Olympic contenders deliver standout performances at 2025 SBX ANC

Australia’s top snowboard cross (SBX) stars delivered commanding performances at the 2025 SBX Australia New Zealand Cup (ANC), held at Hotham at the weekend. With the international season fast approaching and Olympic representation on their minds, the stakes were high and the competition was fierce amongst the athlete cohort.

Adam Lambert leading; Photo Chris Hocking

The standout performers were dual Olympian Adam Lambert and Beijing Olympian Josie Baff (pictured below) who each secured two victories and sett a strong benchmark for the season ahead. Triple Olympian Cam Bolton also featured prominently, alongside rising talents James Johnstone, Mia Clift, and Maya Billingham.

Photo: Chris Hocking

In the men’s events, Lambert was denied a clean sweep of the series when Junior World Champion James Johnstone opened the series with a decisive win in race one, crossing ahead of Bolton in second and Lambert in third.

Lambert responded in race two, claiming victory ahead of Johnstone, while Declan Dent broke through for his first podium of the series.

Lambert continued his winning ways in race three, crossing the line in first place. Dent backed up with another second-place finish while Bolton secured third, and Johnstone finished fourth.

Lambert said the conditions worked in his favour, but with so much depth across the team, there were no easy wins.

“We've had a lot more snow this year than we've had in the last couple of years and for that reason we've been able to double probably the length of the course,” Lambert said.

“It adds a few extra features in that we have had in the past and that probably suit me somewhat and overall, it's just a better test of fitness, it's a better test of skill and it's a better test of technical ability as well.

“Having such depth means that the competition is really fierce. There's no free heats. There's no free results either and everyone wants to win here because it's kind of bragging rights in the team. So the competition's high and we're pushing each other pretty hard,” he said.

In the women’s events, Baff set the pace early, taking out race one ahead of Mia Clift and Abbey Wilson.

Josie Baff; Photo: Chris Hocking

Clift returned serve in race two, edging Baff for the win, with Billingham rounding out the podium in third.

With Baff and Clift sitting on equal points with one race to go, Baff reclaimed top honours and the overall series win in race three, finishing ahead of Clift in second and Billingham in third.

“It's three days of pretty close racing and it was really fun with all the girls,” Baff said.

“There were some long days and the weather changed a lot so we kind of got to experience every kind of condition which was nice and a good mental challenge as well and gets us ready for the season,” she said.

The 22-year-old said having a similar racing style to Clift made for exciting, evenly matched competition.

“Mia and I are very similar in our racing styles, and our abilities, so it always makes for good racing here and same with the boys, it's always tight and it's anyone's day on any given day and any given moment,” Baff said.  

“No matter how many times you run that heat, I'm sure it would come out a different scenario, so it was nice to be able to take the overall win,” she said.

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