Ben Tudhope wins Crystal Globe as overall Para Snowboard Season Champion

Dual Paralympian Ben Tudhope has won his fourth straight gold medal at the Big White Snowboard Cross World Cup in Canada.

In doing so, he has won the Crystal Globe as the overall SB-LL2 Snowboard Cross 2021-22 season Champion and the Crystal Globe as the most successful Para Snowboard athlete across all disciplines.

This is the second overall Crystal Globe for the Sydney-sider who also won the honours in the 2019/20 season.

The 22-year-old headed into the dual World Cup event in Canada in red-hot form off the back of a silver and bronze medal at the Para Snow Sports World Championships in Lillehammer, Norway in January, and two gold medals at the Klövsjö World Cups in Sweden two weeks ago.

With the Beijing 2022 Winter Paralympic Games just 19 days away, Tudhope will head into his third Games with a target on his back as the number one ranked rider in the SB-LL2 class.

Tudhope said he knew the SB-LL2 Crystal Globe was within his reach, however the Overall Crystal Globe as the top performing snowboard rider across all disciplines was a great surprise.

“It’s kinda crazy,” Tudhope said. “Our goal this year was never for the Overall Crystal Globe, it was never in my mind.

“I knew that I had a good chance in the boardercross after Sweden, but it never occurred to me that the Overall [title] was in contention for me because we missed two out of the five World Cup events.

“I am kind of taken aback and really soaked to win the Overall title and it just shows the progression I've had this year.

“It’s taken a really big effort from everyone on the team to get to where we are today and it shows that our training is paying off and that the competition experience I’m getting is really good, especially heading into Beijing, it has definitely given me a massive confidence boost,” he said.

The Sydney-sider said the weekend wasn’t without its challenges, but his ability to remain calm and perform under pressure when it counted was his advantage in winning back-to-back Big Finals.

“It’s really unbelievable that I came and took out two golds in both races. It’s absolutely crazy and I felt like I was riding really really,” he said.

“The course is difficult and tricky but I handled it really well.

“There were some moments of being a bit uncomfortable, but I was really proud of myself to push past that and have a good qualification in each stage and then take out the final on both days.”

Tudhope will now head to Ruka, Finland for his final preparations before he represents Australia at his third Paralympic Games in Beijing.

Tudhope said he can’t wait to pull on the green and gold in China, where he is once again the youngest member of Team Australia and the only snowboard representative.

“I’m fortunate to represent my country in doing the thing I love most, so it’ll be an absolute honour to put on the Paralympic uniform again in China and make Australia proud,” he said.

“I’m always enthusiastic about the Games because it's the only time in the four year cycle where our sport becomes the highlight of mainstream media for two weeks which gives the opportunity for us Para athletes to create a platform to inspire many kids and people around Australia.

“I’m looking forward to getting to experience a Paralympic Games again for what they are and to use my prior knowledge of being at the Games to excel my performance.

“China will put on an amazing show. Para snowboarding has come a long way from Sochi and even Korea, so I think people watching will truly be mesmerised about the performances of all athletes because we will definitely put on a show!”