Leon Ulbricht won the big crystal ball in snowboard cross. The decisive factor was a centimeter thriller in the semi-finals.
Leon Ulbricht won the overall World Cup in snowboard cross. The 21-year-old from SC Rötteln secured second place behind the Australian Adam Lambert in the season finale in Mont Sainte-Anne, Canada – and thus the big crystal ball; just ahead of the day’s winner. In the end, 22 points separated Ulbricht from Lambert.
Ulbricht is following in the footsteps of Martin Nörl, who has had a difficult season due to injury and, after two overall World Cup victories in a row, is now passing the crystal ball on to his 21-year-old teammate.
One point lead: Close battle for the crystal ball
The battle for the overall World Cup was extremely close before the last race of the winter. Ulbricht went into the final in Mont Saint Anne as the leader, just one point ahead of the Frenchman Aiden Chollet and 42 points ahead of Lambert. Jonas Chollet also mathematically still had a chance of winning the big trophy.
In the quarter-finals, Ulbricht’s closest rival stumbled: against his two compatriots Julien Tomas and Guillaume Herpin, Aiden Chollet failed surprisingly early and thus said goodbye to the close race for the crystal ball.
Photo finish in the semi-finals: Ulbricht survives crime
A little later, Ulbricht almost suffered a similar fate in the semifinals. Lambert and Ulbricht started in the same heat – and didn’t give each other anything away. And because Colby Graham and Alessandro Hämmerle were also really involved, things suddenly became very tight for Ulbricht on the home straight.
The 21-year-old lost his second place behind Lambert on the last jump and was in danger of being eliminated, but threw himself forward again at the finish line. The evaluation of the photo finish, which could have also been a preliminary decision for the big prize, took a long time. In the end, Ulbricht’s board tip crossed the finish line a good two centimeters ahead of Graham’s.
“Couldn’t be happier” – Lambert as a fair sportsman
Ulbricht went into the final as the big favorite. The starting position: If Lambert wins, the 21-year-old needed at least third place to win the overall World Cup. Evan Bichon and Julien Tomas completed the grand finale.
Bichon somewhat surprisingly set the pace in the final, Ulbricht and Lambert got into position behind them for the finish sprint. Lambert went into the last jump first, Ulbricht took second place again with a last jump – a result that was confirmed again with a photo finish. Lambert then showed how he was a fair sportsman: “I couldn’t be happier”he explained and added: “I did exactly what I could to have another chance at the ball, but Leon was just too strong.”
