Jacobellis Returns to the Top in Lake Louise

LAKE LOUISE, AB. (Dec. 21) – Olympic silver medalist Lindsey Jacobellis (Stratton Mountain, VT) made her overdue return to the podium Saturday with her first snowboardcross World Cup victory in nearly two years in Lake Louise, AB. Jacobellis has been absent from the sport since Jan. 2012 because of a knee injury. In the men’s race, Alex Deibold (Manchester Center, VT) finished third, while Australian rookie Jarryd Hughes took the victory in his eighth World Cup start. The FIS snowboardcross tour continues in Vallnord-Arcalís, Andorra, with a double header January 10-12.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Olympic silver medalist Lindsey Jacobellis (Stratton Mountain, VT) made her overdue return to the podium Saturday, taking her first snowboardcross World Cup victory in nearly two years in Lake Louise, AB. It was also Jacobellis’s 27th World Cup victory, winning over Dominique Maltais of Canada and 2009 World Champion Helene Olafsen of Norway.
• Jacobellis has been absent from the sport since Jan. 2012 because of a knee injury that resulted in surgery and a long hiatus from competition.
• Faye Gulini (Salt Lake City) finished seventh in Saturday’s race, her best result so far this season, while Callan Chythlook-Sifsof (Girdwood, AK) finished 24th and Jacqueline Hernandez (Londonderry, VT) finished a career-best 29th.
• In the men’s race, Alex Deibold (Manchester Center, VT) finished third, the first American male to get a podium this season. It was also Deibold’s second career podium in an individual SBX event.
• Nick Baumgartner (Iron River, MI) was the next best U.S. finisher in sixth place, while Trevor Jacob (Golden City, CA), Jonathan Cheever (Saugus, MA) and Mick Dierdorff (Steamboat Springs, CO) took 10th, 16th and 27th respectively.
• Nate Holland (Squaw Valley, CA) finished seventh in his return to the World Cup after a shoulder injury in the Montafon World Cup opener.
• In only his eighth World Cup start, rookie Jarryd Hughes of Australia won the men’s race with Konstantin Schad rounding out the podium.
• Saturday was the first-ever FIS snowboardcross event to be held been held in Lake Louise and the weather and course permitted an excellent competition.
• The FIS snowboardcross tour continues in Vallnord-Arcalís, Andorra, with a double header January 10-12.

QUOTES
Lindsey Jacobellis
I really liked the course although it would have been nice to have it wider. I liked how technical the course was; that plays to my strong suits. That helps me as I don't have strong pulls with my broken thumb right now.

Alex Deibold
Today was a big turn around from the last event for the entire team. We had perfect weather and the course lent itself to some great racing with lots of opportunities for passing. Everybody on the team that made it into heats and raced so well. It was great to see Nate riding so strong coming back from surgery earlier this month.

At the first race of the Olympic season in Montafon, I got caught up in the hype of the Olympics and was too focused on the big picture, so coming in to Lake Louise, I wanted to focus on my own game, to ride within my own ability and execute and it got me onto the podium. I’m so excited.

RESULTS
Men’s Official Results
Women’s Official Results

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