Josie Baff has enjoyed a remarkable weekend on the snowy slopes of Erzurum, Türkiye, showcasing her talent and determination in the world of Snowboard Cross. In the individual event held on Saturday, Baff clinched a well-earned bronze medal, marking her third podium finish of the season.
PHOTO: Josie Baff (right), Charlotte Bankes (centre), and Lea Casta (left) CREDIT: Snow Australia
Under the sun-drenched skies of Erzurum, the 22-year-old navigated the course with precision and speed. The demanding layout, situated at a challenging altitude of around 2500 metres, saw Baff advance through her quarter-final convincingly and grasp second place in the semi-final, propelling her to the Big Final.
During the thrilling final race, Baff maintained her pace to secure third position, closely following Lea Casta of France, who took second by a mere 0.12 seconds, and Great Britain’s Charlotte Bankes, the winner, who was just 0.19 seconds ahead. “This has been the most demanding course so far on tour,” Baff commented. “The high altitude really tested a lot of us. The course was fast too, so I’m happy to end the day with another podium.”
But the triumphs for Baff didn’t stop there. The following day, she teamed up with Cameron Bolton to make history, clinching Australia’s first-ever World Cup gold medal in the snowboard cross mixed team event. The duo faced fierce competition but emerged victorious, finishing ahead of teams from Great Britain, Austria, and the USA.
PHOTO: Baff and Bolton secure gold by four hundredths of a second CREDIT: Snow Australia
In the medal round, Bolton delivered a stellar opening run, besting the USA and handing Baff a slender lead. Baff held onto this advantage with determination, fending off a strong push from Great Britain’s Charlotte Bankes to secure gold by just four hundredths of a second. Rounding out the podium was the Austrian team in third place.
Josie expressed her delight at the landmark achievement, saying, “Cam and I had been wanting to be in a team for a while and he gave me the perfect amount of lead that I needed. I knew that if I had the track to myself, I was going to be hard to pass.”
As the snowboard cross season continues, Baff now sits third in the overall standings with 310 points, trailing Casta with 365 and leader Bankes with 450 points. Next, Baff and her fellow athletes turn their attention to an upcoming World Cup double event in Georgia this weekend.