2025 FIS Junior SBX series champions crowned
Published Fri 15 Aug 2025
The final chapter of the 2025 FIS Junior Snowboard Cross (SBX) Series wrapped up in spectacular fashion at Hotham, with Lara Walsh and Robert Jones emerging as overall champions after three thrilling rounds of racing.
Following last week’s double header at Thredbo, Australia’s rising SBX stars converged on Hotham for the deciding third round of the 2025 series. Once again, the event attracted a strong international field, with athletes from Romania, Japan, Korea, Italy, and the USA adding depth to the competition.
Having collected a first and second place at Thredbo, Walsh led the women’s leaderboard heading into the final event. Jones, who was unbeaten at Thredbo was the one to beat in the men’s event.
Racing in the big final at Hotham, Jones secured the series championship placing third behind fellow Australian Pantxo Wall who claimed the win, with Romania’s Tamas Benczedi finishing second. Angus Young finished fourth.
Walsh clinched the overall series title with a second-place finish behind the race winner Romania’s Kara Mandel. Japan’s Rio Ishida completed the podium, narrowly edging out Australia’s Marcelle Davis-Cook for third.
For the Tasmanian based Walsh, it was her second time winning the overall series having clinched the win for a first tine in 2023.
“I'm really proud of myself and grateful to have won it both times,” Walsh said. “(This year) There was some was great competition, definitely the hardest field I think there’s ever been so it was definitely confidence boosting.
“I'm really happy for all the other riders and girls that competed they did really well as well,” she said.
A former Interschools competitor, 19-year-old Walsh is carving out big plans for her future. She’s currently in her first year of university, studying psychology with a major in sports psychology. She’s also setting big goals on the snow.
“I’m going on to compete in the South American tour next month,” she said, “and hopefully then onto Europa and World Cups one day.”
