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Sport of the future: Snowboard Cross

Yesterday, the Winter Olympics took a huge step into the future with the debut of snowboard cross.

The new racing sport, comparable to Nascar on ice, combines speed with aggression and strategy throughout a windy, jump-filled course. Riders have two solo runs to qualify for the rounds of four riders apiece. Such rounds are won and lost out of the gate, where the first few (small) jumps determine your initial standing entering the first curve.

American favorite Seth Wescott earned the first snowboard cross gold medal in history, after smoothly passing Radoslav Zidek on the inside of one of the final turns. Zidek almost caught Wescott on the final hill, but the photo finish was golden for the American.

Wescott's accomplishment marked the third gold medal for the American team in three snowboarding events (Shaun White in the men's half pipe and Hannah Teter in the women's half pipe).

The sweep was intact until the Americans got cocky. Lindsey Jacobellis had the gold medal waiting for her at the bottom of the hill, with no other competitors in sight, going into the final jump. All she had to do was land on her feet.

I think she wanted the gold medal too much; maybe it just was not her day; or maybe she really wanted the attention.

Jacobellis grabbed her board in the air on the final jump and lost her balance. She fell to the snow and quickly got back on her feet, but it was too late. Tanja Frieden from Switzerland made up the distance, earning the first non-American snowboard medal of the Olympics.

Approaching her final jump, I thought Jacobellis was going to win the easiest gold medal in Olympic history. She dominated (almost) the entire race and showed her talent in each of the rounds leading up to the finals. Good thing I did not say that out loud and jinx her or anything.

Fans may come to events for the show, but athletes must show up to perform to their highest potential. I'm sure she was nervous, especially competing in the first women’s snowboard cross in history, but showing off ended up being her Achilles heel.

My heart stopped when Jacobellis fell, and I will always remember her as the athlete who made the best debut in her event without taking home the gold.

Posted by Marco Santini  at 1:29 PM | Permalink

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Posted by: mike at February 20, 2006 11:34 PM

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