Baff Wins World Cup Snowboard Gold in Canada

NSW Institute of Sport (NSWIS) scholarship holder Josie Baff has finished the world cup season in the best possible way, taking home victory in the final snowboard cross event of the season at Mont Sainte Anne in Canada.

In an impressive season for the 20-year-old Jindabyne rider, Baff opened and closed the season with World Cup victories, collecting five medals in total, which also included a spectacular silver medal performance at her first ever World Championships earlier this month, finishing the season ranked third in the world.

Baff advanced through the round-of-32 and quarter-final heats in second place, and then stepped it up in the semi-final crossing the line in first to advance to the big-final.

In the big-final, Baff had an amazing run moving into the lead just after the top section, and remained in first place holding off the other competitors all the way to the finish line to record the second victory of her World Cup career.

Behind Baff on the podium in second place was Austrian Pia Zerkhold, with Chloe Trespeuch of France in third.

“It’s awesome, my wax tech at the top said you know what, you won the first race, why don’t you win the last,” said Baff.

“I had a good start for the first time today, I wasn’t sure what to do when leading the pack, but I just tried to stay calm, and patient and it worked.”

“I was just hoping none of the girls would out draught me down the finish straight.”

The final standings saw Charlotte Bankes of Great Britain in first place with 723 points, Trespeuch in second with 650 and Baff third on 493.

Also in action for Australia was Adam Lambert, who made the small-final for the second time at Mont Sainte Anne finishing sixth.

Baff will now compete at the Junior World Championships in Passo San Pellegrino, Italy, on March 30-31.

Article and image courtesy of OWIA