Snowboard Cross was originally known as boarder cross and the first event took place in 1991 at Blackcomb Mountain in Canada as part of a TV show on extreme sports. However, it wasn't until 1997 when boarder cross became part of the first ESPN Winter X Games, that it gained mass exposure. The International Ski Federation (FIS) who control the Olympic snowboard events took control of boarder cross, and the name snowboard cross was born in an effort to stop any confusion from the word Boarder. The discipline debuted at the Torino Winter Olympics in 2006.

Snowboard Cross involves four snowboarders racing down a course or track on the mountain at the same time. The course features large and small jumps, banked style turns, flat sections, tight turning sections and high speed sections all designed to challenge a rider's speed and control, similar to a motocross or BMX track.
The field of snowboarders have two individual runs on the course against the clock, with the top 32 times then going onto four person heats. The top two riders from each heat then progress to the next round until there are only four riders left for the final.
The four person heats provide for exciting viewing, not only do the riders have to master the course, they also have deal with being bumped and pushed as they ride side by side.

In the men's Australia has two very strong chances of a medal with Damon Hayler and Alex "Chumpy" Pullin . Both men already have strong World Cup performances this year, Damon won a World Cup gold in Bad Gastein, Austria in January, while Chumpy is continually in the top 10 and has scored a number of podiums.
The main contenders will be current gold medallist Seth Westcott from the U.S.A and World Cup point's leader Pierre Vaultier from France. You can never really rule out multiple title holder and big mountain freerider France's Xavier De La Rue.In women's Snowboard Cross our hopes are on Stephanie Hickey as the sole Australian in the field, she will be pushing for a top 10 finish as she currently sits at 15th on the World Cup standings. Currently the women atop the World Cup standings and favourites for medals in Vancouver are the Canadian duo Maelle Ricker and Dominique Maltais, as well as Bulgarian Alexandra Jekova.

Image: VANOC/COVAN

The Snowboard Cross takes place at Cypress Mountain in Vancouver on the 15th and 16th of February during the 2010 winter games.

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