Bakuriani ready to stage ski cross double event
Feb 26, 2021·Ski Cross
It was quite the journey from Austria’s Reiteralm to central Georgia, which is the next stop on the Audi FIS Ski Cross World Cup calendar, but the whole circuit made it and is happy to explore this new ski cross venue.
Here, in Bakuriani, everything is set for one next individual competition, but also for the world premiere of the ski cross mixed-team event in a resort that is completely new on the World Cup calendar.
Bakuriani, in central Georgia, where the FIS Freestyle Ski, Snowboard and Freeski World Championships 2023 are slated to take place, has been working very hard to prepare the World Cup competitions and implement all the necessary tasks for the upcoming test-events.
Upon obtaining World Champs host status, complex preparatory work began. A lot of infrastructural works have been made in Bakuriani, which will make the resort more attractive for both, winter sports lovers and local residents of the resort. In recent years, a bypass road has been built, the road to Mitarbi and Kokhta has been renewed, and recreational zones are also planned to be renovated. Thanks to the Mountain Resorts Development Company and the Government of Georgia, Bakuriani will meet the 2021 ski season with 3 new ski lifts and new skiing tracks, the work was done by the Austrian-Swiss company "Doppelmayr/Garaventa Group". The upgraded infrastructure with improved services will be able to serve an increased number of visitors.
The mixed-team competition is set up in a relay format, which means that the men will start first and the women will leave the start gate once the men are in the finish with the respective time margin that the men crossed the finish line. The ranking will be decided by the fastest woman crossing the finish line.
It is the goal of the FIS Cross Race Directors to include this new format into the World Championships and Olympic Winter Games programme. Therefore, everybody is already very excited to see the outcome.
Naeslund back and ready to hold off Smith’s predominance
Ever since Sandra Naeslund (SWE) made her comeback to competitions by claiming the World Championship title on home soil, she was the only one to put a stop to Fanny Smith’s (SUI) winning streak. The Swiss athlete has been the World Cup leader since the second race of the season in Arosa. It was pure dominance by Smith, as she claimed eight podium spots in 9 races, of which she took 4 victories and by the way set a new record for most World Cup victories so far in ski cross.
But, as mentioned, Naeslund returned to racing after an injury-caused break and made quite the entrance by winning gold at the World Champs in Idre Fjäll and topped that off with a following victory at her first World Cup race back in Austria’s Reiteralm last week. Hungry for racing and winning, Naeslund will be for sure seeking to make Smith’s life difficult, although there is no chance for Naeslund to defend her SX crystal globe win from last season, the Swede claims that she is just happy to be back in racing mode.
We need to also take a minute to mention Swiss superb ski cross athlete Talina Gantenbein at this point. The 22-year-old is currently sitting in 5th place in the World Cup ranking. She achieved that top spot by claiming her first-ever World Cup podium spots this season – two times a third place – and by making it into the big final two additional times at the World Cup races and also at the World Championships.
Gantenbein also has a Youth Olympic Games gold and a Junior World Championships silver medal to her name, and, with her extraordinary World Cup performances so far, one needs to keep an eye on the young Swiss, because there is more in store and maybe already this season.
Who will master the Georgian track best on the men’s side?
With his home soil win at Reiteralm, Johnny Rohrweck (AUT), earned a confidence boost that might be just the thing he needed to make it click and keep performing on top level. As Rohrweck even edged off World Cup leader Reece Howden (CAN) at the Austrian competition, he showed that he definitely has got, what it needs to be the one to cross the finish line first.
But Reece Howden is clearly in the lead at the World Cup ranking due to his strong and consistent performances throughout the season. Ever since the first competition in Val Thorens (FRA), the Canadian managed to hop on the podium at every following race, but the Idre 600m sprint. With three wins and two second places so far, Howden is the most consistent male athlete on the tour so far, therefore we are curious to see how he will manage the new Georgian course.
Speaking of consistency, it is Switzerland’s Jonas Lenherr, who managed to get into the second spot at the World Cup ranking by claiming double podiums in Idre and fourth place at Reiteralm last week. The 31-year-old is in great shape and we can see him ready to fight for those highly anticipated podium spots.
It will be worth tuning in and check out the ski cross performances by your favorite athletes on the 2023 World Champs course here in Bakuriani, so don’t miss it!
Qualifications are set for February 26 at 12:15 LOC/ 9:15 CET, which as usually you can follow via FIS App or live timing on our website.
Finals will go down on February 27 at 11:30 LOC/ 08:30 CET. The team event will take place on February 28 at 11:30 LOC/ 08:30 CET
WATCH LIVE (subject to change):
Saturday, February 27 at 11:30 LOC/ 08:30 CET:
TV: Eurosport 2 (Europe), ORF Sport+ (Austria) , ZC TV SPORT (Czech Republic), TV2 SPXRT (Denmark), Ziggo Sport 14 (The Netherlands), SRF ZWEI, RSI LA2 (Switzerland)
Livestreaming: FIS Freestyle Youtube channel (geo-restricted, find list of countries where you can watch HERE), CBC Sports Streaming (Canada), Rai Play (Italy), SVT Play (Sweden), RTS Web (Switzerland), NBC Olympic Channel (USA)
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