Britain’s Charlotte Bankes goes back-to-back at Snowboard Cross World Cup as Leon Ulbricht earns maiden win

Great Britain’s Charlotte Bankes made it successive FIS Snowboard Cross World Cup wins as she triumphed in Sierra Nevada, with teenager Leon Ulbricht notching the first World Cup win of his career.

Bankes struggled over the first four events of the season, but got her first win of the campaign in Gudauri last month.

And she showed her class in foggy conditions in Sierra Nevada, winning her quarter-final and semi-final before triumphing in the final ahead of Czech Republic’s Eva Adamczykova, with France’s Chloe Trespeuch rounding out the podium.

That keeps Trespeuch top of the World Cup standings, now 135 points clear of Adamczykova who moved into second, while Bankes is up to fifth.

“I feel great and I’m really happy to come away with a win,” said Bankes, a three-time crystal globe winner.

“Today was a tough race, the conditions were really tough. But we’ve been riding the track for three days so we know where to go and you just have to try and ride as if it was sunny.

“I’m happy with how I rode in the final. I managed to build my runs today. Now it’s recovery and we’ll see what the weather holds for us tomorrow. Hopefully we can have another good race.”

On the men’s side, 19-year-old Ulbricht sprung a surprise in just his third race of the season, claiming a maiden World Cup win.

The German was second in his semi-final but turned it on in the final to take victory ahead of Canada’s Eliot Grondin, with Jake Vedder of the United States taking bronze.

“It’s unbelievable, I can’t say anything, it’s too crazy,” the clearly emotional 19-year-old said.

“It was really tough, especially because of the weather. But I had a really good start and I gave my best. It’s basically my first time here for everything.

“It’s my first World Cup semifinal ever, and then to win the World Cup, it’s crazy.”

Despite being beaten for just the second time this season, Grondin retains a huge lead in the overall standings, 250 points clear of Alessandro Haemmerle, who went out at the quarter-final stage.

The action continues on Sunday with men and women going again in Sierra Nevada.