Grondin closes snowboard cross season with World Cup gold
A day after securing the men’s snowboard cross overall season title, Éliot Grondin struck gold to wrap up the FIS World Cup season at Mont-Sainte-Anne in Beaupré, Quebec.
It’s Grondin’s first victory in six races at Mont-Sainte-Anne.
“The energy [here] is crazy, especially in the semifinal and big final in the start gate,” he said. “I could hear the fans cheering me, and that says a lot about [them]. It’s always been a great race here, and to not have missed a podium in six races here is unreal.”
In Sunday’s final, France’s Aidan Chollet and Loan Bozzolo grabbed silver and bronze, respectively.
Grondin has back-to-back Crystal Globe wins on the World Cup circuit. This season, Grondin won three gold, two silver and one bronze medal in World Cup events. The 23-year-old from Sainte-Marie won his first senior world championship title in men’s snowboard cross at the 2025 FIS Snowboard World Championships in Engadin, Switzerland in late March.
“It’s amazing. It’s been a hectic past 10, 12 days. Today, I just wanted to win at home in front of everybody,” Grondin said.
Grondin wins World Cup silver to secure the Crystal Globe
Grondin won a silver medal in Saturday’s final to clinch his second consecutive overall season title.
He needed to reach the podium in Saturday’s event to secure the Crystal Globe, and he accomplished the feat in style, battling hard for a second-place finish behind Austria’s Jakob Dusek. American Nathan Pare finished third.
Grondin, from Sainte-Marie, Que., is now building a mini snowboard cross dynasty with back-to-back Crystal Globes on the World Cup circuit.
“I didn’t come here confident the job was done,” said Grondin. “I knew I had to work hard over the week and today and tomorrow to make sure it happens, and today to just close it off, especially before tomorrow’s weather, feels nice. But at the same time it’s been such a great battle with everybody, especially Jakob and Loan that’s been on fire lately. It’s been really cool to battle with those guys.”
On the women’s side, Tess Critchlow was the highest-placing Canadian in fifth place. France’s Lea Casta won gold.
