Power couple Schoeffmann and Payer claim Winterberg slalom titles

Austria’s Sabine Schoeffmann and Alexander Payer had quite the weekend in Winterberg (GER) on Sunday (11 December) with the couple both winning their respective women’s and men’s parallel slalom events. The pair celebrated claiming the first individual FIS Snowboard Alpine World Cup races of the 2022/23 season with a kiss on the podium.

Schoeffmann beat Julie Zogg (SUI) to claim top spot while another Austrian, Daniela Ulbing, came out on top in the small final to leave a frustrated Melanie Hochreiter (GER) off the pace in fourth in front of a disappointed home crowd.

In the men’s edition, Payer was able to beat Slovenia’s Tim Mastnak in the big final in the men’s event with Stefan Baumeister claiming Germany’s only podium of the weekend in third, coming out on top in the small final against Edwin Coratti (ITA).

The first points on the board in overall rankings have been won with 100 points to the winner, 80 points for second, 60 and 50 for third and fourth, respectively, down to one point for 30th place. Schoeffmann and Payer will also take home prize money and the leader’s yellow bibs heading into the next race in Carezza, Italy on Thursday (15 December).

“Winterberg was always a very good place for me,” Schoeffmann told FIS post race. “I celebrated a victory here in 2017. After this event, Alex and me we came together so it’s also emotional place let’s say and together, yes, we are the first time both on the podium, both on victory in a single race. Winter wonderland Winterberg, I would say.”