ARE (Sweden) – Kyle Croxall has brought his two-race winning streak and seven straight podium finishes to the Swedish resort town of Are and the Canadian ace hopes he can clinch the 2012 world championship with a win on Saturday. But Germany’s Fabian Mels, defending champion Arttu Pihlainen and even his younger brother Scott Croxall will be going all out to make sure the title battle goes down to the wire in the final race in Quebec.
If Kyle Croxall wins and second-placed Mels finishes third or lower on the steep Red Bull Crashed Ice track where racers hit speeds of 70 kmh, the Canadian will be crowned the world champion. But if something goes wrong and he finishes second or worse on the 420-meter long track filled with bumps, jumps, hairpin turns and other obstacles, there are five others who could still win the title.
“The championship is definitely on my mind but I’m not stressing out about it,” said Croxall, adding he is not worried that a pack of rivals will be praying for him to stumble in the increasingly competitive race where a dozen races now have the speed and talent to reach the podium. “I think everyone always wants to stop me so that won’t be anything new. I’m going to do what I always do: try to get on the podium. There are two races left. I’m going to rack up some points here and do the same in Quebec.”
Croxall admits he is still a bit miffed about coming in second to Martin Niefnecker of Germany in the 2010 championship and then to Pihlainen of Finland in 2011. Croxall only raced against Niefnecker in Quebec and did not get a chance to race in Munich. Since then the towering 97-kg Croxall has been on a mission to win the championship.
“In 2010 I didn’t get a chance because I only got one race so it wasn’t really a fair race for the championship,” said Croxall. “Last year I had tough luck a couple of times. The tracks last year were better for Arttu. He was quicker. This year the tracks look more like my style of racing. And I’ve trained a bit harder so it’s looking like my year.”
Croxall, a rookie in 2008, will get no mercy whatsoever in Friday’s elimination round when all 120 skaters will be battling it out for the 64 spots in Saturday’s finals. Even Croxall’s younger brother Scott wants to win on Saturday even if it means Kyle will have to put celebration on ice for another month: “I’m going for first place,” Scott Croxall said when asked if he might be tempted to let his brother win. “I need to get a first win under my belt. It’s way overdue. I should have been first in Valkenburg. I was in the lead when my skate broke. I want to win here.”
Switzerland’s Kilian Braun, who beat Kyle Croxall in two of their three heats in Valkenburg agrees: “Hopefully someone will beat Kyle here. Hopefully it’ll be me who beats him this time.”
In Thursday’s national shootout, Swedish newcomers to the sport performed admirably on the track that wends itself into the center of town, taking five of the six top spots. Switzerland’s Derek Wedge was first with Philip Harlaut, Michael Johansson and Wisam Charzoul close behind.
2012 race calendar:
Jan. 13/14 Saint Paul (USA)
Feb 3/4 Valkenburg (NED)
Feb 17/18 Are (SWE)
March 16/17 Quebec (CAN)
