Wednesday, September 22, 2004

Watanabe scores first World Cup victory

Snowboarding in Chile


Graham Watanabe, a first-time World Cup winner Friday in Chile, was a member of the Wood River High School boys? soccer team that won back-to-back state championships in 1998 and 1999. Photo by David N. Seelig

At Valle Nevado, Chile on Friday, Lindsey Jacobellis of Bondville, Vt. shook off the frustration of a narrow defeat 24 hours earlier and took charge on the final section Friday to collect her first World Cup snowboardcross victory of the 2004-05 season.

Meanwhile, 2000 Wood River High School graduate Graham Watanabe of Ketchum made it a sweep for U.S. riders by winning the men's SBX event during the NOKIA Snowboard FIS World Cup stop in Chile.

It was Watanabe?s first World Cup victory. Coincidentally, Jacobellis and Watanabe also both won gold medals at the Snowboard Western Regional Championships for the nation?s top juniors two years ago in Steamboat Springs, Colo.

Watanabe, 22, couldn?t believe that he was on top Friday after only his seventh World Cup race of his career. He said, ?I still can?t believe it. I?m absolutely happy. I had a good day and was lucky with the wind conditions,? he said.

?I'm definitely getting more acclimated to the conditions,? said Jacobellis. ?In my last race (the finals heat) I got the chance to fix the mistake I made Thursday and make up for it.?

She edged England's Zoe Gillings, who had won the season-opener Thursday (with Jacobellis fourth). Austrians Doresia Krings and Manuela Riegler were third and fourth, respectively.

Watanabe, who had been 27th in the opening SBX, took advantage of an opening on the final stretch wide enough and pushed the others to the outside as he cruised to victory.

?I can't even remember the race,? Watanabe said. ?I'm too excited. I've been super consistent. In the final heat, the guy at my side gave me an opening. I took it and I killed it.?

Making his win even more rewarding, Watanabe has had to overcome serious injuries over the last couple of years, suffering from torn knee ligaments and a crushed pelvis.

?It's been a rough year, but I feel amazing,? Watanabe said. ?I can't thank the doctors and rehab therapists enough for putting me back together. I didn't have any expectations. I've just got to keep training hard, and earn the right be here.?

Polish rider Mateusz Ligocki was second with Mario Fuchs of Austria third and Canadian Drew Neilson, who won the opener, in fourth place.

With the halfpipe competition, which had been scheduled for Saturday being canceled, the snowboard World Cup will pick up again Oct. 16-17 with parallel giant slalom in Soelden, Austria, followed by SBX and halfpipe Oct. 29-30 in Saas-Fee, Switzerland.




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