Alpine Junior Worlds: Fest and Alphand win super-G gold

Abundant sunshine and great skiing kicked off the second day of the 2017 FIS Alpine Junior World Ski Championships in Are (SWE) on 9th March.

In the ladies’ super-G, it was an Austrian podium sweep with Nadine Fest, Franziska Gritsch and Dajana Dengscherz taking gold, silver and bronze. Teammate Nina Ortlieb, last year's super-G Junior World Champion, landed in fourth place, rounding out a perfect day for Team Austria.

Fest, the youngest of the four, clocked the fastest time with 1:15.10, a 1.19 second margin over Gritsch.

“When I crossed the finish line, I couldn’t really believe, I had clocked such a fast time. It went really well today and I am on my way to become a good all-round skier”, the 18-year old stated after the race.

Fest recorded two super-G and one alpine combined victory on the FIS Europa Cup tour this season.

For full results, click here.

In the men’s race, Nils Alphand (FRA), son of French skiing legend Luc Alphand, took the win a slim 0.01 and 0.02 second margin over Raphael Haaser (AUT) and Semyel Bissig (SUI) respectively.

The 20-year old took his first big victory on the international stage and followed in the footsteps of his famous father who took gold in downhill at the 1983 FIS Alpine Junior World Ski Championships in Sestriere (ITA).

“It feels great to have won this title today especially as I didn’t do well in the downhill where I only finished 52nd. The track felt very good, at times a bit bumby but overall, it were great conditions for today’s race. ‘Tack’ Sweden,” Alphand said whose mother is Swedish.

Silver medallist Haaser, brother of World Cup racer Ricarda Haaser, took his second medal following downhill bronze from the previous day.

For full results, click here.

To view the current medal standings, click here.

High-resolution photos are available free of charge and free of copyright restrictions here: http://are2019.zenfolio.com/p636665873#h84f4929d
(Photo credit: Lisa Johansson)