Canadian snowboard cross racer Éliot Grondin wins gold at world championships
Sainte-Marie, Que., native also leads men's World Cup overall standings
Canada's Éliot Grondin raced to a gold medal in the men's snowboard cross final at the world championships in Corviglia, Switzerland on Friday.
France's Loan Bozzolo and Austria's Alessandro Haemmerle earned silver and bronze, respectively.
Austria's Jakob Dusek, the defending champion, finished fourth in the big final after leading for much of the race. He lost ground when Haemmerle — the reigning Olympic champion — made contact with him while attempting to pass, allowing Grondin to take the lead and claim victory.
"I had a pretty good start and I was battling with the guys in the pack, and I just decided to stay patient and build speed," Grondin said. "They had a bit of contact, so I think that helped me.
"To share the final, here at the world championship, with those three guys is surreal."
WATCH | Grondin shreds to a snowboard cross world championship title:
Grondin, a 23-year-old from Sainte-Marie, Que., won a world junior title in 2021 and also currently leads the men's World Cup overall standings.
Grondin's 504 total points is 141 clear of his next closest competitor, Bozzolo, with two races remaining.
Grondin has won two golds, two silvers, and a bronze medal on the World Cup circuit this season.
WATCH | Grondin sits down in Switzerland to talk snowboarding success:
Italy's Michela Moioli placed first in the women's competition ahead of Britain's Charlotte Bankes and France's Julia Pereira de Sousa.
Meryeta O'dine of Prince George, B.C., was fourth.
Both Moioli and Charlotte Bankes fell at the line in a close photo finish at the end of the snowboard cross event. A replay showed Maioli's board crossed a few inches ahead of her British rival's as they slid over the line on their backs.
The 29-year-old Moioli lay flat back on the snow and appeared to be sobbing as she was warmly embraced by Bankes — who was world champion in 2021.
"I made it. I can't really believe it that I'm a world champion, it sounds weird to me still," Moioli said with a laugh.
Moioli, who won Olympic gold in the snowboard cross in 2018, had never triumphed at the freestyle skiing and snowboard world championships in four previous attempts.
The final weekend of World Cup snowboard cross competition begins next weekend at Mont-Sainte-Anne, Que. CBC Sports will live stream the event beginning on Saturday, April 5.
WATCH | Grondin is hungry for an Olympic title:
With files from The Canadian Press and The Associated Press
