Steinach am Brenner: the favourites still on top

The last race weekend of the year began with a speed day in Steinach am Brenner. With two Super-G events on the schedule, the athletes did not idle or spare their efforts.

In the Women/Vision Impaired category, Menna Fitzpatrick and her guide Katie Guest (GBR) achieved a double victory, outpacing the Slovak pair Alexandra Rexova – Hugo Rybar twice. There was also a double victory in the Women/Standing category, won by the Swede Ebba Aarsjoe ahead of the Frenchwomen Marie Bochet and Aurélie Richard. Anna-Lena Forster (GER) remained the best in the Women/Sitting category, winning both Super-G races; the first ahead of Barbara Van Bergen (NED), who unfortunately did not finish the second run.

In the Men/Vision Impaired category, the podium was contested among the same three pairs as in St. Moritz. The first race was won by the young Austrian Aigner Johannes and his guide Haberl Nico, ahead of Hyacinthe Deleplace and Roy Piccard (FRA) who won the second Super-G. The Italian pair composed of Giacomo Bertagnolli and Andrea Ravelli collected two bronze medals. The Men/Standing category saw a clear French-speaking domination. Once again, it was Robin Cuche (SUI), Arthur Bauchet (FRA), and Alexis Guimond (CAN) competing for victory. The Swiss won with a lead of only 8 hundredths over the Frenchman in the first Super-G, and the Canadian proved to be the fastest in the second run. Jeroen Kampschreur, last season's Super-G World Cup leader, saw his first opponent Jesper Pedersen (NOR) be faster in both runs. Third in the first Super-G, the Italian René De Silvestro narrowly missed the silver by just one hundredth. Not far behind him after the first race, Kurt Oatway (CAN) managed to secure the third step on the podium in the second Super-G.

After the speed-dedicated day, the Nösslachjoch 2 track made way for the first technical event of the season – a giant slalom. In the Men/Vision Impaired category, the Italian pair Giacomo Bertagnolli and Andrea Ravelli took the lead from the first run. Johannes Aigner and his guide Nico Haberl (AUT) clocked the best time in the second run to come within 32 hundredths of the winners. The podium is completed by the French duo Hyacinthe Deleplace and Roy Piccard.

The same French-speaking trio was at the forefront of the Men/Standing category on Thursday. Arthur Bauchet (FRA) set the best time in each run and won with a significant lead over Alexis Guimond (CAN). Fifth in the first run, the Swiss Robin Cuche, last season's giant slalom World Cup leader, put in a strong second run (second best time) to return to the podium. Meanwhile, Jesper Pedersen (NOR) retained his red bib with another victory in the discipline. Already medalists the previous day, René De Silvestro (ITA) and Jeroen Kampschreur (NED), who moved up from the fourth rank in the first run, completed the Men/Sitting podium.

On the women's side, the red bib holders are also at the forefront of the Women/Vision Impaired category. The Aigner sisters, Veronika and Elisabeth, indeed dominated the competition in this first technical event. Starting the new season on a strong note, the Greek (Eva Nikou and Dimitris Profentzas) and Slovak pairs (Alexandra Rexova and Hugo Rybar) complete the podium, and each earn a new medal. In the Women/Standing and Women/Sitting categories, it's two more victories for Ebba Aarsjoe (SWE) and Anna-Lena Forster (GER). The Swede also opened up a significant gap with her pursuers, with the German Anna-Maria Rieder in second and the Frenchwoman Marie Bochet in third.

The Para Alpine Skiing World Cup will next stop in Veysonnaz (SUI) at the end of January 2024.