First Half of Alpine World Cup Finishes in Rinn

Athletes from Canada, Austria and Germany took more than one top place at the first half of the 2010 International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Alpine Skiing World Cup races this past weekend in Rinn, Austria.

Taking place from 8-9 January, the Giant Slalom event started the competition in Rinn. Austria's Sabine Gasteiger (B3) took top position with guide Stefan Schoner in the Women’s Giant Slalom Visually Impaired category with a time of 2:19.56. Gasteiger was followed by Canada’s Viviane Forest (B2) with guide Lindsay Debou and Slovakia’s Henrieta Farkasova (B3) with guide Maros Hudik. In the Women’s Giant Slalom Sitting category, Austria’s Claudia Loesch (LW11) took first with a time of 2:23.09. Loesch was followed by Canada’s Kimberly Joines (LW12-1) and USA’s Stephani Victor (LW12-2) respectively.

In the Women’s Giant Slalom Standing category, Canada’s well-known athlete Lauren Woolstencroft (LW3-1) took first with a time of 2:11.32. Coming in second and third were Germany’s Andrea Rothfuss (LW6/8-2) and Slovakia’s Petra Smarzova. For the Men’s Giant Slalom Sitting category, Germany’s Martin Braxenthaler (LW10-2) took first with a time of 2:05.81. Braxenthaler was followed by USA’s Christopher Devlin-Young (LW12-1) and Korea’s Sang Min Han.

In the Men’s Giant Slalom Standing category, Germany’s Gerd Schoenfelder (LW5/7-2) took first with a time of 2:01.56. French pair Lionel Brun (LW6/8-1) and Vincent Gauthier-Manuel (LW6/8-2) came in second and third respectively.

The following day saw the Slalom competition from the athletes. In the Women’s Slalom Visually Impaired category, Canada’s Viviane Forest (B2) with guide Lindsay Debou took the top position with a time of 1:46.53. Debou was followed by Slovakia’s Henrieta Farkasova (B3) with guide Natalia Subrtova and Australia’s Jessica Gallagher (B3) with guide Eric Bickerton.

In the Women’s Slalom Standing category, Germany’s Andreas Rothfuss (LW6/8-2) took first position with a time of 1:41.25. Rothfuss was followed by USA’s Allison Jones (LW2) and Canada’s Lauren Woolstencroft (LW3-1). In the Men’s Slalom Standing category, Australia’s Cameron Rahles-Rahbula (LW2) took first with a time of 1:28.28. Compatriot Toby Kane came in second position, while Germany’s Gerd Schoenfelder (LW5/7-2) took third.

More than 140 athletes from 17 countries are competing at the 2010 IPC Alpine Skiing World Cup in Rinn and Abentau, Austria. Competition continues this week in Abtenau, in five more IPC Alpine Skiing World Cup races. Two Slaloms will be held 11-12 January, with two Giant Slaloms following on 13-14 January. The World Cup will finish with a Super Combined race, a combination of one Super G and Slalom run, on 15 January.