Arosa set for the 2018 Audi FIS Cross Alps Tour
Dec 15, 2018·Ski Cross
Following a slow start to the season caused by a lack of snow and warm temperatures that caused a cancellation of events in Val Thorens and Montafon, the time has finally come for the Audi FIS Ski Cross World Cup to get in the starting gates and get back to competition, beginning with the rescheduled night event slated to go down on Monday, December 17, in Arosa (SUI).
The competition in Arosa will get underway on Sunday with both ladies’ and men’s qualifications going down during the day, before finals are taken to the Arosa track under the lights on Monday at 19:30.
With a full field of world’s best ski cross athletes on hand and raring to go in Switzerland, as well as a highly entertaining night-sprint format, everything is in place for an explosive start into 2018/2019 season.
In the ladies’ competition watch out for the Canadian squad with the 2018 Olympic number one and two Kelsey Serwa and Brittany Phelan, as well as Marielle Thompson, the 2014 Olympic champion who is coming back from an injury that kept her sidelined the entirety of last season.
Also, keep an eye on the 2017/2018 overall ski cross World Cup winner Sandra Naeslund (SWE), last year’s World Cup number two Fanny Smith (SUI), as well as Heidi Zacher (GER), Katrin Ofner (AUT) and the French duo of Marielle Berger-Sabbatel and Alize Baron.
Things will be also looking pretty exciting over on the men’s side, with the Swiss squad led by the 2017/2018 ski cross crystal globe winner and the 2018 Olympic silver medalist Marc Bischofberger trying to take the victory in front of the home crowd. Bischofberger will have a strong support with the likes of Alex Fiva, Jonas Lenherr and Armin Niederer, all with experience and skills to land on top of the podium in the season’s opener in Arosa.
However it won’t be an easy task for the Swiss team, as a strong contingent of international riders will try to kick off the new season on a high note.
In the men’s event count on the 2018 Olympic champion Brady Leman (CAN) and his teammates Kevin Drury and Christopher Delbosco, three-time ski cross World Cup winner Jean-Frederic Chapuis and the 2018 Olympic bronze medallist Sergey Ridzik (RUS), just to name a few.
The competition in Arosa are set to kick off the 2018 Audi FIS Cross Alps Tour, which unfortunately this season will only consists of three stops, two more coming just before the holiday break in Innichen/San Candido (ITA). The snow control held earlier this week in Italy was positive meaning everything is on schedule for back-to-back races in Innichen on December 21-22.
QUICK LINKS
Arosa FIS data page (event programme, start lists, live scoring, results)
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