Canada's Grondin wins World Cup snowboard cross gold
Sainte-Marie, Que., athlete is the reigning World Cup men's champion in the sport
Canada's Éliot Grondin raced to World Cup gold at a snowboard cross event in Beidahu, China, on Saturday.
Grondin, of Sainte-Marie, Que., won every round he competed in on Saturday, and finished ahead of silver medallist Alessandro Haemmerle, of Austria, and French competitor Merlin Surget, who took bronze.
"I did a couple of training runs with Merlin and Loan [Bozzolo] so I kind of knew a little bit what they were going to do," ," Grondin said. "[On] turn two, I knew Merlin was going to try to go a bit lower and pass there, so I defended this section quite good and then I was just trying to fly away and do no mistakes."
WATCH l Grondin captures snowboard cross gold in China:
Grondin is the reigning World Cup men's champion, but this is his first win of the new season. He placed fourth in last month's season opener in Cervinia, Italy.
The 23-year-old moved atop the World Cup standings with 150 points.
"To win is the cherry on the top of the sundae. I'm super happy to be back after such a long break, and to be back on top of the podium, super happy," Grondin said.
On the women's side, Great Britain's Charlotte Bankes won gold, with Italy's Michela Moioli and France's Lea Casta taking silver and bronze, respectively.
