Reigning world champion Charlotte Bankes opened her season with a superb silver medal in the curtain-raising snowboard cross World Cup at Secret Garden, China.
The 26-year-old finished second behind Sochi 2014 gold medallist Eva Samkova, who was in dominant form all week at the test event for the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics.
Samkova had topped qualification before winning all three of her races to take the gold medal but only after a thrilling battle with Great Britain’s Bankes in the final.
Czech Republic’s Samkova hit the front early on and while Bankes briefly managed to edge ahead at one point, she was unable to overhaul the 2018 PyeongChang bronze medallist.
Show some ♥️ for Charlotte who landed 🥈 at the @fissnowboard World Cup at Secret Garden, China this morning!
— GB Snowsport (@GBSnowsport) November 28, 2021
Congratulations Charlotte! 🇬🇧 🎉 🇬🇧 🎉 pic.twitter.com/vZyx9lia0d
Bankes, who claimed silver at the 2019 World Championship before upgrading to gold in Idre earlier this year, took silver ahead of 2018 Winter Olympic champion Michela Moioli of Italy.
Sportsbeat 2021