SNOWBOARD WORLD CUP. Ekaterina Tudegesheva (RUS) and Benjamin Karl (AUT) have celebrated victory in the first parallel giant slalom of the 2011 LG Snowboard FIS World Cup held in Limone Piemonte, Italy, today. In the ladies finale, the World Cup leader edged off her team colleague Alena Zavarzina to the runner-up position thus clinching a back-to-back win after having claimed victory in the season’s opener in Holland. Svetlana Boldykova, who had successfully competed against Claudia Riegler (AUT) in the small final, completed the Russian podium sweep, the first ever in the history of the Parallel World Cup. While the Russians were the dominating team on the ladies side, Austria’s rooster put the hammer down in the men’s competition. Benjamin Karl, World Cup leader Andreas Prommegger and Manuel Veith brought home a 1-2-3 finish from the 450 metres long race course Marchetto Gorba. Switzerland’s Nevin Galmarini placed fourth.

That she led a historic triumph for her home country due to her career’s fifth World Cup win was a fact Ekaterina Tudegesheva couldn’t really get together in her head. The Tashtagol resident barely controlled her feelings during and after the price giving ceremony, but, however, stated pretty pedestrian: “I’m so glad. I haven’t realised yet what was happening. I was only concentrating on keeping hold to the Yellow Bib.”

And the 23-years-old defended her World Cup lead in an impressive way. The third best qualifier controlled all of her competitors on the race course with its 21 gates. She won every single run always being in the leading position. “I kind of expected that I could win again, but never like this. I had some doubts.”

In contrary to Tudegesheva, who is once again the top aspirant for a podium finish in tomorrow’s parallel slalom hosted on the same race slope, which is very steep in the last third, today’s runner-up found some words for the historic podium sweep.

“Although I think this was maybe the hardest race I ever competed in, I think this triumph was supposed to take place today,” said Alena Zavarzina proud.

Karl earns career’s ninth World Cup win

Like the 21-years-old Russian athlete, Benjamin Karl was also very pleased with today’s outcome; not only because of the podium sweep for his home country but mainly because of his own performance.

“This is a special win for me,” stated the 2010 Olympic runner-up. “Prior to the race, a brutal equipment battle took place. Now, everyone is riding with the same material as I do. The whole field closed ranks. But with this victory in store, I know that I’m still there.”

The LG Snowboard FIS World Cup continues in Limone Piemonte. Tomorrow, the season’s second parallel slalom will take place on the same slope

FISsnowboard.com
Friday 10 December 2010

1-2 punch for Switzerland and Italy

The season’s second parallel slalom of the LG Snowboard FIS World Cup wrapped up with two premiere wins at Limone Piemonte, Italy. Patrizia Kummer (SUI) and Roland Fischnaller (ITA) claimed their career’s first World Cup victory. In the ladies final, Kummer relegated fellow country woman Fraenzi Maegert-Kohli to the runner-up position. Ekaterina Ilyukhina (RUS) came in third, Corinna Boccacini (ITA) finished fourth. While the Swiss equipe celebrated a 1-2 punch on the ladies side, Italy was able to do so in the men’s competition as Aaron March lined up as second right next to triumphing Roland Fischnaller. Roland Haldi (SUI) rounded out the podium as third after having edged off Rok Flander from Slovenia in the small final.

But that the spectators at the Marchetto Gorba course would see a home turf win for Italy, the first ever in Limone after the debut as World Cup host in 2007, wasn’t to expect. Although Fischnaller and March had posted the fastest and second fastest qualifier time, both riders had to handle their personal moment of shock in the knock out finals.

In the quarter finals, March raced into his rival Stanislav Detkov, who had gone down after a frontside edge mistake thus slipping on the other side of the course. The winner of Moscow 2010 crashed into Detkov, front flipped over him and hit the ground hard. Luckily, both race boarders were able to continue. “After my landing I had to check if everything is still in the right place. At first, I felt a huge pain in my left leg. According to this, I’m happy that I was able to go on finally ending up on the podium,” March said.

While the 24-years-old rider had to face a physically critical time in his 42nd World Cup start, Fischnaller had to deal with some mental tasks in his semi final versus Roland Haldi. After several mistakes in the first run, the South Tyrolean had to catch up a gap of 1.06 seconds.

“That was a mental catastrophe,” the 30-years-old explained. “I really had to fight back. And I did. But the key to success was more or less the good team spirit we have in the Italian team. We are all pushing each other. And the fact that Aaron is that good now helps me a lot,” “Fisch” added after his first ever win, his tenth podium in 125 World Cup starts.

Kummer also for the first time on top

On the ladies side, Patrizia Kummer was all smiles because of her World Cup coup. So far, the 23-years-old had made it into the top-10 only six times, thus missing the podium twice finishing fourth. But after she had brought home the PGS-Bronze medal from the last World Championships, the Swiss racer wanted more for the World Cup.

“So far, my problem was to bring down two decent qualifier runs. After I did so today, I knew that I’m capable of more. I felt very good. I’m super happy that I won and I can hardly believe what is going on at the moment,” Kummer explained after her first ever victory.

The LG Snowboard FIS World Cup will continue in Telluride, Colorado. From December 15th till 18th, 2010, one parallel giant slalom, one snowboard cross race and one snowboard cross team event are schedule.d

FISsnowboard.com
Saturday 11 December 2010