From March 11th through 14th, 2010, the second to last stop of the LG Snowboard FIS World Cup will take place in Italy. After 2008 and 2009, Valmalenco once again hosts decisions in three different disciplines. In the snowboard cross (March 11th and 12th), in the parallel giant slalom (March 13th) and in the halfpipe (March 14th), the second to last contest of this winter is scheduled - and thus maybe some preliminaries in the battle for the World Cup titles and Crystal Globes. More than 100 ladies and 150 men from more than 20 countries have applied to enter the competitions.
However, after the big air title had been awarded to Stefan Gimpl (AUT) already in January, also the race for the men's snowboard cross title is no longer an issue as Pierre Vaultier has gained an unbeatable lead with 4.800 points already by winning four out of five races plus also adding a runner-up finish.
On the ladies side, there is more enthralling excitement as three riders are all within reach: besides current World Cup leader and reigning Olympic champion Maelle Ricker (CAN, 3,960), Helene Olafsen (NOR, 3,050) and Dominique Maltais (CAN, 2,860) are still able to bring home the Crystal Globe.
However, the race for the ladies' parallel title is an even closer one. 2010 Vancouver Gold medallist Nicolien Sauerbreij (NED, 3,800) is only 90 points ahead of Doris Guenther (AUT) who comes to Valmalenco with the momentum of having won the parallel slalom held in Moscow last weekend. And as Amelie Kober (GER) took a competition break due to pregnancy, Fraenzi Maegert-Kohli (SUI, 3,420), Alena Zavarzina (RUS, 3,166) and Marion Kreiner (AUT, 2,940) might be able to intercede in this duel.
On the men's side, it looks like a team-intern Austrian match-up between Benjamin Karl, who comfortably sits in first with 5,600 points and Andreas Prommegger (4,450). Olympic champion Jasey-Jay Anderson (CAN, 3,800) might only have some theoretical chances of adding another World Cup title to his belt.
China keeps halfpipe firmly in hand
In the halfpipe, it is more than likely that a Chinese rider will be awarded with the Crystal Globe again - on the ladies' side: while defending title holder Jiayu Liu (1,500) sits in fourth, her fellow countrywomen Xuetong Cai (3,040), Zhifeng Sun (2,805) and Xu Chen (1,840) own 1-2-3.
On the men's side of things, Janne Korpi (FIN, 1,730) is in front. But several riders are breathing right down his neck: Kazuhiro Kokubo (JPN, 1,600), team mate Antti Autti (1,360), China's Xiaoye Zeng (1,320) as well as Justin Lamoureux (CAN, 1,300) and France's Mathieu Crepel and Arthur Longo, both with 1,200 points, are all within a range of only 530 World Cup points.
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