- Teammate costs Aussie change at second medal in snowboard cross
Josie Baff has refused to blame her Australian teammate Adam Lambert after his crash cost her the chance to win a landmark second medal in the snowboard cross at the Milan-Cortina Olympics.
Only a few hours after Matt Graham clinched bronze in the dual moguls event, Baff and Lambert – who grew up as neighbours in Jindabyne – were in the hunt to add to the five medal tally, looking strong as they powered into Sunday’s mixed team final.
But Lambert got tangled up with Italian racer Lorenzo Sommariva on a corner and crashed heavily before scooting to the bottom of the course 4.16 seconds behind the French race leader Loan Bozzolo.
The women follow the men’s leg and start through the gate based on the margin their partner finished behind the winner.
That meant Baff had no chance to catch the other three women and she had to settle for last place in the four-racer final.
The gold was won by Great Britain’s Huw Nightingale and Charlotte Bankes with Italy second and France third.
Josie Baff hugs Australian teammate Adam Lambert after he crashed out in the snowboard cross
Lambert crashed during the mixed team event, which cost Baff another medal at the Winter Olympics
Gold medalist Charlotte Bankes of Team Great Britain is congratulated by Baff after the race
Lambert really only needed to stay on his feet with Baff in such superb form, having stormed to gold the women’s individual event earlier in Livigno.
She dragged the duo into the Big Final after starting fourth through the gates to finish second.
But she never got a chance to add to her gold as she sought to become Australia’s first athlete to win two medals in the same edition of a Winter Games.
‘In the final, going down and having four seconds, it’s a tough situation to be in, but I’m still really proud of the two of us and I think we showed everyone what we’re capable of,’ Baff said.
‘I don’t think we can be too disappointed. Obviously, I think we could have won – I really truly believe that we could have had that medal and I guess that stings a little bit.
‘But at the same time, it’s border cross and and it shows the unpredictability of the sport and that’s just racing.’
Lambert, 28, said he landed on the tail of Sommariva and then got caught up inside, losing contact with his toe-side edge.
‘That’s what sent me down and it’s a tough place to be, fourth at the Olympics, we’re in the final and there’s only so many people that get to be on the podium, and I’m proud to have been in the final to begin with,’ he said.
Aware of Baff’s superior speed, he said his strategy was just to get down the course without crashing, but he couldn’t avoid the contact.
‘I know Josie could have pulled back half a second, she probably could have pulled back one a second-and-a-half, she’s been riding so well but four seconds is just slightly too much.
He didn’t know whether the missed opportunity to win an Olympic medal would stay with him.
‘It’s a good question, maybe it’s too soon to tell,’ said Lambert, who entered the Games ranked No.1 on the World Cup rankings.
‘I have lots of other goals when it comes to my sport … winning a Crystal Globe is high on that list, and I’m currently leading the World Cup overall, so my attention will definitely be shifting towards that.’
