Kearney Sixth at Bansko Snowboardcross
BANSKO, Bulgaria (Feb. 4, 2017) – Hagen Kearney (Telluride, CO) made the big final at Bulgaria’s first snowboardcross World Cup event, finishing sixth overall for the men. Lindsey Jacobellis (Stratton Mountain, VT) was the top finisher for the American women, making the small final for an eighth-place finish.
The Bulgarian course was a sprint format - only a 20-second run with no turns, instead focusing on big features.
Kearney is in the midst of a breakout season, which includes his first career World Cup win at Montafon on December 16. He qualified first in Bansko, but wasn’t able to battle his way through the talented field in the big final. Still, his sixth-place finish is his third top-10 result this season (he was ninth at the Solitude Toyota U.S. Grand Prix).
Austria’s Alessandro Haemmerle won for the men, Pierre Vaultier of France was second and Baptiste Brochu of Canada was third.
Jacobellis was joined in the small final by U.S. Snowboarding teammate Faye Gulini (Salt Lake City, UT), who finished 11th. Belle Brockhoff of Australia won for the ladies, Eva Samkova of the Czech Republic was second and France’s Chloe Trespeuch was third.
The FIS snowboardcross World Cup tour continues next week with a double individual race scheduled in Feldberg, Germany Feb. 10-12.
Highlights
- U.S. Snowboarding rider Hagan Kearney was sixth.
- U.S. Snowboarding rider Lindsey Jacobellis was eighth.
- U.S. Snowboarding rider Faye Gulini was 11th.
- It was the first time Bulgaria had hosted a FIS snowboardcross World Cup. It was a sprint format - only a 20-second run with no turns, instead focusing on big features.
