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Australia’s world No.1 Ben Tudhope has stormed through qualification in the Snowboard Cross and said he was ready to go to a new level when he competes for gold at Genting Snow Park at Zhangjiakou on Monday.
Tudhope, who was awarded the Crystal Globe as the top competitor in his SB-LL2 classification for the 2021/22 season, qualified in fourth position after the two heat runs, with the top 16 going through to the finals.
The Australian Paralympic Team Co-Captain said he was happy to be in the top half of the field but suggested the real competition only starts now.
“It’s a new day tomorrow and I know everyone will ‘bring it’ and times and position don’t really matter, all that really matters is to be in front when the race finishes,” Tudhope said.
“The course was actually really fast and it was cool to try some new things and do some new moves that I didn’t quite get to do in training and figure out the course a bit more. I’m just ready to ‘send it’ tomorrow because that’s when it really counts.
“I think there will be a new level of riding for me. I know the whole competition, the whole field, will bring their A game tomorrow as well.”
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Tudhope is the only Snowboard competitor in Australia’s nine-strong team at Beijing 2022.
All the other Team members are Para-alpine skiers and are staying at Yanqing Paralympic Village, about an hour’s drive from the snowboarders’ base at Zhangjiakou. However, Tudhope, while in regular contact with his Australian teammates, has formed a strong bond with a Finnish rider and Canadian rider, which has become known unofficially as Team Unicorn.
The Team was formed after the PyeongChang 2018 Paralympics, when the Finnish coach at the time said he wanted to help train the Australian snowboarders. Since the team’s formation, Tudhope has continually improved to become the world’s best.
In qualification on Sunday, Unicorn team members Matti Suur-Hamari of Finland and Alex Massie of Canada finished first and third, respectively, with Tudhope fourth.
“We have a great system going,” Tudhope said. “All our team knows what to do on race day and we all know how to make it to the finals together and that that’s the goal. The goal is to make it to the finals as the Unicorn Team and then anything goes from there. It’s one race to the bottom. I hope I stay safe and they stay safe as well and we all have a great race.
“We want to go out there and show the world that it doesn’t matter that we’re from different countries. It’s who you ride with and who you want to be with on tour that really lifts us.
“It is funny because it is an individual sport as well. But it’s the same with nations – if you’ve got two people from Australia in the same category, they are competing against each other. We keep the nations out of it and just really want to do it together.
“The Games are so country-based and I am so proud to represent Australia, but without teammates I definitely wouldn’t be here. I wouldn’t be able to be motivated to stay where I am. To do it with these guys and to adapt and do it as a system, to work well and together with all these guys here, has been amazing and I think it lifts all our spirits and everybody’s ability.”
First and second in each quarterfinal on Sunday will progress to the semifinals. First and second in each semifinal progress to the Big Final, which is contested for medals, and third and fourth in each semifinal progress to the Small Final for minor placings.
Watch the Beijing 2022 Paralympic Winter Games live and free on 7plus from 4-13 March.
By: David Sygall, Paralympics Australia
Posted: 6 March
