Miha Matavz/FIS
Miha Matavz/FIS

Eliot Grondin wins gold at first World Cup of season in Les Deux Alpes

Eliot Grondin got his hands on a gold medal at the first Snowboard Cross World Cup event of the season in Les Deux Alpes, France.

The conditions on Sunday were ideal for the competition to run smoothly, with good weather and bright sunshine.

Grondin finished first, qualifying for the final with a time of 1:03.54, as Austrian Alessandro Haemmerle finished in second while Spaniard Lucas Eguibar took the bronze medal.

This is the first victory of the season for Grondin, and the fourth in his career, marking an excellent start to the season for the Quebec native.

Grondin ended last season with a victory at home, at Mont-Saint-Anne.

Fellow Canadians Evan Bichon and Liam Moffatt placed 17th and 28th, respectively, in Sunday’s competition.

Among the women’s competition, Canadian Meryeta O’dine finished in eighth.

The next stop on the FIS Snowboard Cross World Cup circuit will be in Pitztal, Austria from Dec. 9-10.