SNOWBOARD WORLD CUP. Fraenzi Maegert-Kohli (SUI) and Rok Flander (SLO) have won the second parallel giant slalom of the 2011 LG Snowboard FIS World Cup. In Telluride, Colorado, the reigning Parallel Slalom World Champion from Switzerland edged off Germany’s Isabella Laboeck in a close ladies’ finale thus securing a back-to-back win for the Swiss ladies’ team. World Cup leader Ekaterina Tudegesheva (RUS) came in third, Julia Dujmovits (AUT) placed fourth. On the men’s side, Rok Flander successfully competed against Kaspar Fluetsch (SUI), who – just like Laboeck – secured his career’s best result by finishing as runner-up. In the Austrian battle for third, Manuel Veith crossed the finish line ahead of his team mate Benjamin Karl.

By claiming victory in the USA today, Maegert-Kohli and Flander underlined that they are in perfect shape with no parallel race to come anymore prior to the 9th FIS Snowboard World Championships taking place in La Molina, Spain, next January. Already at the last stop of the international event series in Limone Piemonte, Italy, the Slovenian and the Swiss riders had caused some furore finishing fourth and second respectively.

According to her back-to-back podium, 28-years-old Maegert-Kohli offered a positive summary. “At the moment, I’m feeling very good. I’m having confidence and am able of keeping hold to the momentum. I exactly knew what to do to be fast. And I knew that I would win this race. I’m super happy,” Maegert-Kohli said.

In contrary to the sixth best ladies’ qualifier, who never had to catch up a gap against Svetlana Boldykova (RUS), Camille de Faucompret (FRA) as well as Tudegesheva and Laboeck, Rok Flander had to show that he is capable of making up time. In his eighth finale against Ingemar Walder he turned the match around, in his quarter finals against Matthew Morison he proofed nerves of steel by winning by the tiny bit of eight hundredths coming off from a tied first run. And while the semi final against Veith wasn’t a big affair, he had to catch up five hundredths again in the finals against Fluetsch. A day full of hard work for Flanders, who finally got rewarded for it.

“Finally again,” was his first comment as Flanders had waited for his 4th win in 104 World Cup starts for more than two and a half years (La Molina). That the 31-years-old would bring home a top podium finish, however, was still a surprise for the 2007 PGS World Champion. “I wasn’t sure if everything would work out,” “Flanderos” said, who raced for the first time with some new equipment. “I tried out a new combination of plate and board. Back home I wasn’t able to test it as there was too much snow fall. So, I’m super stoked that it worked out.”

The LG Snowboard FIS World Cup continues in Telluride tomorrow with the last snowboard cross before the up-coming FIS Snowboard World Championships.

FISsnowboard.com
Friday 17 December 2010