Weekend Watch | 8-9 December, 2018
Published Thu 06 Dec 2018
SCOTTY JAMES RETURNS TO COMPETITION IN FIS SNOWBOARD WORLD CUP
Australian snowboarder Scotty James is set to return to professional competition for the first time since winning Olympic bronze at PyeongChang Winter earlier this year.
With qualifications taking place today, the world’s top snowboarders have gathered in Copper Mountain, USA ahead of finals on Saturday 8 December.
James has been honing his skills heading before the season’s first FIS Snowboard World Cup event with training blocks in Switzerland and Austria since October.
He will be looking to improve his 9th place at last year’s event, while fellow snowboarders Emily Arthur (16th) and Kent Callister (23rd) will also be among the Aussies returning to Colorado.
Click here to view the competition schedule.
AUSSIE MOGUL SKIERS STRAP THEIR BOOTS ON IN RUKA
Seven of Australia’s top mogul skiers will be in action for the first FIS Freestyle World Cup of the season in Ruka tomorrow, including PyeongChang silver medalist Matt graham and 2017 World Champion Britt Cox.
Cox is gunning for her third straight gold medal at Ruka with fellow Aussies Jakara Anthony, Brodie Summers, Taylah O'Neill, James Matheson and Rohan Chapman-Davies also in Finland.
The team have been on snow taking advantage of the lead up period before competition commences.
GRETA SMALL CONTINUES WORLD CUP CAMPAIGN
After opening her 2018-2019 FIS Alpine Skiing World Cup season last week, dual Olympian Greta Small is now focused on this weekend’s event in in St Mortiz, Switzerland.
Click here to view the St Moritz FIS data page.
AUSTRALIAN PARA ALPINE SKIERS TO COMPETE AT GERMAN NATIONALS IN AUSTRIA
Four Australian Para Alpine skiers are preparing for the German National Championships which begin on 8 December.
Competing in Pitztal, Austria, Patrick Jensen will look to build on early northern hemisphere form after his Europa Cup bronze medal in the Netherlands last month.
Jonty O'Callaghan and Sam Tait will be take part in their first races for the new season.
For more competition information click here.
AUDI FIS SKI CROSS WORLD CUP EVENT RESCHEDULED
This week it was confirmed that Arosa will host a rescheduled competition on 17 December after 2018/2019 Audi FIS Ski Cross World Cup events in Val Thorens and Montafon were cancelled.
A combination of poor snowfall and unseasonably warm temperatures meant event organisers have struggled to produce enough snow to build courses.
Aussie Ski Cross athlete Sami Kennedy-Sim has had to extend her training regime in response to the early cancellations but will compete in Switzerland.
This upcoming competition will also serve as the first stop of the Audi FIS Cross Alps Tour with two more races scheduled in Innichen (ITA) just before Christmas.