SNOWBOARD CROSS: After five World Cups and the World Championships events completed, the best snowboard cross riders are in Veysonnaz, Switzerland for the final 2016/17 World Cup event, with Alex ‘Chumpy’ Pullin coming into the race currently ranked fourth overall in the world standings.
Joining Pullin in Veysonnaz is Cam Bolton (ranked 17th) and NSWIS skiers Adam Lambert (18th), Matt Thomas (39) and Adam Dickson (60).
Jarryd Hughes decided not to contest the final race and three-time ladies World Cup winner Belle Brockhoff is recovering from injury.
Two-time World Champion and recent World Championship bronze medallist Alex Pullin is well within reach of the overall podium and has had a strong season.
The 29-year-old has been consistently in the top five during the World Cup series, collecting a gold in Feldberg and bronze in Montafon along the way.
Chumpy sits in fourth place on the leader board with 2790 points. There is less than 1000 points separating the top four places, with Italy's Omar Visintin in first on 3470, Frenchman Pierre Vaultier is second on 3450 and Austria's Alessandro Haemmerle rounds out the top three on 3114.6.
With a World Cup victory worth 1000 points, it is still anyone's game.
Despite the course in Veysonnaz being described as becoming more ‘mellow’ over the years, Australian coach Ben Wordsworth says everyone is “looking forward to the final World Cup to finish the season strongly.”
“The course here has always suited riders like Alex Pullin as it has always been fast and technical,” Wordsworth said.
Men’s qualifying gets underway on Friday evening 24 March at 8.45pm AEDT with the finals on Saturday night from 11.30pm.
