Australia’s leading snowboard cross duo has ended the 2008 season inside the world’s top 16, the best result ever recorded in the sport by our athletes.

Alex Pullin finished the year in 13th place on the points table, a career best for the 20-year-old Mt Buller rider, while Damon Hayler was three spots further back in 16th position after a strong finish to the season.

Hayler rode to seventh place at the World Cup final in Valmalenco, Italy, his third top ten result for the year.

The Sydney 31-year-old finished in mid-field in the qualifying round, posting the 15th fastest time down the course.

But he came out strongly in his round of 32 final, winning that head-to-head race, then finishing in second position in the quarter-final.

He was eliminated in the semis, earning seventh place overall, his second best result of the season.

Pullin once again showed how fast he is in qualifying, finishing in third place, just 0.14 of a second behind the fastest man, Derek Wintermans of Canada.

But the Mansfield rider was unable to push through the finals, going out in the round of 32 for an overall placing of 17th.

The event was won by Mateusz Ligocki of Poland, from Pierre Vaultier of France and his team-mate Vincent Valery.

The World Cup crystal globe went to Vaultier, who ended the season on 5180 points, 100 clear of Norway’s Stian Sivertzen.

Pullin ended on 1892 points, while Hayler collected 1590, despite missing the opening two events of the nine-event season.