Coming Thursday: Pandemonium on a board

By THOM GABRUKIEWICZ
Scripps Howard News Service
14-FEB-06

BARDONECCHIA, Italy -- The Winter Olympics first went X Games in Nagano, Japan in 1998, when snowboard halfpipe was introduced.

But you ain't seen nothing yet.

Snowboard cross, or SBX, makes its Olympic debut here Thursday with the men's SBX (the ladies _ with U.S. darling Lindsey Jacobellis of Stratton Mountain, Vt., leading the way _ race on Friday).

What is this wild new sport? Pandemonium on a board, where four snowboarders fight their way down a motocross-style course for all the glory. The event is held tournament-style, meaning that the last four riders to survive fight for medals _ and one rider goes home empty-handed.

Almost anything goes, as the contestants vie for the perfect line down a course filled with jumps, tabletops and banked curves.

"It's a four-man race and the top two guys advance and the bottom two go home," said Nate Holland of Squaw Valley, Calif. "It's a cutthroat world out there. The courses are difficult enough to ride by yourself, but add the factor of three racers riding right along next to you.

"It makes for a great spectator sport."

Like the halfpipe, this is one sport where U.S. riders are expected to medal.

"I have my own high expectations," said Jacobellis, maybe the most recognizable SBX rider, what with her Visa commercial.

On the men's side, the man to beat is Seth Wescott of Carrabassett Valley, Maine.

"Coming in as the reigning world champion, I have high goals set," Wescott said. "It's a great opportunity. The bigger the event, I tend to have better results."

Rounding out the men's squad are Jayson Hale of Sugarbowl, Calif., Jason Smith of Basalt, Colo., and Graham Watanabe of Sun Valley, Idaho. Joining Jacobellis on course will be Leslee Olson of Bend, Ore.

How brash are the extreme-team U.S. SBX racers? Plenty.

"We're just the best SBX team," Hale said. "And there's Lindsey, who will get a medal, too.

_Contact Thom Gabrukiewicz at tgabrukiewicz(at)redding.com.