Ulbing and Karl take team victory on home-soil
Jan 09, 2019·Alpine Snowboard
Bad Gastein (AUT) - A busy couple days of alpine snowboard action in Austria wrapped up with excitement for the host nation, as Daniela Ulbing and Benjamin Karl claimed top spot in the first team PSL World Cup competition of the 2018/19 FIS Snowboard season in Bad Gastein, making it four straight wins for the home team at the event.
After both making it into the top five in Tuesday’s individual event, where Ulbing finished fifth and Karl took his third podium of the season in third place, it was clear that the 2017 winners of the Bad Gastein team competition were in prime form for an encore performance on Wednesday.
Ulbing and Karl had no easy route to the big final, however, facing reigning Olympic champion and crystal globe winner Nevin Galmarini and his partner Ladina Jenny (SUI) in the quarter finals, and then Tuesday’s individual men’s winner Stefan Baumeister and Ramona Hofmeister (GER) in the semifinals.
Finally, in the big final they would square off against Nadya Ochner and Aaron March of Italy, both of whom have had strong starts to the season, with Ochner winning the season-opener in Carezza (ITA) and March registering two top-5s and a sixth place result in three events thus far.
However, in the big final the Italians would be no match for Ulbing and Karl, as an early mistake by Ochner would give the Austrians a lead that they would not relinquish, taking the win to continue a perfect four-for-four streak for the host nation in Bad Gastein team competitions.
“It was challenging the whole day, but I thought we were able to get faster and faster throughout the day,” Karl said after awards.
“The course was difficult, but it was fun and we were able to make the best out of it,” added Ulbing.
Asked about his streak now of four podiums in four events so far in 2018/19, Karl was his typically positive self in response.
“What can I say? I try to have the most fun. This is what I love. It’s always in my mind that I get to do what I want to do, and that’s the best thing you can do in life. I’m just happy to be here and compete and snowboard and I’m having fun.”
With Ulbing the defending world champion and Karl a four-time world champs gold medalist, both were able to create some positive momentum as we move towards the Utah 2019 FIS Snowboard, Freestyle & Freeski World Championships, which are now just over three weeks away.
“It’s always a booster to stand on top of the podium, and I’m looking forward to those races,” said Ulbing.
“The US is great, we love going there and I’m happy there are races there again. We already spent all of November training at Copper Mountain, and the snow is mostly perfect there in Utah also, so I’m really looking forward to getting there,” seconded Karl.
Third place on the day went to the Swiss pair of Patrizia Kummer and Dario Caviezel, giving Caviezel two podiums in two days after he finished runner-up in Tuesday’s individual PSL race, and finishing off a strong week for Kummer, after she ended Tuesday just off the podium in fourth.
From Bad Gastein, the FIS alpine snowboard World Cup moves from one classic to another, with PGS action at the always-lively Slovenian venue of Rogla next up on the calendar, with action slated to go down on January 19.
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