Italy spoils Austrian hopes in team event in Bad Gastein

Jan 14, 2026·Snowboard Alpine

Lucia Dalmasso and Aaron March embrace after claiming the win. Photo: FIS/ActionPress/Heiko Mandl

It was time to team up! The riders of the Visa FIS Snowboard Alpine World Cup returned to the slope in historic Bad Gastein for the first mixed team parallel race of the season. The Austrian crowd showed out loud and early, rooting on their team.

However, it was team Italy 2 who spoiled the hopes of the home crowd. The mighty duo of Aaron March (ITA) and Lucia Dalmasso (ITA) dominated the day, cruising all the way to the win. Dalmasso made it a sweep after winning the women’s race in Bad Gastein one day ago.

It is her fourth career World Cup team event podium and first with March. She now has 12 career podiums. It was March’s first team podium and 25th overall of his career. March bounced back after a disappointing finish yesterday.

“Lucia did a great job. She was the deciding point because I always made some good runs, but she closed it. It was a great day, I always like riding here in Bad Gastein. I had some bad luck yesterday, but I like how I am riding. I wanted to show that this is a good slope for me. I think we were stable in all of our runs and this was key because the conditions were tough. So we are very happy about it,”– March said.

The Italian team has been the dominant force on tour this season. March says their intense competition in training is the key.

“We have a great team. Everyone is riding really (well). In training we have a lot of tough (battles) with finishes by hundredths of a second, so you see in training if you are doing well. So I think we are all improving together,”– March said.

The Italian duo defeated Switzerland 1 in the big final. The experienced Swiss duo of Dario Caviezel (SUI) and Julie Zogg (SUI) had a great day. They came up just short in the final. It was the third time the duo made a World Cup mixed team podium and second time at Bad Gastein.

The small final was another dramatic affair with Italy 3 coming out on top. The team of Gabriel Messner (ITA) and Jasmin Coratti (ITA) quieted the home crowd with the win against Austria 4 in the small final. It was the second podium of the season for Messner and first for Coratti.

Disappointing Day for Austria

There were four Austrian pairs who qualified for the knockout rounds. The team of Christoph Karner (AUT) and Jessica Pichelkastner (AUT) had the best finish, coming in fourth place.

Two Austrian teams suffered disqualifications after jury review in the first round. Austria 1 with Arvid Auner (AUT) and Pia Schoeffmann (AUT) were disqualified for a missed gate after a round one win. The same fate awaited Austria 2 with Benjamin Karl (AUT) and Martina Ankele (AUT).

Dario Caviezel darts around the gate on the way to the podium. Photo: FIS/ActionPress/Heiko Mandl

The athletes from the United States also had a solid day. Team USA 1 with Cody Winters (USA) and Iris Pflum (USA) advanced to the quarterfinals, as did Team USA 2 with Walker Overstake (USA) and Alexa Bullis (USA).

Team Germany did not start their A-team. Ramona Theresia Hofmeister (GER) and Stefan Baumeister (GER) sat out to rest up for the next individual race in Bansko. Sabine Payer (AUT) also skipped the event due to an ankle injury.

Team Italy celebrates a big night in Bad Gastein. Photo: FIS/ActionPress/Heiko Mandl

The next mixed team event will be in Simonhohe, Austria later this month before the Olympic break. There will only be three team events this season with the final coming in March in Winterberg, Germany.

The daunting January schedule continues with two individual PGS races in Bansko, Bulgaria on January 17-18.