1. News
  2. /
  3. Alpine Skiing
  4. /
  5. Simon Efimov brings home gold in alpine skiing men’s slalom
Navigation :

11 March 2019 | in Alpine Skiing

Simon Efimov brings home gold in alpine skiing men’s slalom

KRASNOYARSK, 11 March – It was another gold medal for Russia today as Simon Efimov finished first in the alpine skiing men’s slalom at Funpark Bobrovy Log. His epic first run of 41.89 seconds put him into first place going into run two, where he finished in 45.25 for a total of 1:27.14. That’s now four golds and nine medals in total for Russia in the alpine skiing competition the Krasnoyarsk 2019 Winter Universiade.

 

Richard Leitgeb of Austria took silver, finishing just 0.94 seconds behind Efimov with 1:28.08. Having already won gold in the mixed team event, Leitgeb added to Austria’s rich haul of six medals in alpine skiing, led by Jessica Gfrerer who won three gold. Leitgeb had a 42.92 finish in run one, and a 45.16 finish in run two.

 

France’s Paco Rassat meanwhile took bronze with a total of 1:28.36. He was quickest in run two with a 45.04, adding to his 43.32 from run one to finish 1.22 seconds behind Efimov in first.

 

In the first run earlier in the day, it was clear many athletes would not be able to cope with the difficult course. The race started with almost 80 skiers but many went off course and 42 athletes did not finish the first race, including Anton Endzhievskii, Denis Vorobev and Gleb Mosesov from Russia.

 

Results:

 

1

 RUS

EFIMOV Simon

1:27.14

2

 AUT

LEITGEB Richard

1:28.08

3

 FRA

RASSAT Paco

1:28.36

 

 

 

Earlier- 10 March

 

Ekaterina Tkachenko picks up second Alpine Skiing Gold

 

Russian wins the slalom event, her second victory of the Winter Universiade 2019

 

KRASNOYARSK, 10 March – It was another victorious day for Russia’s Ekaterina Tkachenko, as the alpine skier picked up her second victory of the Winter Universiade 2019 in the Women’s Slalom Event.

 

Tkachenko was in sixth place after the first run, 0.33 seconds off of the lead. Her second run time of 44.75 was about three seconds faster than her first.

 

“I think the course was interesting, it was difficult,” she said after winning gold. “I think I didn’t do everything I could do in terms of technique, especially on the second run. Overall I am very happy to be in this place and have a medal.”

 

Denise Dingsleder from Austria was in first place after the first run but finished in the silver medal position with a total time of 1:32.91. Anastasia Gornostaeva from Russia finished in third with a time of 1:33.25.

 

“I was a bit nervous today. First run was really turning. Then I think I had a good run, especially in the flat I took a lot of speed,” Dingsleder said. “My coaches said to me everything is inspected, so just go down really fast.”

 

The victory today for Tkachenko comes two days after her victory in the Giant Slalom event, which also happened to be her birthday. She and compatriot Ivan Kuznetsov are the only Russians to have won gold in Alpine Skiing at Krasnoyarsk 2019 – an event that was otherwise dominated by Austria.

 

“I have to admit that these medals mean a lot to me,” Tkachenko said. “Every medal you win is precious and I will put these medals with all my other medals to keep them safe.”

 

The Alpine skiing event at the 2019 Winter Universiade concludes on March 12 with the men’s slalom event starting 10:00am local (GMT +7). It will be live on fisu.tv.  

 

Final Results:

  1. Ekaterina Tkachenko (Russia):

  2. Denise Dingsleder 1:32.91 (Austria)

  3. Anastasia Gornostaeva 1:33.25 (Russia)

Earlier, 9 March

Featured for the second time in Winter Universiade history, the alpine skiing parallel nations team event proved to be a hit once again with spectators and sportspersons alike

KRASNOYARSK, RUSSIAN FEDERATION, 9 MARCH – Austria swept the first three head-to-head runs in the parallel nations team event and extended its run of excellence in alpine skiing here at Winter Universiade 2019.

 

Speed skiing standout Jessica Gfrerer, already a two-time gold medalist at these games, started Austria’s run to the podium’s top step with a victory over Russia’s Sofia Krokhina on the parallel slalom course.

 

Richard Leitgeb also assisted the Austrian team in the second match-up by crossing the finish line over a half second in front of Denis Vorobev.

 

In the third run, Denise Dingsleder enacted a bit of revenge on Ekaterina Tkachenko as the gold and silver medalists from the giant slalom competition flipped script, and the Austrian came out on top today.

 

Russia put Nikita Alekhin, this year’s Winter Universiade men’s alpine combined bronze medalist, in for the anchor run. While Alekhin finished before Julien Kienreich, it was too little too late as Austria took home gold by virtue of its 3-1 advantage over Russia in the finals.

