Quick Turns Drive Slalom Race in Abentau

13 Jan 2010 By IPC

Athletes performed at top levels as the two days of Slalom races finished at the 2010 International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Alpine Skiing World Cup in Abentau, Austria.

Taking place from 11-12 January, athletes quickened and shortened each turn to assure their best time at the competition. In the Women’s Slalom Visually Impaired category on 12 January, Viviane Forest (B2) from Canada took first position with her guide Lindsay Debou, making it their third gold medal of the combined World Cup event in Rinn and Abtenau. Coming in second and third were Spain’s Anna Cohi (B3) with guide Raquel Garcia and Australia’s Jessica Gallagher with guide Eric Bickerton.

For the Women’s Slalom Standing category, France’s Marie Bochet (LW6/8-2) took first with a time of 1:39.20. Bochet was followed by Germany’s Andreas Rothfuss and Slovakia’s Petra Smarzova respectively. In the Women’s Slalom Sitting category, Japan’s Tatsuko Aoki (LW10-2) took first with a time of 1:54.62. Tatsuko was followed by USA’s Stephani Victor (LW12-2) and Germany’s Anna Schaffelhuber (LW11).

Canadian Chris Williamson (B3) with guide Nick Brush took top position in the Men’s Slalom Visually Impaired category with a time of 1:29.93. They were followed by Italy’s Gianmaria Dal Maistro with guide Tommaso Balasso and Spain’s Jon Santacana (B2) with guide Miguel Galindo. Germany’s Gerd Schoenfelder (LW5/7-2) took first in the Men’s Slalom Standing category with his time of 1:27.73. Coming in second and third were France’s Vincent Gauthier-Manuel (LW6/8-2) and Russia’s Alexandr Alyabyev.

In the Men’s Slalom Sitting category, Japan’s Takeshi Suzuki (LW12-2) took first with his time of 1:33.86. Suzuki was followed by Canada’s Josh Dueck (LW11) and France’s Cyril More (LW12-1)

Competition continues this week in Abentau with Giant Slalom races on 13 and 14 January. More than 140 athletes from 17 countries have been competing at the 2010 IPC Alpine Skiing World Cup in Rinn and Abentau, Austria, since its beginning on 8 January. The World Cup will finish with a Super Combined race, a combination of one Super G and Slalom run on 15 January.