Snowboard Cross Racing Rules

Snowboard Cross Rules: First Across the Line Wins

Snowboard cross (SBX) strips away the judges and the subjectivity, replacing them with the purest format in snowboarding: four riders, one course, first across the finish line advances. Governed by FIS, snowboard cross combines technical riding, racing strategy, and the controlled chaos of close-quarters competition.

Course Design

A snowboard cross course is a steep, technical descent featuring:

• Start ramp: a steep, gated start where all riders begin simultaneously.
• Jumps: tabletop jumps, rollers, and step-ups that force riders airborne.
• Berms: banked turns that allow high-speed cornering.
• Rollers: undulating terrain that tests balance and speed management.
• Flat sections: where drafting and positioning become critical.

Courses are typically 1,000–1,500 meters long with a vertical drop of 130–250 meters. They’re designed with multiple racing lines — inside and outside options through turns — to create overtaking opportunities.

Race Format

Qualification (Seeding Run): Each rider does a solo timed run down the course. The times determine seeding for the bracket rounds. The fastest qualifier gets the most favorable lane position in the first heat.

Knockout Rounds: Four (sometimes six) riders race simultaneously. Starting positions in the gate are determined by qualification ranking (faster qualifiers get preferred lanes, typically inside).

• Top 2 (or top 3 in six-rider heats) advance to the next round.
• Eliminated riders are ranked by their qualifying time.

The bracket narrows: Round of 32 → Round of 16 → Quarterfinals → Semifinals → Big Final (gold/silver) and Small Final (bronze).

Start Procedure

All riders begin from a raised start gate with individual lanes. A countdown system is used (similar to a ski race start). False starts are penalized — a second false start results in disqualification.

The start is critical: getting to the first turn first provides a significant advantage, as the leader controls the line and trailing riders must find alternative paths.

Contact Rules

Legal contact: incidental body contact while racing in close quarters is allowed. Shoulder-to-shoulder racing is expected and part of the sport.

Illegal contact: deliberate pushing, pulling, grabbing, or intentional impeding is prohibited. Specifically:

• Grabbing another rider’s body or equipment.
• Using hands or arms to push a rider.
• Deliberately cutting off a rider’s line in a way that causes a fall.
• Blocking (slowing down intentionally to prevent a pass).

Video review is used to adjudicate contact calls. The chief of course and referees can disqualify a rider for a foul, advancing the next rider in their place.

Falls and Crashes

If a rider crashes, they can get back on their board and continue — there’s no rule requiring them to stop. However, they cannot impede other riders while recovering. If a rider causes a crash that takes out another competitor, the at-fault rider may be disqualified.

Crashes are common in SBX — the combination of jumps, tight turns, and four-rider packs at 60+ km/h makes incidents frequent. This unpredictability is part of the sport’s appeal but also its frustration: favorites can be eliminated in the quarterfinals by a crash that wasn’t their fault.

Equipment

Snowboard cross boards are longer and stiffer than freestyle boards, optimized for speed and edge hold rather than spinning. Helmets with chin guards (similar to motocross helmets) are mandatory. Body armor (back protector, shin guards) is common but not required by FIS rules.

Drafting and Strategy

Drafting behind another rider reduces air resistance, just as in cycling. Riders sometimes sit in second or third position intentionally, conserving energy behind the leader before making a pass in the final section. The risk: crashes ahead can collect you. The reward: a fresh, explosive final push while the leader fades.

Photo Finish

In the event of a close finish, a photo-finish camera determines the order. The first part of the rider’s body to cross the finish line — typically the board — determines the result.