Aaron March eternal, triumph in Bad Gastein

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Aaron March eternal

Aaron March triumphs in Bad Gastein and Elisa Caffont è third. And’ again great Italy in the parallel: the Austrian slalom rewards for the third consecutive year an Italian specialist of the team directed by Cesare Pisoni: after the two pearls of Maurizio Bormolini in 2023 and 2024, today è it was March’s turn to put the seal in the third seasonal slalom.

It was the fourth career success – always in slalom – for the 38-year-old South Tyrolean from Fiè allo Scillar, winning in the final over the host Andreas Prommegger, after getting the better of dario Caviezel, Radoslav Yankov and Cody Winters between the round of 16 and the semifinals, then third in the challenge with Alexander Payer for the lowest step of the podium.

By contrast, the competition of the other three Italians who qualified for the main draw had stopped in the round of 16: Maurizio Bormolini è had to surrender in front of Canadian Ben Heldman, Gabriel Messner with Gian Casanova and Daniele Bagozza against Yankov himself.

For March è it was the second podium finish of the season after his second place in Cortina d’Ampezzo, while for the blue alpine snowboarder è it was the eighth victory of this season with glorious contours.

“It’ great – were the warm words of March – I particularly love this slope, this place. I gave everything I could, è it was a great race and I am happy with how I got to this date, after some problems in the giant in the last few outings. I wanted to show that I was still competitive: better than this; it could not go”.

First podium of the season instead for Elisa Caffont, who thus contributes in turn to the haul that counts so far 15 appearances in the top 3. The Bellunese Caffont materialized her third place by overcoming in the small final the Swiss Flurina Bätschi, after having surrendered in the semifinals against the German Ramona Hofmeister, winner in the decisive act over the Japanese Tsubaki Miki.
To make it to the semifinals, Caffont – to the second podium in her career – she first overcame the Czech Zuzana Maderova in the round of 16 and then the experienced Austrian Claudia Riegler.  “I am really happy to have landed on the podium in a season that had started with some difficulties; I immediately felt comfortable on the snow and on this slope”.
Riegler herself had beaten Lucia Dalmasso in the first round, with Jasmin Coratti out in turn in the round of 16 at the hands of Sabine Payer.

“This team and this sport never cease to amaze – comments technical director Cesare Pisoni – It’s the eighth win of the season, which is truly incredible: almost all of the Azzurri went out in the first round and it looked like a haunted competition, instead Caffont and March made it all the way. Nine different athletes on the podium: it represents an incredible balance, and Bagozza and Messner will be able to play for the specialty cupà of slalom in the season finale”.

On Wednesday, Jan. 15, the Bad Gastein stage is completed with the first team event of the season, the start at 4 p.m.

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