Amelie Kober (GER) and Andreas Prommegger (AUT) have won the season's sixth Parallel Giant Slalom of the 2010 LG Snowboard FIS World Cup. The German hopeful for the up-coming Olympics successfully competed against new World Cup leader Nicolien Sauerbreij (NED) in the ladies' final thus securing her season's second World Cup win. Marion Kreiner (AUT) came in third edging Germany's Isabella Laboeck to the fourth rank.

On the men's side, Austria celebrated another 1-2 punch after also having dominated the last PGS race at Stoneham, Canada. This time, Andreas Prommegger was the man to smile from the top spot by relegating his team mate Benjamin Karl to the runner-up position. Last year's winner thus celebrated a back-to-back win at Sudelfeld. In the Swiss battle for third, Roland Haldi crossed the finish line ahead of his countryman Nevin Galmarini.

After Amelie Kober had finished the race at Sudelfeld as second last year, the 22-years-old was able to bring home what the most of the 1,000 spectators in the finish area were hoping for: the victory in at the sole World Cup stop on German soil. Only a few kilometres away from her home Fischbachau, the 2006 Olympic silver medallist had to handle some high expectations as well as a tough hill on the way to her career's ninth win. "The pressure was very high. In the beginning, I was asking myself what I'm doing right her. It was intense. That I finally won is a big relief and just super nice."

The decisive moment which opened the door to victory came in her quarter final heat against Japan's Tomoka Takeuchi. The young German rider went down on the ground but good fortunate seemed to be with her as in the end, Kober took advantage of a riding mistake of her Takeuchi who crashed just a few meters before. "At this time, I was so lucky. From there on, I knew that fortune is with me and that nothing could go wrong anymore."

Good sign or bad omen?

And it worked out. In the end, Amelie Kober was the one to cheer in the finish sack however some big hopes accompanied the joy as the defending World Cup title holder doesn't want to experience what happened last year at the World Championships in Korea. "In 2009, I also won the last race before we went to a major event and in the end, I came home with nothing. I hope that this win is not a bad omen. It would be a dream to earn another Olympic medal."

In Vancouver, Kober could once again meet her today's contender in the big final who seems to get in shape better and better the longer the season's goes on. "I'm very pleased with the race", Nicolien Sauerbreij said also adding that "the good training during summer finally pays off. You just have to be patient."

Austrian's in good shape

While Marion Kreiner once again underlined her good form for the up-coming Olympics, despite the fog and snow fall today, her male team mates also gave another proof of what to expect from them in Vancouver end of February. Andreas Prommegger, who was the one ahead in the duel with team mate Benjamin Karl, said after his back-to-back win at Sudelfeld: "I like this hill. And despite the bad visibility the slope was in perfect conditions. You just had to ride an extreme radius. That just worked out."

The 29-years-old also added after his career's third World Cup win: "I guess we are all set for the Olympics."

After the Olympic Games the LG Snowboard FIS World Cup continues in Moscow. In the Russian capital it's time for a parallel slalom show down which will take place March 6th on a massive ramp built right in front of the State University.

FISsnowboard.com
Saturday 6 February 2010