Simonhöhe Snowboard Alpine World Cup: Stats Preview

Simonhöhe Snowboard Alpine World Cup: Stats Preview

● Simonhöhe will host the eighth stage of the Visa FIS Snowboard Alpine World Cup. Simonhöhe made its FIS Snowboard Alpine World Cup debut in 2022. This is the third time this venue is hosting a World Cup event (2022, 2024 and 2026).

● Daniele Bagozza (ITA) won the men’s Parallel Giant Slalom in Simonhöhe in 2024, ahead of Benjamin Karl (AUT) and Fabian Obmann (AUT). This was one of the eight races that season with only Austrian and Italian male athletes on the podium.

● Sabine Schoeffmann (now Payer) (AUT) won the women’s Parallel Giant Slalom in Simonhöhe in 2024, ahead of Zuzana Maderova (CZE) and Elisa Caffont (ITA). This was the only win of the season for Schoeffmann. It was the only podium of the season for Maderova, and also the first ever World Cup podium of her career.

● Benjamin Karl (AUT) won the first of the two Men’s Parallel Giant Slalom in Bansko last weekend, ahead of Arnaud Gaudet (CAN) and Gian Casanova (SUI). This was the 23rd individual World Cup win for Karl, and the first career World Cup podium for Gaudet. It was also the first race of the season with no Italian male athletes on the podium.

● Tervel Zamfirov (BUL) won the second of the two Men’s Parallel Giant Slalom in Bansko last weekend, ahead of Fabian Obmann (AUT) and Radoslav Yankov (BUL). This was the first World Cup win for Zamfirov, as well as, his first World Cup podium, after he came fourth two times last season. For the first time in history, two Bulgarian athletes stood on the World Cup podium together — and it happened on home snow in Bansko.

● Italy has won six out of the nine Men’s Parallel races held so far this season, with four different athletes. They placed at least two athletes on the podium in six out of the seven men’s races. They also had a podium clean sweep in Carezza.

● Ramona Theresia Hofmeister (GER) won the first of the two Women’s Parallel Giant Slalom in Bansko last weekend, ahead of Aleksandra Krol-Walas (POL) and Tsubaki Miki (JPN). This was the 28th individual World Cup win for Hofmeister, and the second of the season despite only starting in four races this campaign.

● Elisa Caffont (ITA) won the second of the two Women’s Parallel Giant Slalom in Bansko last weekend, ahead of Tsubaki Miki (JPN) and Ramona Theresia Hofmeister (GER). This was the second World Cup win for Caffont, who won her first race in Davos earlier this season and is currently leading the overall Parallel standings.

● Aaron March (ITA) is currently leading the Men’s overall Parallel standings, just nine points ahead of his countryman Maurizio Bormolini (ITA). There are currently four Italian athletes in the top six positions, and five Austrian athletes in the top 14 positions. There are currently no non-European male athletes in the top 10. The top non-European athlete is Sangho Lee (KOR) in 18th position.

● Elisa Caffont (ITA) is leading the overall Women’s Parallel standing, 28 points ahead of the defending women’s overall parallel champion Tsubaki Miki (JPN), who is the only non-European athlete in the top 10. 16-year-old Malena Zamfirova (BUL) is currently 8th and is seeking her first career World Cup win.

● Home athlete Sabine Payer (AUT) is currently fourth in the Parallel standings. She led the standings early on but suffered an injury in Scuol and skipped the Bansko stage. She has won a race here in Simonhöhe in 2024, as well as being part of the team which won the Mixed Parallel Giant Slalom Team event in 2022 and 2024.

● Home athlete Alexander Payer (AUT), Sabine’s husband, is seeking his first World Cup podium since 2024. His best result this season is a fifth place in Carezza. In 2022, he was part of the Austrian team which won the Mixed Parallel Giant Slalom Team event, partnering with his future wife Sabine.

● Maurizio Bormolini (ITA) won the 2024-25 Men’s overall parallel title ahead of Andreas Prommegger (AUT) and Daniele Bagozza (ITA). Only Italy and Austria were represented in the top 5 of the final 2024-25 Parallel standings. Gabriel Messner (ITA) finished fourth, and Benjamin Karl (AUT) came fifth.

● Tsubaki Miki (JPN) won the 2024-25 Women’s Parallel title ahead of Ramona Theresia Hofmeister (GER) and Sabine Payer (AUT). This was Miki’s first parallel title after she finished second the previous season. The same three athletes were in the first three positions of the 2023-24 season Parallel standings, with Hofmeister first, Miki second and Payer third.

● The current Olympic champion Benjamin Karl (AUT) is the athlete with the most Men’s Parallel titles, with four: 2007-08, 2009-10, 2010-11 and 2023-24.

● Andreas Prommegger (AUT) won the Men’s Parallel title three times. He has the most career top 3 finishes in the overall Men’s Parallel standings, he finished second five times and third twice. He is currently 14th in the Parallel standings this season.

● The last time there were no Italians or Austrian athletes in the top three of the Men’s Parallel standing was the 2005-06 season, when Switzerland placed three athletes in the top three.

● By winning the 2024-25 Parallel title, Tsubaki Miki (JPN) became the first non-European female athlete to win the Women’s Parallel title.

● Ramona Theresia Hofmeister (GER) and Ester Ledecka (CZE) have won four Women’s Parallel titles each, no other female athlete has ever won more than three Parallel titles. Ledecka is the only athlete, in both genders, to have won four consecutive Parallel titles, between 2015-16 and 2018-19. Ledecka is not competing in the World Cup this season as she is focusing on Alpine Skiing.