Australian skiing and snowboard athletes have secured two podium finishes in the opening weekend of World Cup competition, to cap off an impressive start to the northern hemisphere season.

Nineteen-year-old NSW Institute of Sport athlete Belle Brockhoff became the first Australian woman to win a snowboard cross World Cup medal when she finished third in Montafon, Austria.

And in Nakiska, Canada, Australian Institute of Sport scholarship holder Anton Grimus delivered a career best by making his first World Cup ski cross final and grabbing the bronze medal.

Twenty four hours earlier Alex “Chumpy” Pullin signaled a return to the form that pushed him all the way to the world number one ranking and World Championship in 2011 when he qualified for the snowboard cross final and finished fourth overall in Montafon.

On Friday, AIS slider, Michelle Steele, produced the best result of her season to finish in fifth place at the skeleton World Cup in Winterberg, Germany.

The podium result for Brockhoff was a bolt from the blue with just five World Cup starts to her record.

The same could not be said for 21-year-old Grimus. The talented athlete who trains at NSW’s Perisher Valley and Victoria’s Mt Buller, has shown on many occasions since his World Cup debut two years ago that he can match it with the world’s best.

But his race craft has not always been equal to his raw talent. Today he showed a big jump in maturity and produced a strategic performance that had instant rewards, sure to fuel his confidence for the remainder of the season. Fellow Australian Scott Kneller finished in twelth place.

Results – World Cup round 1 women’s snowboard cross, Montafon, Austria
1. D. Maltais (CAN), 2. R.Brutto (ITA), 3. B.Brockhoff (AUS), 4. N. Moenne Loccoz (FRA), 5. Z.Gillings (GBR), 6. Y.Fujimori (JAP).

World Cup standing – World Cup round 1 women’s snowboard cross
1. D. Maltais (CAN), 100, 2. R.Brutto (ITA), 80, 3. B.Brockhoff (AUS), 60, 4. N. Moenne Loccoz (FRA), 50, 5. Z.Gillings (GBR), 45, 6. Y.Fujimori (JAP), 40.

Results – World Cup round 1 men’s ski cross, Nakiska, Canada.
1. A.Niederer (SUI), 2. A.Fiva (SUI), 3. A.Grimus (AUS), 4. M.Forslund (SWE), 5. J.Chapuis (FRA), 6. B.Leman (CAN), 12. S.Kneller (AUS)

World Cup standing – World Cup round 1 men’s ski cross
1. A.Niederer (SUI) 100, 2. A.Fiva (SUI) 80, 3. A.Grimus (AUS) 60, 4. M.Forslund (SWE) 50, 5. J.Chapuis (FRA) 45, 6. B.Leman (CAN) 40, 12. S.Kneller (AUS) 22

 

Short Track Speed Skating

Following on from Deanna Lockett’s second top five place in a week, Australia’s short track speed skaters have had a good weekend at the World Cup event in Shanghai.

Lockett finished fourth in the 1000 meters in Shanghai, her best international result, following her fifth place in the 1500 metre final in Japan.

Her team-mate, Julie Jung, skated a personal best time in the 1000 metres (1) event to finish third in her quarter final, and tenth overall.

Fellow Aussie, Pierre Boda, also made the quarter finals in the Men’s 1000 metre (1) event, and finished in 12th place overall. Like Jung, Boda also skated a personal best time.

Along with her fourth place in the 1000 metres, Lockett also took 14th in the 1500 metre event.

OWIA