Third-place finish puts Baumgartner in running for snowboardcross spot on US Olympic team

Baumgartner in running for US Olympic SBX spot

VEYSONNAZ, Switzerland — Nick Baumgartner has put himself in the running to make the U.S. Olympic team with a third-place finish in a World Cup snowboardcross event.

Baumgartner finished third behind Pierre Vaultier of France and David Speiser of Germany on Friday. Helene Olafsen of Norway defeated Canadians Dominique Maltais and Maelle Ricker in the women’s final.

Baumgartner joined Graham Watanabe and 2002 Olympic halfpipe champion Ross Powers as the third American with a third-place finish this season.

Defending Olympic champion Seth Wescott has a second-place finish and Nate Holland has mathmatically sealed his spot thanks to a win last week.

Lindsey Jacobellis, already assured a spot on the team thanks to a win last week, finished eighth after a wreck in the semifinal.