Snowboardcross, alpine riders open 2004 with Bad Gastein World Cup

Snowboardcross, alpine riders open 2004 with Bad Gastein World Cup{mosimage}USSA — U.S. alpine riders and the snowboardcross squad are set to ring in the New Year January 5-6 at Bad Gastein, Austria.

Making her first senior World Cup SBX start, reigning U.S. champ Lindsey Jacobellis — who took second in the opening World Cup halfpipe in Chile — leads a strong U.S. contingent. Also on the SBX team are world championship silver medalist Seth Wescott and Nate Holland, who was fifth in the first World Cup SBX event of the season in Whistler. Lindsey’s older brother Ben Jacobellis, Jason Hale and Jason Smith round out the team. The group will head from Austria for the Chevrolet U.S. Snowboard Grand Prix SBX to be held January 11 at Mammoth Mountain, California.

For the alpine team, it will be the first parallel slalom race since Adam Smith topped the field at the Landgraaf World Cup in October. Joining Smith on the men’s squad are Chris Klug, Pete Thorndike, Eric Warren and Ryan McDonald, who is returning from a month off due to an ankle injury.

Leading the women is young gun Michelle Gorgone, who surprised a top international field to nab third in the PGS at the Whistler World Cup. Also representing the U.S. women are Rosey Fletcher and Stacia Hookom.

“We had a busy December and it was tough on us,” said alpine head coach Nick Smith. “But the season is just about to get going now and I’m pumped for it. We’ve got a four headed monster with our guys team — any one of them could … take a podium spot. Plus McDonald is back on track and the girls are looking really positive.”

The Bad Gastein event will kick off a European tour that includes stops in Alpe d’Huez, France, and Arosa, Switzerland.

“The depth that we have internationally right now is unbelievable,” said Smith, “and I’m really excited about that. These three stops are going to be big for us and I’m looking to pack the finals in everyone of them and then see what we can pull down from there.”