Lake Louise (AB), Canada – The world’s best alpine ski racers have barely cleared out of Lake Louise as the world’s best snowboard cross racers are heading in.

The first annual FIS Snowboard World Cup by Sport Chek Snowboard Cross will descend upon Alberta’s Lake Louise Resort on  Friday, December 20 and Saturday, December 21. This exciting World Cup event is bringing together both male and female athletes from over 20 countries to battle for gold in one venue. For the Canadian National Snowboard Cross team, this race offers an opportunity to qualify for a spot on the 2014 Olympic team in Sochi, Russia.

Snowboard cross (SBX) features four riders racing simultaneously down a technically demanding course. Participants navigate around rollers, jumps, banked turns and tabletops at speeds in excess of 70 kph in a single elimination format where the fastest two riders to cross the finish line in each heat, advance to the next round until the final heat determines the winner.

The Canadian National Snowboard Cross ladies team has the reigning 2013 World Cup Champion Dominique Maltais, from Petite-Rivière-St-Francois, Quebec, who just came in second in the World Cup SBX season opener in Montafon, Austria. Defending Olympic Gold medalist Maelle Ricker, of Squamish, British Columbia, is also set to compete following her recuperation from a concussion sustained in Austria.

The Canadian Men’s team has also kicked off with an exciting season. Kevin Hill, of Vernon, British Columbia, earned a third-place finish at the Monatfon SBX and then the next day placed second in the SBX team competition with partner Jake Holden, of Caledon, Ontario.

On the evening of Monday, December 9, Canada Snowboard is hosting a snowboard night race for kids at Canadian Olympic Park (COP) in Calgary. Mike Robertson, a 2010 Olympic silver medalist in snowboarding, will be there to cheer on the kids.

EVENT SCHEDULE FOR SATURDAY, DEC. 21: