Julia Pereira (FRA) and Adam Lambert (AUS) have claimed the 2016-17 snowboard cross Europa Cup title – two racers from different continents which shared some nice similarities last winter.
Pereira, who had a slow start to the season with a 21st and 33rd rank finish in the two opening races on the Pitztal glacier last November/December got into full racing mode at her home soil double event in Val Thorens which she wrapped up as runner-up twice.
Following a win in Grasgehren (GER) the 15-year-old talent added five more top-5 finishes in five starts including the win at the season's ender in Lenk (SUI) where she got deservedly crowned Europa Cup champion with 3,037 points ahead of Francesca Gallina (ITA; 2,252) who had placed second behind of Manon Petit (FRA) last year already as well as Sofia Belingheri (ITA; 2,055).
The dominating racer of the Europa Cup season therefore was awarded with a personal spot on the World Cup tour where she debuted this season at Feldberg (GER).
After a 23rd, 19th and 12th rank finish the bronze medallist of the 2017 junior worlds in Klinovec (CZE) closed out her season at the Veysonnaz World Cup – her fourth ever – with an impressive seventh rank.
Over in the men's event, the 2017 Europa Cup champion Adam Lambert also celebrated his World Cup debut in Feldberg where the rider from down under shocked the world's best with a seventh rank in the second race.
However, the World Cup debut in Germany wasn't the only thing he had in common with Pereira.
The 19-year-old had also struggled in the first two races of the Europa Cup opener in Austria but did well in Val Thorens where he actually won both events.
Adam Lambert in his first World Cup event in Feldberg
Another win in Grasgehren not only paved the road to a close win of the Europa Cup title with 2,169.45 points ahead of Nick Watter (SUI; 2,160) and Glenn de Blois (NED; 1,537.60) but also led the way to his first ever world championships.
And that's where Lambert basically topped his season with a sixth ranked finish in the Sierra Nevada 2017 snowboard cross event.
With a personal spot for the World Cup tour in the bag, it's pretty likely that we will see even more stunning races of Lambert – and not to forget of Pereira.
Source: fis-ski.com
