Alessandro Haemmerle from Austria and Canada’s Eliot Grondin have once again showcased their exceptional skills in men’s snowboardcross, clinching gold and silver medals, respectively, at the Winter Olympics held in Livigno, Italy. This thrilling event took place on Thursday and was marked by an intense competition that mirrored their showdown during the 2022 Beijing Games.
As the race unfolded, Grondin seemed poised to reverse his previous finish; however, Haemmerle displayed remarkable speed and determination. In a nail-biting finish, he managed to pull ahead in the final moments, winning by a mere 0.03 seconds, slightly more than his 0.02 seconds margin in the last Olympics.
Austrian rider Jakob Dusek earned the bronze medal, narrowly edging out France’s Aidan Chollet, who was also in contention for a podium finish as they approached the end of the race. Meanwhile, American snowboarder Nick Baumgartner, the 2022 Olympic mixed snowboardcross champion, reached the semifinals but didn’t advance further.
Snowboardcross races consist of four competitors navigating a challenging course filled with banks and bumps, where the top two racers from each round progress to the finals. Grondin recently won the 2024/25 Crystal Globe and became the 2025 world champion, while Haemmerle claimed a bronze in that championship.
In related events, Austrian snowboarder Benjamin Karl successfully defended his title in men’s parallel giant slalom on Sunday, adding to Austria’s medal tally. With these performances, both Haemmerle and Grondin continue to establish themselves as premier athletes in their sport, promising more exciting competitions in the future.