Evan Bichon was getting tired of being spectator on race day.
In World Cup snowboard cross racing, only the top-32 in qualifying advance to the race which follows and that has been an elusive target for Bichon ever since he started racing with the best in the world in 2016.
He finally climbed that mountain again Friday on the chilly Siberian slopes of Krasnoyarsk, Russia.
The 23-year-old from Prince George posted the 23rd-quickest time in qualifying Friday and is qualified to compete in the races Saturday and Sunday.
Bichon nailed it in his second run of the day with a time of 1:03.72, 1.55 seconds behind Eliot Grondin of St. Marie, Que., who set the pace in the men’s event (1:02.17).
Bichon’s previous best finish in a World Cup event came last March when he was 25th in Bakuriani, Georgia.
In other Canadian results, Kevin Hill of Vernon was 30th (+1.73) and Liam Moffatt of Truro, N.S., was 32nd (+1.94) and both made the cut.
Colby Graham of Prince George was 40th (+2.26).
In women’s qualifying, Audrey McManiman of St. Ambrose de Kildare, Que., was fourth, 1.71 seconds behind pace-setter Charlotte Bankes of Great Britain, the current World Cup points leader. Tess Critchlow of Kelowna finished 14th (+3.37) and will advance to the races Saturday and Sunday.
Only the top 16 women move on to the race round and Zoe Bergermann of North Vancouver (18th, +3.70) and Meryeta O’Dine of Prince George (19th, +4.04) failed to advance.
