Tudhope strikes World Cup silver status

Paralympic bronze medallist Ben Tudhope has shown he is in the form to be a contender at next week’s Para Snowboard World Championships, finishing the 2024/25 World Cup season with another podium performance in Colorado.

After finishing fourth yesterday in the first of two Snowboard Cross World Cup races at Steamboat Springs, Tudhope a NSW Institute of Sport scholarship athlete (NSWIS) improved to third place today for his seventh World Cup podium of the season from nine races.

The result saw Tudhope finish second on the 2024/25 Snowboard Cross World Cup standings and second in the Overall Para Snowboard World Cup.

Earlier this month he also finished the Banked Slalom World Cup season in second place.

“The final World Cup in Steamboat was an awesome way to wrap up the season,” said Tudhope. “The racing was tight, and I was stoked to come away with a third place finish.

“Every run was a good battle.

“I locked in second place overall for the season, which is something I’m really proud of. Competing against the best and sharing it with the team.”

This week’s races were the final events before the 2025 Para Snowboard World Championships start at Big White, Canada next week.

Tudhope enters the event as the reigning LL2 Snowboard Cross World Champion, winning the event at La Molina two years ago.

He also picked up bronze in the Banked Slalom. He will be joined at the World Championships by Aaron McCarthy and Sean Pollard.

McCarthy will compete in his first World Championships in what has been a remarkable maiden international season, having already finished on top of the LL1 Europa Cup Banked Slalom standings.

Pollard (UL) is having a strong comeback season in which he has raced heavily on the Europa Cup circuit. He then moved up to World Cup racing this week in Colorado and was pleased with how he raced ahead of the World Championships.

“It was nice to get back in the gate at World Cup level,” said Pollard. “After some close racing I was happy to take sixth place on both days having raced a SBX World Cup in over five years.”

One more day of racing awaits in Colorado when the US National Championships are contested on Thursday (US time). Tudhope, McCarthy and Pollard will then head to the 2025 FIS Para Snowboard World Championships at Big White, Canada. Competition starts on Wednesday 5 March.

Story and photo, Snow Australia