Veysonnaz, Switzerland – Lindsey Jacobellis, of Stratton Mountain, Vt., and Russian rider Andrey Boldykov, last Thursday each won the first of two 2012 LG Snowboard FIS World Cup snowboard cross races scheduled in Veysonnaz, Switzerland that replaced an event canceled earlier in Bad Gastein, Austria, for a lack of snow.

While Jacobellis claimed her career’s 25^th World Cup win ahead of Bulgarian rider Alexandra Jekova and Canada’s Dominique Maltais, who finished in second and third, respectively, Boldykov scored Russia’s first World Cup snowboard cross victory by edging out American Nate Holland and Pierre Vaultier of France. It was the first Russian snowboard cross podium result since 2002, when Maria Tikhvinskaja came in second in Bardonecchia, Italy.

“I’m super stoked. It was really some hard work but this is a massive success for Russia,” said a proud Boldykov. “I was working hard and long for this and constantly improved myself, step by step. However, I didn’t expect anything like this today.”

Vaultier benefitted in the men’s finals from the disqualification of Mateusz Ligocki of Poland, for holding against Holland. Holland’s protest resulted in Ligocki being bumped from third down to sixth as a result.

“Pierre (Vaultier) and Andrey (Boldykov) had really good starts,” said Holland. “Coming in to turn one I thought I would be able to make a move but I had Mateusz (Ligocki) latched on to my back. I think I pulled him some 50 feet down the hill until I got his hand off my back.

“That’s why I did the protest. I mean, I like Ligocki as a person but it’s strictly business. Who would have known if I would have had more speed what the end result would have been. It was about making a point of not to grab me.”

“Of course I’m disappointed that I got disqualified in the finals. I mean, we are six guys in a heat fighting for the spots. So there is a lot of touching,” Ligocki retorted. “For sure I didn’t grab Nate (Holland) although I did touch him. I always try to ride as fair as possible. And that was fair.”

With Friday’s victory, Jacobellis won both women’s World Cup snowboard cross races held to date this season. In total, she’s won 25 races out of 56 starts. She has extended her World Cup lead, as did Vaultier on the men’s side.

“Last time I came here I was in a bit of a tangle up, so this was vast improvement. Two years ago, Alexandra (Jekova) landed on me right before the last corner and we all ended up in a big pile up. Thereafter, I even didn’t race the consolidation run,” said Jacobellis. “I was riding very well. I wasn’t the first out of the start but once I started working the features I could establish the lead. So I was very happy how I was able to put the course together. I felt good every single run.”

OFFICIAL RESULTS
2012 LG Snowboard FIS World Cup
Veysonnaz, Switzerland – Jan. 19, 2012
Snowboard cross

Women:

Men: