Photo: Giovanni ZenoniGiovanni Zenoni
Giovanni Zenoni

Eliot Grondin takes gold in Cortina d’Ampezzo, extends medal streak to eight

Eliot Grondin won an eighth medal in as many outings in men’s snowboard cross as he took gold at the FIS World Cup in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy on Saturday.

The Quebec native won all four of his races on the day to take home the gold medal, his fifth of the season.

In the final, he held off American Jake Vedder and Australian Jarryd Hughes for a photo finish win, with Vedder taking silver and bronze going to Hughes.

Grondin also finished with the fastest qualifying time of the day, with a time of 38.60.

On top of finishing with the gold medal five different times, Grondin also has two silver medals and a bronze medal this year, placing him at the top of the rankings.

The 22-year-old won back-to-back World Cup snowboard cross silvers in Spain last week.

Meryeta O’Dine finished 11th on the women’s side, making the quarterfinals with a time of 41.99.