SNOWBOARD WORLD CUP. After the freestyle snowboarders already kicked off their LG Snowboard FIS World Cup winter with a halfpipe contest in New Zealand a month ago, it's now time for the race boarders to follow suit. On 13th October, the season's first parallel slalom will traditionally take place indoors at SnowWorld Landgraaf, The Netherlands.

About 100 riders are expected to compete at the ninth event in the so-called "World Cup fridge." Chances are high that last year's Landgraaf winners Andreas Prommegger (AUT) and Ekaterina Tudegesheva (RUS) will be two of the main athletes to watch. In addition, fans will be psyched to witness an unexpected comeback as Jasey Jay Anderson will reportedly hit the slopes again. The Vancouver 2010 gold medalist, who retired after the 2010 season, is getting back to business.

Besides the 36-year-old, the top three Landgraaf riders, Amelie Kober (GER), Siegfried Grabner (AUT) and Benjamin Karl (AUT), are ready to attack on one of their favorite slopes. 23-year-old Kober is returning to racing after she gave birth to son Lorenz about one year ago. All other top female athletes, including Fränzi Mägert-Kohli (SUI), Marion Kreiner (AUT), Claudia Riegler (AUT) and Isabella Laböck (GER), as well as reigning parallel giant slalom world champion Alena Zavarzina (RUS) are back with the latter returning after a long injury break (torn ACL).

On the men's side, the odds-on favorites for victory are, besides Karl and Prommegger (AUT), Roland Fischnaller and Aaron March (both ITA) who finished second and third in SnowWorld last year, respectively.

Contributed by Oliver Kraus
FIS news
11.10.2011

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