Italy’s parallel snowboarding continues to win
Italy parallel snowboarding continues to win
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What an Italy, what a double! Daniele Bagozza overcomes Gabriel Messner in the final in the parallel slalom in Yanqing (China) and snowboard Italy è again in triumph. Fourth consecutive success in as many days of competition for the team directed by Cesare Pisoni, authentic dominator of the two Chinese stages. Four successes with four different athletes: Edwin Coratti and Maurizio Bormolini had signed the two inaugural Mylin events, Lucia Dalmasso had imposed herself yesterday in the giant and today è it was the turn of Bagozza, at the end of the first all-Italian final of the season.
It was three thousandths of a second that gave Bagozza her sixth personal World Cup success, her fifth in slalom, a glorious journey that began in February 2019, right in China.
On the other hand, for the 27-year-old Messner it is a valuable confirmation: seven days ago Mylin the South Tyrolean had climbed the World Cup podium for the first time in his career, an experience that the Carabiniere from Funes wanted to relive right away, growing by one square to know the effect of facing a final in the highest circuit.
To reach the’final act, Bagozza overcame in order Austria’s Prayer, Germany’s Huber to then get the better of the experienced Andreas Promegger, then third, in the semifinals. Messner’s path had instead begun with an all-Italian confrontation with Aaron March (14th) to continue with victories over Germany’s Baumeister and Slovenia’s Mastnak.
Red light in qualifying, on the other hand, for Edwin Coratti (24th), Roland Fischnaller (25th) and Fabian Lantschner (27th); Mirko Felicetti did not complete the test with Maurizio Bormolini disqualified.
Success of Japan’s Tsubaki Miki in the women’s slalom: the Japanese skier overcame the eternal Austrian Claudia Riegler in the final, with Switzerland’s Julie Zogg in third place, winning in the duel with compatriot Flurina Bätschi, who in the quarters had interrupted the path of Jasmin Coratti, seventh in the final ranking. Elimination in the round of 16, on the other hand, for Elisa Caffont (16th) who could not curb the ardor of Zogg herself; nineteenth in the preliminary round then Lucia Dalmasso, while Elisa Fava finished 25th.
After the four Italian successes, the Alpine Snowboard World Cup now returns to the Alps to land in Italy: on Thursday the athletes are expected on the Pra di Tori di Carezza (Bolzano) for the third parallel giant slalom of the season to then move to Cortina d’Ampezzo (Belluno) for the third slalom scheduled for Saturday on the Faloria slopes.
“I struggled a bit in the morning because I’m a bit tired after two weeks of rice and salmon,
said Bagozza, a 29-year-old South Tyrolean from the Fiamme Oro. “Joking aside, I expressed myself very well and only thought about having fun, the track conditions were perfect. It’ was nice to watch myself on TV between runs, usually the times are much tighter. It should always be that way’. Now we return to Europe, next week we have two stages in Italy between Carezza and Cortina in which we want to continue to amaze”.
Third in Mylin, second in Yanqing, Gabriel Messner’s climb continues: “Thank you all for being there for me,” explained the 27-year-old Carabiniere from Funes. “I am again happy to be on the podium in this race as well. I dedicate the podium to all those who have been close to me in these very difficult months, writing to me daily, made me feel their closeness and gave me strength”.
Technical director Cesare Pisoni takes stock of the Asian trip: “Four different winners in four races with eight total podiums and five different athletes represents the strength of a team that continues to amaze. Today after qualifying, we feared that the Austrians could beat us with six qualified athletes, but instead we triumphed in runs that were all balanced, many of them decided by the photo finish. I am increasingly proud of this group”.
