Giant slalom World Cup winners decided

Germany’s Anna Schaffelhuber headlined the action at the World Para Alpine Skiing World Cup Finals on Friday (17 March), claiming her third women’s sitting title as the giant slalom winners were decided in PyeongChang, South Korea.

Schaffelhuber has already secured crystal globes in super-G and downhill at the competition, which doubles as the Test Event for the PyeongChang 2018 Paralympic Winter Games.

The Paralympic champion kept her winning run going with the race victory over Austria’s world champion Claudia Loesch in second.

Germany’s Anna-Lena Forster was third in the race. The trio maintained the same positions in the finalgiant slalom World Cup standings.

Slovakia’s world and Paralympic champion Henrieta Farkasova and guide Natalia Subrtova took the race win and title in the women’s visually impaired. That adds to their super-G crystal globe from earlier in the week.

Australia’s Melissa Perrine, guided by Andrew Bor, was second to propel herself to third in the final rankings.

The USA’s Staci Manella and guide Sadie de Baun was third in the race. Great Britain’s Millie Knight and guide Brett Wild retained second place in the standings even though they missed the finals.

Despite finishing second in Friday’s race, Germany’s world champion Andrea Rothfuss had enough points to grab her second title in the women’s standing, adding to the super-G.

France’s Paralympic gold medallist Marie Bochet was the race victor however, continuing an impressive come back to the World Cup circuit.

Canada’s Alana Ramsay completed the podium.

Slovakia’s Petra Smarzova and Ramsay’s teammate Erin Latimer were second and third in the giant slalom World Cup rankings, respectively.

Slovakia’s Jakub Krako picked up his first World Cup title of the season in the men’s visually impaired, guided by Branislav Brozman.

Finishing on all but one World Cup giant slalom podiums in 2016-17, Krako added a third win to take the crown.

His compatriot Miroslav Haraus and guide Maros Hudik were just 0.39 seconds behind but could not topple Krako. With his second place, Haraus ends the season the runner-up in the standings.

Spain’s Jon Santacana Maiztegui was third on Friday with guide Miguel Galindo.

However the final World Cup rankings saw a trio of Slovakians block out the top three, as Marek Kubacka and guide Maria Zatovicova finished third.

Japan’s Taiki Morii claimed the race win in the men’s sitting. Dutch 17-year-old Jeroen Kampschreur was second with his latest podium finish. Poland’s Igor Sikorski was third.

Austria’s Roman Rabl sealed the giant slalom crystal globe despite not finishing in the top three. Morii moved to second in the rankings ahead of the USA’s Tyler Walker in third.

Canada’s World Championships bronze medallist Alexis Guimond, 17, overcame a sixth-place first run to take a narrow victory in the men’s standing.

France’s 16-year-old world champion Arthur Bauchet was just 0.01 behind in second, adding to the exciting rivalry amongst the upcoming skiers.

Austria’s Paralympic bronze medallist Markus Salcher was third.

Australia’s Mitchell Gourley topped the final World Cup rankings. Slovakia’s Martin France and the USA’s Thomas Walsh were second and third respectively.

The World Cup Finals will conclude on Saturday (18 March) when the slalom globes and overall men’s and women’s sitting, standing and visually impaired will be decided.

Live results are available at World Para Alpine Skiing’s website.