Only Altmeister Martin Nörl survives the first round in St. Moritz.
The German snowboard crossers clearly missed the desired single medal at the World Cup in St. Moritz. Altmeister Martin Körl was the only one of the four Snowboard Germany athletes qualified for the co-runs to the quarter-finals. There, however, the 2023 World Cup run was unnecessary against strong competition.
“It is very annoying because I could get along well with the route and also struggle well,” said Körl, adding: “In the end, the field was very tight and it just wasn’t enough.”
After his serious ankle injury, the two -time overall World Cup winner was not one of the top favorites. Nevertheless, he prevailed confidently in the first round. In the quarterfinals, defending champion Jan Dusek, Olympic champion Alessandro Hämmerle (both Austria) and team world champion Huw Nightingale (Great Britain) were faster. Gold secured the Olympic second Eliot Grondin from Canada in front of the Frenchman Loan Bozzolo and Hämmerle, Dusek was fourth.
Leon Ulbricht, who had ensured the only German win of the season in the World Cup, Paul Berg and Leon Beckhaus failed in the round of 16. It was Knappsten with the two-time junior world champion Ulbricht, who had to give up Lukas Pachner (Austria) by a few centimeters. Berg crashed, Beckhaus drove behind from the start and missed the two top positions that entitle them to progress, which is clear.
Jana Fischer had already failed in qualification. Gold for women went to Michela Moioli, the Italian Olympic champion of 2018. In dream weather, she prevailed in front of Charlotte Bankes (Great Britain), the world champion of 2021, and Julia Pereira de Sousa (France), the 2018 Olympics.
The team competition is still pending on Saturday (11:00 a.m.).