SNOWBOARD. Patrizia Kummer (SUI, photo) and Andreas Prommegger (AUT) have won the LG Snowboard FIS World Cup season's third parallel slalom at JAUerling, Lower Austria, and thus the World Cup host debut of this hill situated in the heart of the Wachau region.

In the women's final, 24-years-old Swiss racer relegated World Cup title defender Ekaterina Tudegesheva (RUS) to the second spot, thus not only securing a back-to-back win after her triumph in Carezza, Italy, but also taking over the World Cup lead (2,640 points) for the first time ever. In the battle for third, Marion Kreiner (AUT) defeated Amelie Kober (GER), who was still suffering from the aftermaths of a cold.

Although she had proven already in the last race of 2011 that she is fast when it comes down to parallel slalom racing, Patrizia Kummer wasn't really expecting another win when traveling to Lower Austria a few days ago.

“I was sick over Christmas and couldn't do any physical workout or on-snow training due to this. Thus, I'm very happy that I'm still in shape. The course was pretty flat, you had to push and work a lot to keep moving on.”

However, the talent from Switzerland earned the victory due to some flawless riding hardly making any mistakes and finds herself now in a totally new role.

Although she has the same amount of World Cup points as her team mate Fraenzi Maegert-Kohli (SUI), Kummer will be the “quarry” as she will wear the Yellow Bib because of one more win to her belt.

“The World Cup lead is awesome but I will take it race after race.”

Prommegger reaches his target

On the mens side, Andreas Prommegger secured the home tome win which was highly and eagerly awaited by his fellow countrymen who where witnessing the night finals.

The 31-years-old from the Salzburg area nailed his first ever win on home soil by beating Andrey Sobolev (RUS) in the finals. It was the first time that Sobolev, a 22-years-old talent, finished on a podium spot. Roland Fischnaller (ITA) placed third, Rok Flander (SLO) fourth.

Right after his historic triumph, Andreas Prommegger, said: “I never was on the podium at home soil World Cups before. I just finished fourth once in Bad Gastein.”

But in his 187th World Cup start, almost 14 years to the date of his World Cup debut (JAN 11, Lenggries, Germany), the father of one fulfilled one of his biggest dreams and thus was full of emotions when he tried to sum up his feelings in the finish area.

“Winning in front of such an audience is crazy. I never experienced anything like this. I had goose skin in every single run. The crowd was carrying me down. This triumph is unbelievable.”

Especially as the most of the spectators were expecting and hoping for Benjamin Karl to step on the top spot of the podium. But the local hero and Double World Champion was eliminated in the quarter finals after several mistakes against Fischnaller.

However, Karl, who still sits in first position of the World Cup rankings with 3,570 points, took the chance to share some other interesting facts as the Wilhelmsburg born and his wife Nina are expecting a baby in July.

The LG Snowboard FIS World Cup continues with another parallel slalom scheduled in Bad Gastein, Austria, on JAN 15.

FISsnowboard.com
Friday 13 January 2012

  Tweet