 

The bronze medal match-up pitted Sweden against the Czech Republic, with the Scandinavian quartet of Agnes Dahlin, Louise Jansson, Filip Steinwall and Jacob Persson prevailing 3-1 over the Czech Republic.

More about the Parallel Nations Team Event race format

 

The competition format plays to the roots of university sports as both the male and female skiers play an equal role in the outcome. 16 countries competed in the knockout race, with the team of two male and two female student-athletes seeded by virtue of their FIS national team rankings.

 

The event uses a parallel format, with an individual skier from one country facing another skier of the same gender from an opposing country. They race head-to-head down two identical slalom courses with giant slalom gates spaced around 10 metres apart. Each race lasts around 25 seconds.

 

ALPINE SKIING | RESULTS | PARALLEL NATIONS TEAM EVENT

 

RANK

COUNTRY

TEAM MEMBERS

1

Austria

Jessica Gfrerer

Richard Leitgeb

Denise Dingsleder

Julien Kienreich

2

Russian Federation

Sofia Krokhina

Denis Vorobev

Ekaterina Tkachenko

Nikita ALekhin

3

Sweden

Agnes Dahlin

Filip Steinwall

Louise Jansson

Jacob Persson

 

 

Ealier...

 

Ivan Kuznetsov of Russian federation wins gold in Giant Slalom

 

KRASNOYARSK, 8 March – It was not the easiest of days in the Alpine Skiing competition of the Winter Universiade 2019 at the Funpark Bobrovy Log in Krasnoyarsk. 102 skiers from 37 countries started the Giant Slalom race, but not all got to the finish: several turns on the steep segments of the course decided the fate of many athletes. It was here, for example, that Swiss Lukas Zippert – who had won gold in the Super Giant Slalom – skidded off and missed the gate. In total, the first treacherous course sent off 18 athletes before their time.

 

No trouble though, for Russia’s Ivan Kuznetsov, who whizzed through the course aided by the support of the home crowd. He completed the first run in 54.73 seconds and run 2 in 1 min 0.78 seconds. In the first run though, he was only 14 hundredths of a second ahead of Switzerland’s Julian Kienreich and 8 hundreths ahead of Livio Simonet of Austria.

 

“There were still some mistakes,” admitted Ivan Kuznetsov about his first run. “The course is really fast here. You start at full speed and often cannot cope with it, so that is why some guys do not finish.”

 

At the end of the second run, it was Italy’s Alberto Blengini who won the silver medal as he crossed the last gate 0.52 seconds behind the gold medal winner. The young athlete from Italy dedicated his medal to his mother.

 

Swish skier Livio Simonet rounded off the podium winning the bronze medal. Sharing his emotions after winning the medal, Livio said, “It’s mixed feelings for me. I couldn’t do so well in second run, but since this is my first medal I am happy about the medal.”

 

For gold medalist Kuznetsov, it was all a culmination of hard work. “I train in both summer and winter,” he said. “My result today is the result of the hard work that I did throughout the year.” Thanking the home crowd, he also said that the supporters cheering for him gave him a lot of motivation to do better during the race.

 

RESULTS:

 

1

 RUS

KUZNETSOV Ivan

1:55.51

-

2

 ITA

BLENGINI Alberto

1:56.03

+ 0.52

3

 SUI

SIMONET Livio

1:56.21

+ 0.70

 

 

Earlier...

 

Austria’s women’s alpine ski winning streak ends with silver in GS

 

Russia’s birthday girl Ekaterina Tkachenko earned the best present a university alpine skier could desire: Winter Universiade gold on home snow

KRASNOYARSK, 7 March – First run leader Ekaterina Tkachenko of Russia held off a hard-charging Denise Dingsleder in the Women’s Giant Slalom competition as Austria was denied its third gold medal over the first three women’s alpine skiing competition days here at Winter Universiade 2019.

 

Dingsleder followed up a sixth place first run (1:00.4) with the fastest final run of the day (58.99). The performance wasn't enough to overtake Tkachenko, though, as the 24 year-old Moscow native posted a final run just +0.08 behind the Austrian to win by nearly a second. With the second fastest first run and fourth-fastest final run, Iulija Pleshkova of Russia rounded out the women’s podium.

 

After having been off the podium in the Super-G and Alpine Combined, the Russians were ready to reverse this script at the Bobrovy Log ski venue as the home nation occupied the first four positions after the first run, headlined by Tkachenko’s half-second lead after the first run.

 

It really was Tkachenko’s day as the ski racer who had earlier placed 19th in Super-G and 5th in Alpine Combined won her first international medal on her birthday. At the press conference, the birthday girl Ekaterina Tkachenko, was presented a cake as journalists and skiers alike sang, “Happy birthday to you”.

