Can Swiss snowboarders take the glory in Scuol?
Jan 10, 2025·Snowboard Alpine
The VISA 2024-25 Snowboard Alpine World Cup returns from their holiday break for a thrilling event in the Swiss Alps at Scuol. There will be plenty of Swiss riders gunning for the podium in front of the home crowd. They will have stiff competition from a deep field fending them off.
Dario Caviezel will once again carry the flag for Switzerland on home snow. Caviezel came just short in the World Cup’s first stop in Switzerland. He fell short in the big final for a second-place finish in Davos on December 21, the last event before the holiday break on the tour.
It is the first event back since that day in Davos and Caviezel will be the hungriest for the top of the podium. He will have plenty of loud voices pushing him down the slope and he welcomes the challenge.
Caviezel has plenty of experience with this course. He knows the keys to help give him the edge.
It will not be easy for the Swiss rider. He will have to hold off a strong field. Arvid Auner (AUT) will look to repeat his success in Davos when he edged out Caviezel for first. Last year’s Scuol winner Benjamin Karl (AUT) will look for his first win of the season. Daniele Bagozza (ITA), Tim Mastnak (SLO) and Maurizio Bormolini (ITA) are the top three in the overall standings for good reason and will be in contention as well.
Oskar Kwiatkowski (POL) returns from injury after missing the previous three events and will be a contender. Sangho Lee (KOR) was injured during training and will miss the race on Saturday.
The battle of generations continues on the women’s side
The women’s event will be another thrilling chapter in the season’s campaign. It has been a battle of the generations thus far this season with youngsters like Tsubaki Miki (JPN) leading a pack of veterans who are proving they are still at the top of their game.
Julie Zogg (SUI) is among the veterans gunning for the title. She will have the home crowd behind her to boost her chances.
Miki is not the only young athlete making a splash this season. Iris Pflum (USA) is one of those rising stars. The 21-year-old has a top ten finish this season and could make her way up the leaderboard in Scuol.
Pflum is a rare American competing in the world of Snowboard Alpine. Most riders from the United States compete in events like Park & Pipe but Pflum is carving her own path on the slalom slopes. Even if it is not always easy.
It may be early in her career but Pflum is already crossing off major career goals this season.
Pflum will have a stiff test from the others including last year’s winner at Scuol, Lucia Dalmasso (ITA). You can check out the action on Saturday January 11. Qualifying begins at 9:00 local time (CET) and the finals start at 13:00 CET.
Facts & Figures:
Four: Number of women over the age of 30 in the top six overall standings
Nine: Individual career podiums by Dario Caviezel (SUi)
Six: Number of different men to win an event this season
2000: Fans who attended World Cup event last month in Davos, Switzerland
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