After two days of qualifications with amazing weather up here at 2.300m in beautiful Val Thorens (FRA), it was finally time to get into the gates four-way and battle down the fast, challenging and well-prepared Jean-Frederic Chapuis Ski Cross course.
For the first of two races here in Val Thorens, it was Sandra Naeslund and Brady Leman who won the qualification on Tuesday and so went into the race with Bib number one.
Naeslund winning the tight battle on women’s side
After winning every single heat, Naeslund went into the start gate for today’s big final as favorite. But this time it was a bit more challenging for her to also win the big final against her strong competitors, Fanny Smith (SUI), Marielle Thompson (CAN) and Talina Gantenbein (SUI).
It was no one else than Beijing 2022 Olympic silver medalist Marielle Thompson who pulled out of the start gate fastest and went straight into the lead. Followed by Smith in second and Neaslund in third. Right after the first jump, Naeslund and Smith were going into the roller section skies by skies, and shortly after, Naeslund managed to overtake Smith and got in second position. After the first challenging negative turn, there was a change in positions. It was Naeslund and Gantenbein who managed to ski the negative turn best and so Naeslund took over the pole position, followed by Thompson and Gantenbein and Smith in fourth position. From now on the positions were clear and so Naeslund crossed the finish line first, followed by Thomspon in second and Gantenbein in third place.
By winning her 29th World Cup race, Naeslund now tied the world record with Fanny Smith of winning the most World Cups of all time in Ski Cross history among men and women.
Rohrweck with the strongest performance on men’s side
Johannes “Johnny” Rohrweck started into this race with bib number 4, which means, he was 4th after Tuesday’s qualification. He went into the big final today together with Jonas Lenherr (SUI) who until the big final won all his 3 heats before, Tobias Müller (GER) and the 26-year-old Dominik Zuech (ITA).
Rohrweck had the fastest reaction time and so was leading the run from the beginning on, followed by Müller in 2nd and Lenherr and Zuech head-to-head in 3rd position. After a small mistake from Müller, which slowed him down right before the first jump, Lenherr took his chance and passed Müller. Müller now in 3rd place had the position to choose his way into the second and decisive negative turn wisely and so had enough speed to regain the second place which had the result of Lenherr getting back into third place. Johnny Rohrweck was leading the heat from top to bottom and so won his second World Cup race of his career, followed by Tobias Müller in second and Jonas Lenherr in third.
Britain's Ollie Davies finished in 34th in the qualification run so did not make the knock out stages.
FIS Press Release