Eventreport off the FIS Snowboard Wold Cup 2015-2016 in Baqueira Beret
On Sunday 20th, Val d’Aran ski resort received the 72 best snowboarders from all over the world in the SBX discipline in order to compete at the final of this World Cup event. Moreover, 3,000 people came to Baqueira to enjoy the show.
In women’s category, Belle Brockhoff (Australia) won the first place and Michela Moioli (Italy) is the champion of the World Cup circuit of the current season. In male’s category, Pierre Vaultier (France) won the Crystal Globe, and he Australian Alex Pullin was the wider of the big final.
The name of the winner of the final round of the World Cup was not decided until the last moment. Finally, Belle Brockhoff won the first place and was also at the overall podium, with a 3rd position. The Australian finished in the Top 10 of almost all the races run this season: 5th place in Montafon, 5th and 6th in Feldberg, 2nd in Sunny Valley, 2nd and 6th in Veysonnaz and completed these good results with a 1st place in Baqueira Beret. At the end of the race, she said, “Baqueira is a great ski resort, very huge… And in general I like this country because of its food and people, it is an incredible place”. According to the race, she added, “I felt very good. The ski resort has a lot of snow and I think everyone has enjoyed. I hope we can come back next season and I want to win the Crystal Globe, which is what I need… but I must congratulate Moioli because she has done a great job”.
The Czech Eva Samkova was second in the World Cup circuit and won the silver. This season she was 1st and 7th in Feldberg, 1st in Sunny Valley, 3rd in Bokwang, 3rd and 4th in Veysonnaz. French Chloe Trespeuch and Nelly Moenne Loccoz won the third and fourth place in the big final, respectively. Trespeuch accumulated a 3rd and 2nd place in Feldberg, 7th in Sunny Valley, 1st in Bokwang and 4th in Veysonnaz. Thanks to these results she was fourth in the overall classification (4,260 points).
In the male category the winner of the big final in Val d’Aran ski resort was the Australian Alex Pullin, who had a 5th place in the SBX circuit, thanks to these 1,000. Pullin had a 3rd and 5th place in Feldberg, 7th in Sunny Valley and 6th in Veysonnaz. The second rider crossing the finish line was the Canadian Kevin Hill, who scored his first podium of the season. Moreover, he was 8th in Feldberg. The Spanish rider from RFEDI Lucas Eguibar was the third one arriving at the finis line. The Basque of RFEDI accumulated five results in the Top 10 during this season (5th in Montafon, 8th in Feldberg, 3rd in Sunny Valley, 1st in Veysonnaz and 3rd in Baqueira Beret) and has scored 3,366 total points in the circuit. The fourth to arrive was the leader of the circuit, Vaultier. Pullin, who won in La Molina 2011 and once again obtained a good result in a Spanish ski resort, said that Spain “brings me luck. Maybe I should come to live here. I enjoyed the race, the atmosphere at the start and finish line, but I have to admit it has been a very tough final, with a very technical circuit”.
France and Italy win the Crystal Globe
In the male category, the leader of the FIS Snowboard World Cup circuit was already decided. Pierre Vaultier (France), who mathematically was already the champion in Veysonnaz, registered a total of 5,100 points thanks to his fourth place in Baqueira Beret. The Olympic champion, who collected 5 of 8 podiums of this season, said: “I’m happy and I feel good, but although I already knew that I was wining the Crystal Globe, I had to fight for today’s victory, but I couldn’t make it…”. He also had words for Lucas Eguibar “I congratulate him, has won a third place at home and was third in the final”. The Austrian Alessandro Haemmerle won the silver, with 3,840 points, after being sixth in Baqueira Beret and Lucas Eguibar, ho won the Crystal Globe in 2014-2015 season, was third with 3,366 points.
The Crystal Globe winner in the female category was the Italian Michela Moioli, with a total of 5,100 points. The rider who ended in the fifth place in the race celebrated on 20th Sunday in Blanhibar Beret, was 6th in Montafon, 2nd and 3rd in Feldberg, 3rd in Sunny Valley and 5th and 1st in Veysonnaz. Moioli, who has dressed the yellow dorsal, said: “I am very happy, I haven’t done a very good race but I’ve won the circuit! For next season, “I will work harder and harder to win back the title”. The Czech Eva Samkova, with 5,060 points, won the silver and Belle Brockhoff (Australia) won the bronze, with 4,460 points.
An incredible atmosphere
Around 3.000 people cheered enthusiastically the athletes during the race done in Blanhiblar Beret, in which a Spanish was one of the best 3 riders. They enjoyed the show while seeing the riders jumping up to 25m. They tasted traditional products from Val d’Aran in the Village, such as Olla Aranesa (is a typical mountain dish, best enjoyed when it’s cold outside) and had fun in all activities carried out near the circuit. Moreover, they have listened to live music. At the end of the competition, participants and attendees vibrated at the finish line and lived the closing party in the Village, where there was a DJ.
In total there are 72 snowboarders (49 men and 23 women) from 20 countries (Andorra, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Germany, USA, Spain, Finland, France, Nederlands, Italy, Japan, Norway, Poland, Czech Republic, Russia and Switzerland).
