The Grand Prix La Parva, part of the Ford Chile Winter Series Visa circuit, brought together some of the world's top athletes on the legendary "Barros Negros" speed track at Ski La Parva, providing spectacular conditions for high-level alpine skiing speed.
Speeds of over 130 km/h, 30-meter jumps, sharp turns, and plenty of adrenaline were on display during these races, which were valid for the South American Cup, an international circuit that offers World Cup slots and is part of the global circuit of competitions sanctioned by the International Ski Federation (FIS).
Chilean racer and Ski La Parva ambassador, Henrik Von Appen, had an outstanding performance, making the most of his local knowledge by securing a victory and a second-place finish in the downhill races. He's gearing up for the World Cup circuit in the USA and Europe.
Slovenian athlete Nej Naralojnick emerged victorious in one of the downhill events, while his teammate Martin Cater achieved two third-place finishes. Austrian World Cup team skier Christian Walder also stood out with a second-place finish in the race won by Chile's Von Appen.
In the women's category, the Canadian and French anthems resounded strongly with victories by Britt Richardoson and Lena Dauphin, respectively. The podiums were completed by the French athlete Tifany Roux and the Australian Greta Small. Chilean athlete Matilde Schwencke also excelled with 4th and 5th place finishes, achieving the best results of her career in the downhill discipline.
It was an exciting period of speed events where the Chilean Andes were covered in white with heavy snowfall, creating exceptional training and competition conditions. The Red Bull jump, impeccable athlete facilities, and flawless track preparation added to the excitement of these days.
The week of speed events concluded with a grand award ceremony, where, in Chilean style, the athletes and attendees were treated to a lamb barbecue and a fantastic sunset party that celebrated the fastest participants of this competition.
Release courtesy of Grand Prix la Parva