Mentel-Spee, Hernandez-Cervellon secure perfect record

Bibian Mentel-Spee has left Big White, Canada, with a 100 per cent win record in the IPC Snowboard World Cup races.

The Dutchwoman beat compatriot and protégé Lisa Bunschoten on Saturday (13 February) in the women’s banked slalom SB-LL2 by almost five seconds, further expanding the gap in the overall World Cup standings. Bunschoten took second place ahead of Australia’s Joany Badenhorst.

Sochi 2014 silver medallist, France’s Cecile Hernandez-Cervellon, also made it three out of three at the World Cup in the women’s SB-LL1, winning by less than a second against the USA’s Nicole Roundy. Canada’s Michelle Salt finished third. Roundy still tops the overall World Cup rankings.

In the men’s SB-LL1, the Netherland’s Chris Vos took his second win of the week ahead of Austria’s Reinhold Schett and the USA’s Mike Schultz. Vos was pleased with the victory after losing out on first place in snowboard-cross earlier on in the week.

“I knew I could win the gold,” said Vos after the race. “Two days ago in the snowboard cross I fell in the final so I got silver. I’m very happy to win gold.

“Banked slalom is such a great event for snowboarders. It’s such a great course and it was really fun.”

With his win Vos also extended his lead in the overall World Cup rankings.

Finland’s Matti Suur-Hamari turned bronze into gold in the men’s SB-LL2 beating USA’s Mike Shea by just 0.83 second, recording his second win of the week. Home favourite, Canada’s Alex Massie took third place.

USA’s Michael Minor won his third banked slalom race of the season in the men’s SB-UL, edging out Austria’s Patrick Mayrhofer by just 0.32. Italy’s Manuel Pozzerle recorded another podium finish in third.

Mayrhofer comfortably leads the overall World Cup rankings ahead of Pozzerle and Minor.

Full results are available at IPC Snowboard calendar and results page.

The next snowboard-cross World Cup will take place in Les Angles, France, on 9 March.