ALPINE SKI. Lenzerheide, Switzerland - The 2013 Audi FIS Ski World Cup Finals continued with the Nations‘ Team Event today in Lenzerheide. Although the day started gloomy, the sun came out as the season’s only team competition as part of the FIS World Cup series unveiled. The victory went to Team Germany, also successful on the same slope two years ago, that beat Team Sweden in the Big Final.

Team of Germany takes 1st place during the Audi FIS Alpine Ski World Cup Nation’s Team event on March 15, 2013 in Lenzerheide, Switzerland. (Photo by Alexis Boichard/Agence Zoom)

In the Small Final, Team Italy won over Team Austria, the gold medallist at the 2013 Worlds and winner of the NTE at the 2012 Finals, to finish third.

Team of Italiy takes 3rd place during the Audi FIS Alpine Ski World Cup Nation’s Team event on March 15, 2013 in Lenzerheide, Switzerland. (Photo by Alexis Boichard/Agence Zoom)

The German team consisting of Moscow City Event winner Lena Dürr, Veronique Hronek, Fritz Dopfer and Felix Neureuther beat the Swedish slalom stars Frida Hansdottir, Maria Pietilä-Holmner, Andre Myhrer and Jens Byggmark to take the win. In the final run of the Big Final, Jens Byggmark had a chance to still bring the victory to Sweden against Fritz Dopfer but lost the run after an inner ski mistake.

Team Germany,competes against team Sweden during the Audi FIS Alpine Ski World Cup NationÕs Team event on March 15, 2013 in Lenzerheide, Switzerland. (Photo by Alain Grosclaude/Agence Zoom)

Said Byggmark: “After we won silver at the World Championships in Schladming, and finished third at the 2012 Finals also in Schladming, we really wanted to win today. I was really giving it my best today, and charging hard, but then lost it after the mistake.”

He added: “This event is really a lot of fun. We are all competitive so of course we go out there to win. The fact that we now also race parallel in the World Cup has made a big difference for the team event. We have to really train skiing parallel. You need to train how to ski these gates and the start to win in this format.”

Team of Sweden takes 2nd place during the Audi FIS Alpine Ski World Cup Nation’s Team event on March 15, 2013 in Lenzerheide, Switzerland. (Photo by Alexis Boichard/Agence Zoom)

Part of today's winning team, Felix Neureuther commented: “It's not that serious but you always want to win the race so I’m happy to win today. It’s nice that the Team Event is the only chance we get to ski with the girls and work as a team in a cool competition format. I am a little undecided on whether we really need this competition at the Finals especially with all the cancellations of the previous days but I am glad I don’t have to make those decision and there are other gust that need to think of that. I still have two races to focus on here in Lenzerheide before I head to our Nationals. The World Cup season is over this weekend but equipment testing and training starts right away. I’ll do that in the next week and than take a break and go on vacation, I definitely feel I need it after a busy winter.”

FISalpine.com
Friday 15 March 2013

Sweden, Germany and Italy on the podium during the Audi FIS Alpine Ski World Cup Nation's Team event on March 15, 2013 in Lenzerheide, Switzerland. (Photo by Alain Grosclaude/Agence Zoom)

  Tweet