SNOWBOARD/ SKI CROSS: Australia’s participation in the 2012-2013 World Cup Snowboard and Ski Cross season will burst out of the starting gate this weekend with a snowboard cross double-header and ski cross event.

Leading the charge will be Australian Institute of Sport scholarship holder and reigning snowboard cross World Champion Alex “Chumpy” Pullin, who will open his season in Montafon, Austria, on Friday local time.

Hear from Chumpy about his excitement for the impending winter season>>>

Round two of the demanding season, which consists of 18 individual and teams events plus the 2013 World Championships, will also be staged at Montafon the day after the season opener.

Pullin is confident that a grueling five month pre-season campaign will prepare him physically for his northern hemisphere commitments and see him return to the form which elevated him to the world’s number one ranking and World Championship in 2011.

“I’m really excited,” Pullin said. “It’s been a perfect preparation season for me in Australia. I’ve had a few trips back to Europe and recently I’ve just been training up in Sydney fulltime.

“I couldn’t feel more ready and the timing is perfect. I always get really excited coming into the early stages of the season and to kick it off in Austria, there’s no better atmosphere for boarder cross.”

Australia’s five-member ski cross squad kicks off its World Cup season at the Canadian resort of Nakiska.

Scott Kneller, Anton Grimus, Jenny Owens, Sami Kennedy-Sim and Katya Crema all have the potential to achieve podium and finals finishes this season.

Kneller tasted World Cup victory two seasons ago in Italy and is hungry to repeat the achievement in Nakiska on Saturday Canadian time.

“I’ve got a lot of expectations on myself as always,” Kneller said.

“But I’d really like to see myself in the final. That’s where everything has been heading and I’m definitely capable of achieving that.”

World Cup Round 1 snowboard cross – 3.15pm Friday December 7 (local time)
World Cup Round 2 snowboard cross – 2.45pm Saturday December 8 (local time)
World Cup Round 1 ski cross – 12.30pm Saturday December 8 local time.

OWIA