Britain’s Charlotte Bankes has won back-to-back World Cup races on the first two days of February to give her the overall 24-25 Snowboard Cross World Cup lead.
After a dominant performance on day 1 of the second FIS Snowboard Cross World Cup of the season in Beidahu, China, Charlotte Bankes triumphed again on Sunday.
Bankes won every round, from qualification through to the big finals, and as a result finish the weekend on top in the World Cup overall standings, displacing Lea Casta (FRA), the winner from the first World Cup in Cervinia in December, but unable to reach the big finals on Sunday.
Bankes clearly won the qualification round on Sunday morning and, despite once again not always getting the fastest start, was first across the line in all three knockout rounds to show her quality.
However the Brit led the women’s big final from the start, with plenty of speed and height from every jump. She was challenged by Michela Moioli (ITA) in the middle of the course, but the Italian was caught up in the battle for third place between Josie Baff (AUS) and Sina Siegenthaler (SUI) behind her and slipped back to finish fourth.
“That was very unusual. Really happy to have managed to pull off a start in the end and to do it in the final with those girls was great. That was another tight race today and really happy to come away with a win,” Bankes said.
Bankes said the weekend had set her season up well in her quest for her third Crystal Globe, after winning in 2022 and 2023 and finishing second last year.
“It’s a big trip over here and I’m really happy to start the season this way. Last year was a struggle at the start and to be able to start on top with some good racing, I’m really happy,” Bankes said.
Before competition began in Beidahu, all the athletes came together in a memorial ride in honour of Swiss rider Sophie Hediger, who tragically died in an avalanche in late December.