“You are talking about a winning run down this course, but I just can’t believe I did it,” Tkachenko said after the race. “Today is my birthday, and I was hoping for something positive, but the victory was unexpected. I don’t even remember how the race went. I am full of emotions. I'm just happy."

 

Commenting on her silver success, Dingsleder wished good luck to the rest of the Austrian team: “Alpine skiing is a national sport of my country, and probably this is why we earn medals here. I don’t know why the girls bring them so far, but I’m sure that the guys will show themselves no worse in the giant slalom and in the slalom. ”

 

ALPINE SKI | Women’s Giant Slalom Results

 

NAME

RUN 1

RUN 2

TOTAL

DIFF.

Ekaterina Tkachenko

59.44 (1)

59.08 (2)

1:58.52

        —

Denise Dingsleder

1:00.40 (6)

58.99 (1)

1:59.39

0.87

Iulija Plechkova

59.94 (2)

59.52 (4)

1:59.46

0.94

 

 

 DAY THREE- 5 March, 2019

 

Gold for Switzerland in men's Alpine Combined, stunning silver for Russia

 

Switzerland’s Yannick Chabloz secured his country’s second gold medal by winning the Men’s Combined event during a dramatic day of Alpine Skiing at the Krasnoyarsk 2019 Winter Universiade. The highlight of the day, though, belonged to Russia’s Anton Endzhievskii, as he carved his way from 30thposition after super-G into a silver medal finish after the slalom.

KRASNOYARSK, 5 March – Going into the second half of the men’s Alpine Combined event at the 29th Winter Universiade, Russia’s Anton Endzhievskii began proceedings, as the top-30 from the morning’s super-G run started the slalom in reverse order.

 

With a time of 37.25, Endzhievskii raced straight into medal contention, as did compatriot Nikita Alekhin, who also finessed his way up 16 places to a bronze, with a slalom run of 37.69. Tomas Klinsky of the Czech Republic and Pawel Babicki of Poland posted the two fastest times in the super-G. Klinsky, who had won the super-G silver two days prior, remained in podium contention until the bottom third of the slalom course. Klinsky posted a slalom time of 39.92 to finish +0.64 away from bronze.

 

“I tried as best as I could, with all of my strength,” Klinsky said later.

Yannick Chabloz (SUI)- Gold Medalist in the Men's Alpine Combined The glory belonged to Swiss Yannick Chabloz, who came into the combined with a bronze medal under his belt from the opening day’s super-G. Two steady runs – 7th in the super-G with 57.21 and 5th in the slalom with 38.38 – meant that he finished on top of the podium with a total of 1:35.59.

 

“Silver is still missing,” Chabloz joked, with a big smile. “Yes, it's a race like any other, but the whole thing is just indescribable. The emotions that arise in you when you reach the finish and see the number one cannot be described. I knew that many were out (of contention) and the slalom is extremely difficult. That's why I'm even more happy.”

Silver medalist Endzhievskii also found something to smile about. “I shaved my beard yesterday,” he laughed. “But I did not expect it to change anything!”

 

Alpine Skiing continues on 7 March, with the women’s giant slalom.

 

Results: Men’s Alpine Combined

Rank

Nat

Name

Run 1

Run 2

Total

1

 SUI

CHABLOZ Yannick

57.21 (7)

38.38 (5)

1:35.59

2

 RUS

ENDZHIEVSKIY Anton

58.48 (30)

37.25 (1)

1:35.73

3

 RUS

ALEKHIN Nikita

58.06 (19)

37.69 (2)

1:35.75

 

 

DAY TWO- 4 March, 2019

Austrian skier Jessica Gfrerer wins her second gold medal at the Winter Universiade 2019

KRASNOYARSK, 4 March As Alpine Skiing competition continued at the Krasnoyarsk 2019 Winter Universiade, Austria’s Jessica Gfrerer won the super combined event, being the fastest after the Super Giant Slalom and Slalom races. Amelie Dupasquier of Switzerland also won her second silver medal, while Carmen Aro of France claimed bronze.

 

It’s all about speed in this Alpine Skiing discipline and Gfrerer led the way, having won the Super G the day before. This morning’s Super-G runs predicted the favourites with Gfrerer just 16 hundredths of a second ahead of Swiss girl Dupasquier. The Czech athlete Veronika Camkova (+0.33), Swiss Jessica Albertin (+0.61) and Sweden’s skier Fanny Axelsson (+0.85) all of whom have already been on the podium during this Universiade stood a good chance prior to the afternoon’s Slalom run.

 

Jessica Gfrerer (AUT)On the Slalom course, the athletes started based on the results of the Super-G race, with the best 30 participants starting in reverse order. Everyone was waiting for the favourites. Carmen Haro was also waiting for them, leading after the downhill ride. But then, Axelsson began to struggle on the course, Albertin broke down and Camkova made one mistake after another. Only two skiers were left for Carmen Haro to know her fate then: Jessica Gfrerer and Amelie Dupasquier. Haro knew she had a medal, but not which colour. The strongest ones controlled their emotions, finished the race and repeated yesterday's success: Jessica Gfrerer won a second gold medal, Amelie Dupasquier a second silver.

