Miki pulls off the stunner in Rogla

Jan 25, 2024·Alpine Snowboard

The FIS Alpine Snowboard World Cup stopped for an intense day of parallel giant slalom racing in the Pohorje Hills of Rogla, Slovenia. Going into the race, Miki Tsubaki (JPN) knew she had to have a mental picture of going bigger after four 3rd place finishes this season. The mental imaging must have worked.

Miki took down the field round-by-round to claim her first victory of the season. She fought back tears of joy at the bottom of the hill on her final run.

In the semifinal Miki defeated the dominant Ramona Theresia Hofmeister (GER) once again. Hofmeister made an early mistake and Miki took advantage.

It was the third time she beat Hofmeister this season. She is 3-0 against the German this season and was one of only two (Ester Ledecka) riders to beat Hofmeister this year before today.

“I really like this course in Rogla. I am really happy. This season I got to four podiums, but every time was third so to get first I am really, really happy,” Miki said.

The world champion takes her first victory of the season and second of her World Cup career. It is a breakthrough victory as Miki could not make it past the semifinals all season. It was not easy as Miki beat Elisa Caffont (ITA) by 0.01 seconds in the quarterfinals.

Hofmeister settled for fourth after getting stunned in the small final by Sabine Schoeffmann (AUT). The Austrian made a late charge to pull off the comeback win. It was a stunning turnaround for Schoeffmann after making an error on a wide turn to lose the semifinals.

The third place for Schoeffmann is her fifth podium of the season as he chases her first victory of the year. Hofmeister meanwhile retains her overall lead and the PGS lead but the field is suddenly closing in on the German after her dominant start to the season.

Michelle Dekker (NED) came in with a shocking second place. She began her day with the fastest qualifying time and took advantage of the bracket to make the big final. It is her first World Cup podium of the season and fifth of her career. She hopes the result will not be the only taste of the podium she gets this year.

“Especially with the form I am in now, I hope I can transfer that to Simonhohe and have a great race there too,” Dekker said.

Michelle Dekker (NED) cruises into second place in Rogla. © Miha Matavz/FIS

The red course was the dominant side on the day for the women. Riders on the red side went 13-3 in Rogla.

Women’s PGS Standings after Race 4 of 7

Ramona Theresia Hofmeister (GER) – 279 points
Miki Tsubaki (JPN) – 265 points
Lucia Dalmasso (ITA) – 243 points
Sabine Schoeffmann (AUT) – 170 points
Jasmin Coratti (ITA) – 160 points

Women’s Overall Standings

Ramona Theresia Hofmeister (GER) – 604 points
Tsubaki Miki (JPN) – 436 points
Lucia Dalmasso (ITA) – 433 points
Sabine Schoeffmann (AUT) – 422 points
Julie Zogg (SUI) – 315 points

Benjamin Karl (AUT) tops the PGS podium once again this season. © Miha Matavz/FIS

The men’s side went a bit more to script. The PGS and overall leader Benjamin Karl (AUT) put down a clean day of racing and pulled off some close finishes to win his third PGS race in a row.

“Rogla is always a hard slope for me. I usually don’t even qualify. This time I had a good feeling and was looking forward to coming here because I have a super setup now and I knew I could be fast. It is like a dream with the hat trick, my third PGS victory in a row. It is not easy mentally because the fights are so close, two-hundredths of a second, luck was on my side. In the end I really trusted myself a lot. I am really happy now,” Karl said.

Karl has won three of the four PGS races so far this season. It is the 22nd World Cup victory for the 38-year-old. He will have no time to rest with the next PGS race just two days away in Simonhohe, Austria. No issue for the Austrian.

“Now I am looking forward to racing at home and be in Austria after a long time after all this travelling in Bulgaria and Slovenia and now coming home,” Karl said.

Karl fended off another strong day from the Italian men. The Italian riders spent the day eliminating each other in head-to-head matchups. In fact, Karl was the only non-Italian to beat an Italian in Rogla.

Aaron March (ITA) was the top finisher amongst the team. He lost the big final to Karl by a mere 0.02 seconds. It was his first podium of the season and 17th of his career.

“It was a good feeling on the slope and on the snow. I just concentrated on my surfing and it was fast and good. The conditions were top as always here in Rogla. I made a lot of top ten finishes here but never the podium so I am really happy to achieve this because it is a real classic race here,” March said.

Benjamin Karl (AUT) races to his third PGS victory of the season. © Miha Matavz/FIS

In the small final Mirko Felicetti (ITA) surmounted a huge comeback to edge out Edwin Coratti (ITA) for third place. It is his first podium of the season. Coratti settled for fourth as Italians took four of the top six spots on the day.

Elsewhere, Maurizio Bormolini, who won the first PGS race of the season, had the unfortunate draw of facing another Italian in the first round. March edged out Bormolini to advance as part of his strong run to second.

The FIS Alpine Snowboard World Cup does not slow down as the riders will make a short trip over to the Alps in Simonhohe, Austria for another PGS race on Saturday. They will then team up for a mixed team PGS race on Sunday.

On Friday there will be a public bib draw at 18:40 CET. It will take place before a hockey game in the arena in Klagenfurt. The presentation of the top 16 athletes will bet at 19:05 before puck drop.

Men’s PGS Standings after Race 4 of 7: