Crans-Montana (SUI) hosted the Finals in the European Cup in Alpine Skiing last week. More than 150 racers from 22 nations competed in the final events for the important personal quota places in next season's Audi FIS Alpine Ski World Cup. These are awarded to the top three of each event ranking , as well as for the overall winners who - new as from 2009/10 - will have an individual starting place but that in all events during the 2009/2010 season.

Eight competitions were held last week in excellent conditions and, for the most part, stunning weather on the legendary Piste National, which saw the ladies' World Cup tour visiting last season and will also host a ladies' super-G and slalom next March, as well as the 2011 FIS Alpine Junior World Ski Championships.

The overall European Cup trophies both went to Austria as 21-year-old Florian Scheiber took the men's overall title while still junior-aged Karin Hackl topped the ladies' ranking. Another Austrian young talent, 20-year-old Bernard Graf trailed Scheiber by just 50 points while the young Czech Petr Zahrobsky finished third overall and also won the super-G rankings. In the ladies' overall, Swiss Nadja Kamer managed to break the strong Austrian team taking 2nd ahead of Stefanie Moser (AUT), the EC downhill champion, in third place.

The ladies' slalom title went to Marianne Maier (GER) ahead of teammate Christina Geiger. Altogether the Germans had five ladies in the top nine of the slalom rankings. Overall winner Hackl also claimed the ladies giant slalom title while Malgret Altacher (AUT) was best in SG. Swiss Jessica Puenchera won the super combined.

In the men's technical events, World Cup regulars Matthias Hargin (SWE) and Alexander Ploner (ITA) took the honors in slalom and giant slalom, respectively. In the downhill, Swiss Patrick Kueng while the 2008 junior world champion in the downhill Hagen Patscheider of Italy won the men's super combined ranking.

FIS news
20/03/2009

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