Boardercross

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"SBX" redirects here. For the radar system, see Sea-based X-band Radar.

Boardercross (also Boarder-X or BX - and occasionally referred to as Snowboard Cross) is a snowboard competition in which a group of racers (usually four) start simultaneously atop an inclined course, then attempt to reach finish line at the end of the course first.

Still widely referred to as boardercross by the snowboarding community, it wasn't until the International Ski Federation (FIS) (the skiers' organisation which controls Olympic ski events) assumed control of Olympic boardercross events that the term snowboard cross materialised. This was due largely to the language barrier - because when boardercross is translated into the FIS's native French and back again, snowboard cross emerges as a literal translation.

Boardercross courses are typically quite narrow and includes cambered turns, gap jumps, berms, drops, and steep and flat sections designed to challenge the riders' ability to stay in control. It is not uncommon for racers to collide with each other. Some observers have compared the sport to short track speed skating because of the amount of contact involved. The name and the riders' full-face helmets show the sport's influence by motocross.

Steven Rechtschaffer is widely credited with creating the first official boardercross course at Whistler Blackcomb in 1990, however similar events were being held for at least five years prior to this event - 1985 being the year of the first (now legendary) Mt. Baker Banked Slalom.

[edit] In major multi-sport competitions

Boardercross has been an event in every X-Games since their start in 1997. It made its Winter Olympics debut in 2006. The first Olympic medals for Men's Snowboard Cross were won by:

Medal	Athlete
Gold	Seth Wescott (USA) ^[1]
Silver	Radoslav Židek (SVK)
Bronze	Paul-Henri Delerue (FRA)

The first Olympic medals for Women's Snowboard Cross were won by:

Medal	Athlete
Gold	Tanja Frieden (SUI) ^[2]
Silver	Lindsey Jacobellis (USA)
Bronze	Dominique Maltais (CAN)

[edit] In video games

The earlier releases in the EA Sports SSX (Super Snow Cross) series of video games were loosely based on boardercross. The games are very much arcade-style video games, not a simulation game, focusing more on unrealistic tricks and larger-than-life courses.

The game Sonic Riders, a Sonic the Hedgehog series racing game in which SEGA characters race on hoverboards, is partly inspired by Snowboard Cross.