Sesto-San Candido (ITA). For the third day in a row Sesto-San Candido presented itself at its best with pure sunshine and summer temperatures all day long for the ninth Snowboard Cross race of the 1999/2000 NOKIA Snowboard FIS World Cup. Double Riegler with Claudia and her sister Manuela from Austria taking first and second in the women’s race, Sweden’s Pontus Stahlkloo claimed the win in the men’s.

The weather could not have been any better when the Snowboard Cross riders were out for the season’s penultimate race today. After the course has been quite icy in the morning the snow got softer for the finals and the conditions turned out to be really good. World Cup leader Pontus Stahlkloo from Sweden proved his skills again by winning all four final heats and finally claiming his second win this season. ‘I thought the weather has been nice in Park City, but this was even better,’ he said, ‘the snow was very slushy, almost like in summer, but the course was really nice. I think the organisers have done a great job, considering the amount of snow left over here, they’ve built big jumps. Coming from the freestyle and using soft boots I think I had a big advantage. It was very exciting to face Steggall and Nantermod in the final heat since the three of us are also fighting for the World Cup.’ Zeke Steggall from Down Under had recovered from a bad crash in Park City last week and finished second. ‘It has been really tough in the qualification,’ he said, ‘I thought I had a clean run but only finished seventh, maybe I was just flying way too much in the air. I changed wax for the finals and worked it out. Second was like over the moon…’ Austria’s Alexander Koller had also suffered from a shoulder injury he got in Japan three weeks ago and was stoked after finishing third. ‘I’m really happy that it went that well,’ he said, ‘after three weeks without racing I didn’t know where I was staying. Third place is great although it could have been even better, but I jumped into the start ramp in the finals which happened to me for the third time now. It looks like I’m too unpacient and can’t wait to go…’ Guillaume Nantermod finished fourth.
Stahlkloo is further leading the World Cup standings ahead of Steggall and Nantermod, so the final decision between those three will only be taken in the final race.

Austria’s Riegler sisters Claudia and Manuela claimed gold and silver in the women’s race. ‘That’s just great, unbelievable, I didn’t make it to the finals for two years,’ Claudia said, overwhelmed by her first-ever Snowboard Cross win, ‘we really wanted a Riegler final for such a long time and being first and second was something special. Manu was just next to me at the start and had bad luck when she has hit the start ramp so I didn’t expect her to be second since the other two had a better start. The course fit me a lot, it was so much fun riding, you didn’t have to slow down and could just keep going.’ Her sister added: ‘We had originally planned for this in the Parallel since that would have been more likely but Claudia got so much stronger in Snowboard Cross this year. When I had this problem at the start I just jelled at her to speed up. Now it’s up to our Dad to fulfill his promise – he announced to do something special if this ever happens, so maybe we will see him changed to blond at the finals…’ Carmen Ranigler from Italy finished third. ‘I did not epext this at all,’ she said, ‘I was sick over the past days and slept bad so I’m really happy I made it to third today.’ France’s Marie Laissus was back after her injury at Park City and made it to fourth place. ‘I’m glad to be back,’ she said. ‘especially since I will be part of the fight for the World Cup.’
Ranigler took the yellow leader jersey today, Laissus is in second ahead of Manuela Riegler.

The World Cup finals will take place in Livigno (ITA) next weekend.

For further information contact: Britta Semmler (+49-172-810 68 22)
email: dspmedia@csi.com