Brit Gillings upsets hosts to claim German national snowboard title

ZOE Gillings won the German national snowboard cross championships to underline her status as one of Britain's best medal shots at next year's Winter Olympics - now exactly 400 days away.

The 23-year old, ranked sixth in the world, beat a top class field to warm up for this weekend's World Cup in Bad Gastein in style.

Gillings advanced through qualifying as the top ranked boarder - the first time she's done that in four years.

She went on the progress through the quarter-final and semi-finals with ease and underlined her form with a confident final win.

"It was a great day and everything went to plan," said Gillings.

"There is nothing better for confidence than winning and it's a great way to warm up for Austria."

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