Collingwood (ON), Canada – The Czech Republic’s Eva Samkova and Christopher Robanske of Canada each secured their career’s first World Cup win in Saturday’s snowboard cross race at Blue Mountain Resort in Collingwood.

In the FIS Snowboard World Cup season’s third SBX event, the two top qualifiers flawlessly linked to their outstanding performance in Friday’s time trials held on the 1,100 meter- course which was peppered with 25 features.

Samkova, who had only one World Cup podium result before Saturday, a second-place finish earned in Valmalenco, Italy, in 2011, won all of her heats and pushed  World Cup leader and 2013 SBX World Championships Silver medalist Dominique Maltais of Petite-Rivière-Saint-François, Quebec, Canada to the second spot. It was also the first women’s Snowboard Cross World Cup win for a Czech rider. Nelly Moenne Loccoz of France took third, crossing the finish line ahead of reigning Olympic and World Champion Maelle Ricker of Squamish, British Columbia, Canada.

“It was a perfect day. Everything worked out well, from my board to my skills on the course,” said Samkova. “But it was also tough because Dominique (Maltais) and Maelle (Ricker) were also very fast.”

On the men’s side, Calgary, Alberta’s Robanske secured his career’s first after two podium finishes in Telluride, Colo. (a second in 2011 and a third in 2012). On Saturday he finished ahead of reigning World Champion Alex Pullin of Australia, who had the upper hand in a photo finish for second over Nick Baumgartner of Iron River, Mich. Austrian rider Markus Schairer finished in fourth position.

“This win means more to me than just proving to myself that I’m among the best. I know that the riding is there and I know that I can produce these results. Now I have to focus on consistency and hopefully have another win in Sochi at the next World Cup stop,” said Robanske, whose victory breaks a Canadian men’s World Cup losing streak of six years since Drew Neilson last won in Lake Placid, N.Y., in 2007. “I’m pretty happy to break that losing streak for the Canadian men. It couldn’t have been a better place than here in Canada to do so.”

Baumgartner was actually leading Robanske early in the men’s final, but it was the crux in the fourth turn that ultimately cost him the win when he got sideways and could not take the opportunity to pass Robanske.

“I was riding really well today and thought i was going to win, but Robanske was sticking to me,” Baumgartner explained. “I was blocking the inside line and couldn’t hold onto it. I got a little sideways and tried so hard to pass him, I had the opportunity to pass and just couldn’t pass him. I let the guy in third pass me and I knew it right away. It was a tough race. It’s not what I wanted, but I was not letting anyone touch my line and I made that mistake.”

Maltais leads the women’s race for the Crystal Globe with 2,800 points after three races. Ricker and Samkova share second with 1,500 points. For the men, Pullin is leading the World Cup ranking with 2,100 points, followed by Robanske (1,780) and Schairer (1,700).

“First the World Championships title, then a second here and the World Cup lead — it’s been some very good couple of weeks here in Canada,” Pullin said.

“Everyone involved, from athletes to volunteers, did a great job to make this event such an amazing success,” said Collin Matanowitsch, Public Relations Manager at Blue Mountain Resort. “The athletes didn’t disappoint and the crowd was electric throughout the entire event. Despite challenges with the weather earlier in the week, we proved again that our industry leading snowmaking system, experienced team and world class terrain make Blue Mountain a perfect venue for this type of event. We look forward to hosting the World Cup at Blue Mountain again next year.”

OFFICIAL RESULTS
FIS Snowboard World Cup
Blue Mountain – Collingwood (ON), Canada – Feb. 2, 2013
Snowboard Cross

Women

Men