Arta Terme Hosts IPC Alpine Skiing European Cup Finals

The 2010 International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Alpine Skiing European Cup in Arta Terme, Italy, finished this weekend with races in Giant Slalom, Slalom and Super Combined rounding up the competition.

The Giant Slalom event on 12 February saw Henrieta Farkasova (SVK) with guide Natalia Subrtova dominating the Women’s Visually Impaired category. Some other athletes repeated their high level wins like in the Women’s Sitting category with Austria’s Claudia Loesch winning with a time of 2:07.56, Anna Schaffelhuber (GER) and Anita Fuhrer (SUI) follwing on second and third place. Petra Smarzova (SVK) won the Women’s Standing category in a time of 2:06.02 in front of Andrea Rothfuss (GER) and Iveta Chlebakova (SVK).

For the Men’s Giant Slalom Sitting category, Swiss Christoph Kunz took first with his time of 1:53.01. Kunz was followed by Germany’s Martin Braxenthaler and Hans Pleisch (SUI). In the Men’s Standing category, Markus Salcher (AUT) took first with his time of 1:58.17. Coming in second and third were Martin France (SVK) and Alexandr Alyabyev (RUS). In the Visually Impaired category, familiar name Jakub Krako (SVK) with guide Juraj Medera won the race, with Gianmaria Dal Maistro (ITA) and Ivan Frantsev (RUS) following on second and third.

On 13 February, a total of 65 athletes from 12 countries in the Super Combined event with Slovakia’s Henrieta Farkasova and guide Natalia Subrtova taking first in the Women’s Visually Impaired category with a result of 2:24.60. Petra Smarzova (SVK) took first in the Women’s Standing category with her result of 2:02.50. Following Smarzova were Germany’s Andrea Rothfuss and Russia’s Inga Medvedeva. For the Sitting category, Austria’s Claudia Loesch took first with a result of 2:07.71. Loesch was followed by Anna Schaffelhuber (GER) and Daila Dameno (ITA).

In the Men’s competition, Slovakia’s Jakub Krako with guide Juraj Medera took first in the Visually Impaired category. Coming in second and third positions were Slovakia’s Miroslav Haraus with guide Martin Makovnik and Gianmaria Dal Maistro and guide Tommaso Balasso (ITA) respectively.

For the Men’s Standing category, Austria’s Hubert Mandl took a top position, followed by Russia’s Alexandr Alyabyev and France’s Cedric Amafroi-Broisat. In the Sitting category, another German athlete, Martin Braxenthaler took first with a result of 1:47.34. Braxenthaler was followed by Cyril More (FRA) and Franz Hanfstingl (GER).

The last day of competition saw a Slalom race with 89 athletes from 14 countries competing. Henrieta Farkasova (SVK) with guide Natalia Subrtova won again, followed by Alexandra Frantseva with guide Polina Popova (RUS) and Gemma Pedrini with guide Ivan Morlotti (ITA) in second and third place respectively. Petra Smarzova (SVK) won the Women’s Standing category in a time of 1:51.87 in front of Andrea Rothfuss (GER) and Katja Saarinen (FIN). For the Sitting category, Austria’s Claudia Loesch took first with a result of 2:04.57. Loesch was followed by Anita Fuhrer (SUI) and Anna Schaffelhuber (GER).

In the Men’s competition, Slovakia’s Jakub Krako with guide Juraj Medera took first in the Visually Impaired category. Coming in second and third positions were Slovakia’s Miroslav Haraus with guide Martin Makovnik and Ivan Frantesv with guide Valentina Morozova (RUS) respectively. For the Men’s Slalom Standing category, Russia’s Alexandr Alyabyev took the top position, followed by France’s Cedric Amafroi-Broisat and Andrzej Szczesny (POL). In the Sitting category, German athlete Martin Braxenthaler took first with a result of 1:46.86. He was followed by Cyril More (FRA) and Reinhold Sampl (AUT).