Jenny continues PGS trend with first-time win while Karl bags 19th victory

The first day of two days of competition in Blue Mountain (CAN) on Thursday (26 January) saw the trend continue in the women’s PGS this season with a fourth first-time winner out of a quartet of races with Ladina Jenny (SUI) claiming the spoils ahead of Lucia Dalmasso (ITA). Sabine Schoeffmann (AUT), the parallel slalom winner in Winterberg (GER) in the season-opener in December, beat compatriot Claudia Riegler to claim third.

Benjamin Karl secured a 19th World Cup victory, repeating the win last time the race was held here in the 2019/20 season. This time though, Karl enjoyed the glory alone after he and Italy’s Mirko Felicetti previously made history with a first-ever tie for top spot in a parallel World Cup event. Karl was up against Felicetti again but beat him in the first knockout round in another super-close race, by just 0.15s. In the small final Oskar Kwiatkowski (POL) bested a resurgent Lee Sangho (KOR), the top qualifier today and last year’s overall globe winner.

Jenny joined Michelle Dekker (NED), the conqueror in Carezza (ITA), Gloria Kotnik (SLO), Cortina’s queen, and Carolin Langenhorst (GER) the best in Scuol (SUI), in becoming a first-time World Cup winner this season. The big final would have seen a debutant top-stepper no matter what as Jenny was up against Dalmasso whose best result prior to this race was fourth in the PGS in Cortina in December.

The pair initially kept pace with each other until Dalmasso fell, leaving Jenny free to cross the finish line unencumbered, screaming with delight. The win moves Jenny up to second in the PGS standings on 216 points with three races to go, behind defending PGS champion Ramona Theresia Hofmeister on 227. The German’s hopes of claiming a fourth consecutive overall title drifted further from her grasp as the 26-year-old was unable to capitalise on her rivals’ early exits.

Julie Zogg (SUI) who surged into the lead in the combined standings after a pair of wins in Bansko (BUL) last weekend was knocked out in the round of 16 by Riegler, in what is admittedly not her strongest event. The 2019 PSL world champion will be looking to eke out a few more points in Friday’s race to keep her in the overall reckoning.

The tour leader in PSL and overall rankings prior to the Bansko weekend, Daniela Ulbing (AUT) – who would have been disappointed to slip down the rankings despite second and fourth places in Bulgaria – was herself knocked out by giant slayer, Riegler, in the quarter finals.

Despite being beaten by Jenny in the round of 16, by a close 0.99s, Langenhorst collected enough points to sit third in the PGS table on 176, dropping just one place, while Poland’s Aleksandra Krol remains fourth, on 167, despite falling to Ulbing in the first knockout round.

“It’s my first win in World Cup and I’m really happy with that,” said Jenny post-race. On being asked about her preparations for tomorrow’s race, the 29-year-old smiled. “Right now, I just feel the emotions and then focus on tomorrow. Hopefully as good as today.”

Zogg stays atop the overall standings on 453 with Ulbing just behind on 431. The two are streets ahead of third-placed Hofmeister on 372 but no one will discount the four-time champion just yet with another PGS tomorrow. Jenny is fourth on 360 while Schoeffmann sits fifth on 359.

Standings after 4 of 7 races on the women’s PGS tour
1 Ramona Theresia Hofmeister (GER) 227 points
2 Ladina Jenny (SUI) 216 points
3 Carolin Langenhorst (GER) 176 points
4 Aleksandra Krol (POL) 167 points

Standings after 8 of 13 races on the women’s overall tour
1 Julie Zogg (SUI) 453 points
2 Daniela Ulbing (AUT) 431 points
3 Ramona Theresia Hofmeister (GER) 372 points
4 Ladina Jenny (SUI) 360 points