First Alpine Skiing World Cup Finishes in La Molina

The first International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Alpine Skiing World Cup competition for the winter sport season 2008/2009 finished its last event today in La Molina, Spain, after four days of races in Giant Slalom and Slalom. Over 100 athletes from 16 different countries competed in three different categories, including visually impaired, sitting and standing.

On the last day of competition, Lauren Woolstencraft (CAN), who had won all races (Women's Standing category) in La Molina until today, was beat by German skier Andrea Rothfuss. Petra Smarzova from Slovakia finished in third place.

Austrian skiers Claudia Loesch and Robert Meusburger were successful in their respective categories, Women's Sitting and Men's Standing. Loesch had already won the Slalom event on 14 January, where Meusburger came in fourth.

Visually Impaired skier Jon Santacana (ESP) could not continue his winning streak from the previous days and finished in sixth place. The category was won by Jakub Krako (SVK), followed by Christopher Williamson (CAN) and Gabriel Gorce (ESP).

For the Giant Slalom event on 12-13 January, Alpine Skiers from Canada and Germany dominated the podium with excellent results on the slopes. Canadians Lauren Woolstencroft and Christopher Williamson held their positions of first and second place respectively, in the Women's Standing category and the Men's Visually Impaired category. Woolstencroft was followed by Andrea Rothfuss (GER) and Danja Haslacher (AUT) on both days. Jon Santacana from Spain was ahead of Williamson, while Nick Krako from Slovakia took third on both days.

In the Women's Visually Impaired category, Sabine Gasteiger from Austria took top position on 13 January, followed by Viviane Forest (CAN) and Anna Cohi (SPA). Forest finished in the first position on 12 January, followed by Cohi and Kathleen Forestell (CAN).

The athletes from USA held two of the three positions in the Women's Sitting category on the second day, with Stephani Victor and Laurie Stephens taking the first and second places, respectively. Tatsuko Aoki from Japan took the third position. Stephens finished in the first position on 12 January, followed by Kimberley Joines (CAN) and Victor.

The World Cup was organized by the Federacion Catalana de Deportes (FCEDF) and supported by the Molina station, the Ayuntamiento de Alp, the Federación Catalana d'Esports d'Hivern (FCEH), the Consell Català de l'Esport, Diputació de Girona, Consell Comarcal de la Cerdanya and the Comité Paralímpico Español, Real Federación Española Deportes de Invierno (RFEDI) and from the Catalunya Turisme.