Blue Mountain hosts PGS double in last World Cup before Bakuriani worlds

Maurizio Bormolini finds himself in unchartered territory in the men’s edition, as he emulates Zogg in sitting atop both PSL and overall tables. The Italian’s first-ever World Cup win after 80 starts on the tour came on 10 January in Bad Gastein (AUT) with a second top step following in Bansko 12 days later. However, all six podiums achieved have come in the PSL and with both results outside the top-20 last time out in Blue Mountain, Bormolini will do well to gain enough points here to hold off the longer-distance specialists.

The top-ranked rider overall before Bansko was Andreas Prommegger (AUT). A disappointing Bulgaria outing, however, saw the 42-year-old fail to make the knockout phase in the second race, finishing 20th, while an eighth the previous day dropped him down the standings. However, 15 of the 22 individual World Cup victories in his lengthy career have been in giant slalom, so experience will likely play a part in getting him back on track in the overall rankings before heading to his 12th FIS Freestyle Ski and Snowboarding World Championships, taking place in Bakuriani, Georgia from 19 February to 5 March.

Prommegger has secured a healthy 240 points on the PGS tour so far with second-placed Oskar Kwiatkowski (POL) – another debut World Cup winner this season, in PGS to boot – is on 174. Roland Fischnaller (ITA), who started his career in 1996 alongside Prommegger, is on 171. Bormolini is eighth (106) and Alexander Payer, third on the overall tour, in 10th (92). Two more Italians – Aaron March and Mirko Felicetti – may also feature as could a pair of Austrians and a Swiss in Benjamin Karl, Fabian Obmann and Dario Caviezel, respectively.

With three of seven races completed on the PGS tour so far, it’s all to play for in Canada and if the event replicates anywhere near the excitement of the 2019/20 version, in which Karl and Felicetti made history with a first-ever tie for top spot in a parallel World Cup event, fans have a mouth-watering couple of days ahead.

Standings after 3 of 7 races on the men’s PGS tour
1 Andreas Prommegger (AUT) 240 points
2 Oskar Kwiatkowski (POL) 174 points
3 Roland Fischnaller (ITA) 171 points
4 Aaron March (ITA) 136 points

Standings after 7 of 13 races on the men’s overall tour
1 Maurizio Bormolini (ITA) 372 points
2 Andreas Prommegger (AUT) 337 points
3 Alexander Payer (AUT) 317 points
4 Dario Caviezel (SUI) 295 point

Post Canada, the snowboard alpine World Cup tribe head to the FIS Freestyle Ski and Snowboarding World Championships taking place in Bakuriani, Georgia from 19 February to 5 March. The Snowboard Alpine disciplines take place 19 February (PGS), 21 February (PSL), and conclude with mixed parallel slalom on 22 February. 

A return to the World Cup tour sees Livigno (ITA) host both disciplines on 11-12 March. Races in Rogla (SLO) on 15 March and Berchtesgaden (GER) on 18-19 March round out the season.