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Maelle Ricker and Graham Watanabe victorious in Snowboard Cross at Sunday River / Ross Powers with impressive comeback.Maelle Ricker (CAN) and Graham Watanabe (USA) have won the seventh Snowboard Cross of the 2009 LG Snowboard FIS World Cup in Sunday River and thus celebrated their first victory in the running season. In the ladies’ final, the Canadian successfully competed in an enthralling and tight duel against reigning World Champion Helene Olafsen (NOR) who finished second ahead of Mellie Francon (SUI) and current World Cup leader Lindsey Jacobellis from the USA. On the men’s side, Watanabe benefitted from an early collision of all of his three contenders in the top part of the Sunday Punch course opening the door to his career’s third triumph. Lukas Gruener (AUT) took the second spot ahead of Ross Powers (USA) who celebrated an outstanding comeback placing third in his first ever SBX World Cup race. Robert Fagan from Canada finished fourth. That his rivals for victory cut themselves out of the chance for the win Watanabe just recognised after he had crossed the finish line first: “I didn’t care about what was happening behind of me. I just went for it.” However, the triumph which was also equivalent to the National Championship title was kind of a surprise for the 26-year-old. “I didn’t do well in the qualifiers, so I’m happy how everything ended up. I couldn’t have written it better. I have my season’s win, didn’t had to wait for it for four years like last time and also have my title back. There is no way I could have imagined it better” said “Kung-Fu-Gomez” who was able to win three of his so far four World Cup finals he competed in. Second ranked Lukas Gruener was also more than surprised about how the race wrapped up for him with his season’s best result. “I didn’t expect this at all! I was so glad about making it to the finals” said the Austrian who went down in his first qualifying time trial and thus had to risk everything in his second attempt. “I was just hoping not to repeat Stoneham (where he placed 40th). That it ended up like this is just fantastic.” Close battle for victory in the ladies finalWhile the men’s final was an easy victory lap for Watanabe, Maelle Ricker had to battle it out the hard way in order to gain her season’s first victory. Head-to-head with Helene Olafsen, the 30-year-old raced down the course, clearing all of the 21 features. “I was fighting hard and kept the line. I definitely didn’t want to end up as fourth again” said the 2006 Olympian fourth ranked rider who had missed the podium in Bad Gastein, Cypress and at the World Championships in Korea before closely. “It was an exciting race. Actually, Helene had passed me once but I was able to counter on the inside line. I was fighting all year long and finally I got rewarded for it.” Due to her victory, the Squamish resident was able to close the gap to Lindsey Jacobellis in the race for the Crystal Globe. Jacobellis now leads by 1,450 points having gained 5,100 points so far. Today’s runner up Olafsen took a similar view like Ricker: “Maelle definitely deserved the win today. It was so close until the finish. I guess this was probably the best race I ever competed in so far.” The 19-year-old Norwegian, who had won the 2009 World Championships in Gangwon, Korea, a month ago also underlined that finishing second was equivalent to a triumph: “It’s a victory for me as it’s been the first time ever I was able to beat Lindsey (Jacobellis) in a final heat!” Outstanding comeback for Olympic ChampionHe claimed Bronze in the halfpipe at the 2002 Olympic Championships just to take Gold four years later. His last World Cup event was almost exactly four years ago in Bardonecchia. Today, Ross Powers came back in an impressive way just to round out the podium at his first ever Snowboard Cross World Cup race. “I was working for this the whole season going from FIS races to Nor-Am Cups and now to the World Cup. It’s amazing that I made it from bottom to the top” said the father of two daughters. But the “From rags to riches” fairy tail should not have reached the final page yet – according to Powers: “I will start in Spain (La Molina). I hope that I will then be in the top-50 in order to be allowed to go to the World Cup finals in Italy (Valmalenco). If this all works out I might reach my goal to be in the position to make an Olympic spot. It would be amazing to come back. But the US team is very strong.” The UK's Zoe Gillings was bumped to the small final by Jacobellis and Ricker, but saw herself victorious there to claim 5th overall.  |
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