 

After the competition Jessica Gfrerer said, "I knew that Amelie will perform well in Slalom and was a bit worried after the Super-G, but the second race went well. Today I am as happy as I was yesterday."

 

Amelie Dupasquier looked upset and could hardly conceal her disappointment. "In Super Giant I had a good showing, but I did not manage with Slalom. Two medals are still two medals, although yesterday my feelings were better."

 

Carmen Haro, on the contrary, was delighted with her bronze. "When I was at the start, I saw my competitors, how difficult the course was and I imagined how much there was to do... Really, I am a bit shocked with my result."

 

Results: Alpine Skiing, Combined, Women

 

1. Jessica Gfrerer (AUT) 1:31.38

2. Amelie Dupasquier (SUI) 1:31.93

3. Carmen Haro (FRA) 1:32.12

 

 

DAY ONE- 3 March, 2019

 

Gold and Bronze for Switzerland in men's Super G

 

The Swiss started the first official day of competition at the Winter Universiade 2019 in fine form. With a silver in the women’s Super G, and a gold and bronze in the men’s event, Switzerland ruled day one at the Funpark Bobrovy Log.

KRASNOYARSK, 3 March – Switzerland’s Lukas Zippert set the bar high rather early as he was the third competitor to start, in the men’s Super G race. Clocking 57.04, he went straight into the lead and it was only a handful of others who looked like they might challenge his top spot. Czech Tomas Klinsky came close, but finished 0.20 seconds behind, while Yannick Chabloz, also of Switzerland, finished third with a time of 57.33 seconds.

 

“It’s my first time in Russia, in fact it’s my first time outside of the EU,” said a very happy Zippert later. “It’s really special to see such an enormous city, we don’t have them in Switzerland.” When asked how he is going to celebrate, he replied “I have no idea. I’ll try to get back to the Universiade village, relax for a moment and then we’ll see. I didn’t expect this. I’m really happy. I expected Yannick (Chabloz) to be in front of me.”

 

Chabloz isn’t too disappointed with bronze though. “This is my first Winter Universiade,” he said. “And I’m quite excited about it.” About the race, he said “I knew I had to go at full speed, so I was confident because I like this kind of snow. It’s fast and flat.”

 

The sizeable crowd that had gathered at Bobrovy Log really embraced the event, especially cheering on their Russian athletes, as they completed their runs. Russia’s Denis Vorobev, who finished outside the top 20, later said, “It always feels great competing in your home country. When you’re on home soil you feel more confident. All of my family and all my relatives are here watching, which gives me confidence and spurs me on.”

 

Jessica Gfrerer (AUT)- First gold medalist for Alpine Skiing at the Winter Universiade in Krasnoyarsk

Earlier, Austria’s Jessica Gfrerer beat a field of 53 women, to win the first Apline Skiing gold medal with a time of 58.44 seconds, 1.09 seconds ahead of Swiss Amelie Dupasquier who claimed silver. Dupasquier finished with a time of 59.53 seconds and Sweden’s Fanny Axelsson, the bronze medallist clocked in a 59.70 second run.

 

Gfrerer said she wasn’t entirely sure about her win until much later. “I wasn’t sure if it was a good run,” she said afterwards. “So, I waited until the 15th or 20th girl had finished. Then, I thought maybe it will be a victory. Finally, it was a victory and I was really happy about it!”

 

Dupasquier, who is part of a 100-strong Swiss contingent in Krasnoyarsk, took the silver medal in her stride and did not fail to mention everything else she is enjoying in Krasnoyarsk. “Everything is great,” she said happily. “The hospitality is perfect. In the village everything is cool, and we were even able to meet a (Siberian) husky.” About the competition, she said, “The course was great, although the slope was icy and it was a little bit flat. I wasn’t really expecting a medal in the Super G, I am in fact hoping for a medal in Slalom. It means a lot to me because Super G is not my discipline.”

 

Bronze medalist Axelsson felt the icy course helped her. “The course was pretty good,” she said. “The conditions were also nice, a bit icy but I like that. It was really good.”

 

The ladies will be back tomorrow at the same venue to compete in the Alpine combined, which consists of a run of Super G in the morning and a run of Slalom in the afternoon.

 

Results: Women's Super G

Rank

Nationality

Name

1

 AUT

GFRERER Jessica

2

 SUI

DUPASQUIER Amelie

3

 SWE

AXELSSON Fanny

  

Results: Men's Super G

Rank

Nationality

Name

1

 SUI

ZIPPERT Lukas

2

 CZE

KLINSKY Tomas

3

 SUI

CHABLOZ Yannick