Thomas wins junior world title

NSWIS snowboarder Matthew Thomas has won team snowboard cross gold alongside compatriot Adam Lambert to wrap up the 2015 FIS Snowboarding Junior World Championships in China.

The relay style event sees two riders compete as a team, with the first rider having to complete the course before their team member is allowed to take off from the start of the course. Whoever crosses the line first from the second group of riders is awarded victory.

The Australian duo faced stiff competition throughout the event, with Lambert making a move on the final corner of the semi-final just to ensure a place in the last four.

Thomas then led in the final, successfully navigating through a crash to give Lambert a 15 second lead before the race was called to a halt due to the first-leg crash. Race officials decided to use results the first leg of the relay, with Thomas and Lambert awarded gold.

Fellow NSWIS athlete Georgia Baff finished eighth overall in the team event with Annabel Tudhope, while individually Thomas and Baff finished sixth and fourth respectively in the men’s and women’s snowboard cross events.