Strong Italian showing as Val di Fassa World Cup week gets underway
The Audi FIS Alpine Ski World Cup in Val di Fassa officially got underway with the first Downhill training run on the La VolatA course, prepared in excellent condition thanks to the work of Val di Fassa Grandi Eventi, the ski clubs Ski Team Fassa, U.S. Monti Pallidi and FassActive, and the San Pellegrino Ski Area lift company.
With 59 athletes on the start list, the session provided a first opportunity to assess snow conditions, lines and key sections ahead of racing.
Slovenia's Ilka Štuhec posted the fastest time on the 2,500-metre course (average gradient 28.4%, maximum 47%, vertical drop 630 metres) in 1:22.92, despite missing a gate. France's Romane Miradoli was second (+0.17), while Olympic champion Breezy Johnson finished third (+0.34). Germany's Kira Weidle-Winkelmann recorded the fourth-best time.
A positive first day also for the Italian team, particularly Nadia Delago and Laura Pirovano, who know La VolatA well as part of Italy's national-team training programme (Piste Azzurre).
Delago and Pirovano posted the fourth and fifth fastest times, at +0.70 and +0.84 respectively. Elena Curtoni finished 15th (+1.08), followed by Nicol Delago (+1.14), Sofia Goggia (+1.40) and Roberta Melesi (+1.51). Further back were Asja Zenere (+1.98, missed a gate), Sara Thaler (+3.30), Sara Allemand (+3.54) and Ilaria Ghisalberti (+5.07).
The second training run is scheduled for Thursday 5 March, starting at 11:00 am, as confirmed at the team captains' meeting.
Bib numbers have also been allocated: Ester Ledecká will start with bib 1, Malorie Blanc with 2 and Elena Curtoni with 3. Nicol Delago will wear 7, Sofia Goggia 9, Breezy Johnson 11, Emma Aicher 12, Kira Weidle-Winkelmann 13 and Laura Pirovano 14.
