in 2007 and slopestyle bronze in 2003.
- Baumgartner narrowly missed the X Games podium, finishing 0.32 seconds off of Holland’s bronze medal-winning time.
- Holland has won 10 X Games medals, but never a silver medal. He has seven gold medals and three bronze medals.
- This is Holland’s first X Games medal since he won gold in the 2012 snowboardcross.
QUOTES
Lindsey Jacobellis, snowboardcross gold medalist
My focus was on trying to get the best line in the first turn because it bottlenecks so hard there and there aren’t many opportunities to get out of that section unscathed. I didn’t get the “hole shot,” but it opened up some space because everyone was in the turn at the same time. I was able to get around some of the chaos.
Everyone is stepping up their game and it’s pretty amazing to see how many ladies are riding at this level.
The biggest difference with my new snowboard is in the turns. I’m not grinding as much and I’m able to really generate speed and leave the turn with speed, which is important when you’re trying to get away from everyone.
Nate Holland, snowboardcross bronze medalist
I wasn’t getting very good starts, so my game plan was to stay out of the chaos, get into the finals, and then wing it from there.
Everyone is riding really great. This is the best X Games course even though it is not their typical course.
Omar Visintin, snowboardcross silver medalist from Italy
I am thrilled to take the silver in my first X Games, and barely beating a legend like Nate Holland means a lot to me.
