Landgraaf, Netherlands – For the second time since 2006, the LG Snowboard FIS World Cup season will start in Holland. After the originally planned opener in South America, a snowboard cross in Argentina had to be canceled due to snow conditions, it’s time for the race boarders to start things off. In the indoor SnowWorld Landgraaf snow dome, the alpine snowboarders will battle it out Sunday in an parallel slalom, fighting for the podium and the first points in the race for the Overall World Cup titles.nWith the start of the 2011 World Cup season, the former Overall World Cup is divided into two new titles. Going forward, the best freestyle snowboarder (halfpipe, big air and slopestyle) will be crowned as will be the best race and speed specialist (parallel and snowboard cross).
With Sunday’s event the international elite get the chance to claim the first points for the latter title.
With Sunday’s race, one-piece race suits will also no longer be permitted. The carving specialists will benefit from consistent indoor slope conditions on the 250 meter long course at SnowWorld Landgraaf. It’s the eighth time over all and the sixth consecutive season that the riders meet up in the LG Snowboard FIS World Cup’s fridge.
France’s Orange television network will broadcast the race live beginning at 1 p.m. CET. Eurosport 2 will air the knock out finals slightly delayed starting at 5 p.m. CET.
In addition to local hero Nicolien Sauerbreij, who secured Olympic Gold last winter, the 2010 Winter Games runner-ups in the parallel giant slalom, Austria’s Benjamin Karl and Ekaterina Ilyukhina of Russia, will start in the Netherlands. Austria’s Marion Kreiner, Claudia Riegler, Siegfried Grabner and Andreas Prommegger will also be in the hunt for a podium finish.
The Slovenian men’s squad led by Rok Flander, and the Canadian team with talented Michael Lambert, are also aiming for a good result.
With the absence of top performer Amelie Kober, the German Federation pins its hopes on Selina Jörg and Anke Karstens, who finished fourth and fifth, respectively, at the Vancouver Winter Games along with 2009 WCS Bronze medalist Patrick Bussler. Switzerland crosses its fingers for experienced riders Simon Schoch and Fränzi Mägert-Kohli. In total, more than 100 athletes from 19 nations will participate.