Ledecka, Zogg and Obmann take the spoils at dramatic season’s end slalom in Berchtesgaden

The best way for the season-long alpine snowboard FIS World Cup individual events to finish is surely for both women’s and men’s parallel slalom and overall titles to be concluded in the final races, which is exactly what happened in Berchtesgaden, Germany on Saturday (18 March).

Despite placing seventh on the day, Julie Zogg (SUI) secured a fifth consecutive slalom crystal globe quite comfortably doing just enough to stay in front of a chasing Ramona Theresia Hofmeister (GER) to claim a second overall title – with a little help from the winner, Ester Ledecka (CZE).

Meanwhile, Fabian Obmann (AUT) shocked everyone – not least himself – by winning the men’s slalom and overall globes after claiming a first-ever top step, and with other results going his way.

The home crowd were happy with two Germans on the women’s slalom podium courtesy of Hofmeister, who just missed out on a fourth-consecutive overall title by one position, and Cheyenne Loch who secured an eighth World Cup top-three place, in third. Sabine Schoeffmann (AUT) finished fourth.

The men’s race saw Arvid Auner (AUT) claim second and Slovenia’s 36-year-old Rok Marguc beat Cody Winters of the United States in the small final to secure the last podium place.

Zogg herself had left the door open to Hofmeister in the overall rankings after being beaten by that thorn in everyone’s side Ledecka in the quarter finals, ultimately finishing seventh, and having to wait to see how the day panned out.

Tension built as Hofmeister made it to the big final with the 26-year-old needing to beat Ledecka to overhaul Zogg’s total in the overall standings. However, getting past the two-time Olympic snowboard champion, even in just her second race back after a long injury layoff, proved an impossible task and Hofmeister had to settle for second on the day, and overall, on 584 points, much to the relief of spectator Zogg (595).

Schoeffmann was third overall (549), despite a charge today which came up short when she faced Ledecka in the semifinals. Daniela Ulbing (AUT) finished fourth (491).

In the overall slalom standings, Austria came second and third courtesy of Ulbing (290) and Schoeffmann (288), respectively, with Hofmeister fourth (225).

Zogg spoke to FIS post-race, concluding with a bit of a bombshell: “I’m happy that the season is over, and I won the world champs and now the two crystal globes – the big and the small. Last time I won the big and the small was 2015 and now I have the big globe and that’s amazing.

“Today was not my day and it was difficult for me and I have some pressures from my side and now I’m really, really happy that I have the big globe and that’s amazing that I have enough points to win the globe and now it’s time to chill. I’m married this year and we will see if I start next season or not.”

Race results in PSL from Berchtesgaden, Germany – women
1 Ester Ledecka (CZE)
2 Ramona Theresia Hofmeister (GER)
3 Cheyenne Loch (GER)
4 Sabine Schoeffmann (AUT)

Standings after 5 of 5 races on the women's PSL tour
1 Julie Zogg (SUI) 345 points
2 Daniela Ulbing (AUT) 290 points
3 Sabine Schoeffmann (AUT) 288 points
4 Ramona Theresia Hofmeister (GER) 225 points

Standings after 11 of 11 races on the women's overall tour
1 Julie Zogg (SUI) 595 points
2 Ramona Theresia Hofmeister (GER) 584 points
3 Sabine Schoeffmann (AUT) 549 points
4 Daniela Ulbing (AUT) 491 points

Obmann, meanwhile, claimed both titles in the men’s slalom and overall, having not even realised it was possible at the day’s start.

Maurizio Bormolini (ITA) led the way in both standings heading into the final race, just needing to progress past the first round to claim a pair of globes. However, the Italian didn’t have an answer to Auner in the round of 16, losing out by 0.13s to the Austrian after making a small error. On such small margins are races, and seasons, won and lost.

By virtue of claiming a first-ever World Cup win – in which he also beat another challenger, compatriot Prommegger by just 0.06s in the quarter finals – and claiming 100 points, Obmann scored enough to beat Bormolini by four points in the overall rankings, and two points in slalom. Many tears were shed by the Austrian who was raised aloft on his teammates' shoulders while blinking back the tears. Bormolini was likely welling up too, although for a different reason entirely.

Third-placed Prommegger knows that feeling only too well after missing out on the giant slalom globe to Roland Fischnaller (ITA) on Wednesday, in an equally dramatic finale. A combination of results went the Italian’s way, plus his win on the day, to sneak him past those who had been ahead of him, beating Prommegger to the slalom title by eight points. Hofmeister won the women’s edition.

Prommegger finished third in the overall standings, however, on 465 points to Obmann’s 485. Bormolini finished second on 481, with Alexander Payer (AUT) fourth on 433.

The season’s slalom conclusion saw Obmann on 297, Bormolini on 295, Auner on 251 and Payer on 225.

“It’s crazy,” Obmann told FIS. “I just won my first race, and I didn’t even count the points before the race and didn’t even know it was possible to win the globe so it’s just crazy. My first win in a World Cup race and now I go home with two crystal globes, it’s unbelievable.

“I’m just feeling so lucky today and I’m so happy for all the people who helped me to achieve this. In one day, everything gets back what you’ve worked for the last 20 years, it’s just one day, one moment, everything gets back and so much more. This is awesome.”

And so, attention turns to the final race of the season, the mixed team event taking place on Sunday (19 March), where more thrills and spills are likely to provide a dramatic conclusion to the 2022/23 FIS World Cup alpine snowboard season.

Race results in PSL from Berchtesgaden, Germany – men
1 Fabian Obmann (AUT)
2 Arvid Auner (AUT)
3 Rok Marguc (SLO)
4 Cody Winters (USA)

Standings after 5 of 5 races on the men’s PSL tour
1 Fabian Obmann (AUT) 297 points
2 Maurizio Bormolini (ITA) 295 points
3 Arvid Auner (AUT) 251 points
4 Alexander Payer (AUT) 225 points

Standings after 11 of 11 races on the men's overall tour
1 Fabian Obmann (AUT) points 485 points
2 Maurizio Bormolini (ITA) 481 points
3 Andreas Prommegger (AUT) 465 points
4 Alexander Payer (AUT) 433 points

QUICK LINKS

Berchtesgaden full competition programme
2022/23 FIS Snowboard Alpine World Cup calendar
World Cup overall standings: WOMEN MEN
World Cup PGS standings: WOMEN MEN
World Cup PSL standings: WOMEN MEN
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