Italy centre stage as Carezza and Cortina host first PGS events of season

Dec 17, 2022·Alpine Snowboard

After the season-opening snowboard alpine World Cup in Winterberg last weekend, an Italian double header in Carezza on Thursday (15 December) and Cortina d’Ampezzo on Saturday (17 December) are now the focus.

The first two parallel giant slalom (PGS) races of 2022/23 will take place after Germany hosted the team and individual parallel slalom (PSL) disciplines last weekend. Riders will be looking to stack up more points and prizes so they can head into the nearly three-week festive break that follows in good spirits.

The German boarders will be hoping for much better performances after struggling on home snow, with only one podium for the crowd to cheer – a third place for Stefan Baumeister.

Last season’s women’s overall World Cup winner, Ramona Hofmeister (GER) had an opening weekend to forget with a 10th-placed finish on home snow in the individual and ninth in the team alongside Baumeister.

Hofmeister, who is looking for a fifth consecutive overall title will look to past results for a boost ahead of the meet, particularly in Carezza where she has been on the podium four times consecutively, including one win. The 26-year-old is also the defending title holder in the PGS.

Last season’s second-place finisher in Carezza and top stepper in Cortina, Ester Ledecka (CZE) is out until the new year with injury.

The winner in Carezza in 2021, Daniela Ulbing (AUT), came third in Winterberg in the individual discipline and second in the team – alongside Andreas Prommegger – so will be looking to carry that form to Italy. Their compatriot Sabine Schoeffmann secured first place in Germany – as did her boyfriend Alexander Payer (AUT) in the men’s edition, which they sealed with a kiss. The twosome, plus second-placed Julie Zogg (SUI), will all be looking to build on their good starts.

The overall winner in the men’s competition in 2021/22, Sangho Leee (KOR) also had a rude awakening in his first individual race of the season, making an error in round 1/8 that allowed Zogg’s compatriot, Dario Caviezel, to progress.

The 27-year-old, the first South Korean to claim the overall big globe and an Olympic silver medallist in PGS in 2018, won the title with consistent performances last season so will be hoping to put that blip right in Italy, especially as he placed second in Cortina in both 2019 and 2021.

Baumeister, meanwhile, won the Carezza edition last time out with Edwin Coratti placing third on home snow. It was Coratti that Baumeister kept off the podium last weekend when the two went head-to-head in the small final, so a tasty match up could feature once again.

Caviezel was champion in Cortina last year, with snowboard legend and home crowd favourite Roland Fischnaller, placing third. With Olympic champion Benjamin Karl (AUT) also in the mix, this Italy double bill is not to be missed.

All athletes will be keen to hone their skills on the same slopes that will host the Milano-Cortina Olympic Winter Games in 2026, and those that slipped up last weekend will want to get back on track quickly, happy with the fast turnaround to put things right. Conversely, those that started well will be looking to build on their good starts.

“With this win, it’s easier to go to the next races in Corezza,” Schoeffmann told FIS after winning the Winterberg race. “It’s a difficult hill for me but for sure one of the most beautiful views in the world and so I can’t wait to be back in Corezza.”

The first run of the PGS at Carezza starts at 1.15pm (CET) on Thursday, with night races starting at 6pm (CET) in Cortina on Saturday.

The next World Cup takes places in Bad Gastein, Austria with team and individual PSL races, visiting three more locations before a break for the World Championships in Bakuriani, Georgia from 19 Feb – 5 March.