14 January 2006 - 21:26 Bulgarian triumph in SBX World Cup, Jekova win bronze ! Smith, Frei win snowboard cross races in Kronplatz

Bulgarian young snowboard star Alexandra Jekova clocked 3rd best time at Saturday's snowboard cross for the World Cup in Italy.

Before the start she had already earned 14th place in the interim ranking.

MORE INFO SOON !!!

Frei and Jekova doing Champaign shower :)

PLAN DE CORONES, Italy (AP) -- Jason Smith of the United States beat Switzerland's Marco Hauser and American teammate Jayson Hale to win a World Cup snowboard cross race in northern Italy on Saturday.

Sandra Frei of Switzerland, center, winner of a World Cup women's snowboard cross race, celebrates on the podium with second placed Karine Ruby of France, left, and third placed Alexandra Jekova of Bulgaria, in Plan de Corones, Italy, Saturday, Jan. 14, 2006. (AP Photo/Mirko Guarriello)

Sandra Frei of Switzerland took the women's cross event, ahead of French veteran Karine Ruby and Alexandra Jekova of Bulgaria.

Karine Ruby of France, right, leads Switzerland's Olivia Nobs, left, and Kathrin Kellenberger, center, during a women's World Cup snowboard cross race in Plan de Corones, Italy, Saturday, Jan. 14, 2006. (AP Photo/Mirko Guarriello)

It was the first win this season for Smith and Frei.

Xavier Delerue of France leads the World Cup cross standings with 3,372 points, 22 points ahead of Canada's Jasey Jay Anderson. Smith moved up to 11th place.

Switzerland's Tanja Frieden, center, speeds down the course flanked by teammate Sandra Frei, left, and Austria's Doresia Krings during a World Cup women's snowboard cross race in Plan de Corones, Italy, Saturday, Jan. 14, 2006. Tanja Frieden of Switzerland won ahead of Karine Ruby of France and Alexandra Jekova of Bulgaria. (AP Photo/Mirko Guarriello)

Dominique Maltais, who finished fifth in the women's race, leads the women's standings with 3,690 points. Her Canadian teammate, Maelle Ricker, is second with 3,510.

Associated Press
Saturday January 14, 2006 12:21PM

RESULTS

Place   Kronplatz (ITA)   Discipline   Snowboardcross
Date   14.01.2006   Category   World Cup
Race codex   7293   Gender   L
TD Name   Neuenschwander Michael (SUI)

Rank Bib FIS Code Name Year Nation Result Level Points
1  3  7519966 FREI Sandra  1984  SUI       1000.00
2  1  1005308 RUBY Karine  1978  FRA       800.00
3  5  7537602 JEKOVA Alexandra  1987  BUL       600.00
4  11  7519949 FRIEDEN Tanja  1976  SUI       500.00
5  2  7105025 MALTAIS Dominique  1985  CAN       450.00
6  9  1207068 RICKER Maelle  1978  CAN       400.00

38 finished