FREESTYLE & SNOWBOARD: Loginov doubles in Parallel Slalom, but weather knocks out Snowboard Big Air

Swiss Parallel Slalom World Champion Julie Zogg

The inevitable reality of winter sports is that the weather dictates the schedule, not vice versa. So it was on Tuesday that one set of events had to be canceled, while two more events were held.

The Snowboard Parallel Slalom had a familiar look to it, as two of the three men’s medalists from the day before were on the podium once again! Russia’s Dmitry Loginov, 19, swept to his second gold in as many days and Germany’s Stefan Baumeister ended up third again.

Loginov pressed hard in each of his races, winning by 0.62 and 1.86 in his first two races, then winning his semifinal over countryman Dmitry Sarsembaev as the latter was disqualified. In the final, he used his speed to force Italy’s Ronald Fischnaller to go through a gate and also lost by disqualification.

Loginov became only the fourth man ever to win both the Parallel Giant Slalom and Slalom in the World Championships, after Jasey-Jay Anderson (CAN) in 2005, Benjamin Karl in 2011 and Austria’s Andreas Prommegger in 2017. Fischnaller collected his fifth World Championships medal, with hardware from the 2011-13-15-19 Worlds.

In the women’s Parallel Slalom, it was Swiss Julie Zogg who became a first-time World Champion. She joined the World Cup tour in 2007, but scored her first Worlds medal after torching a series of medalists. She edged Natalie Soboleva (RUS), winner of the Parallel Giant Slalom silver the day before, by 1.36 seconds. She then beat Swiss Patrizia Kummer, the 2017 Worlds silver medalist, in the quarters and Maria Valova (RUS) by more than 11 seconds in the semis. The final, against the unheralded Annamari Dancha (UKR) was a win by 0.85 seconds.

“Today wasn’t the best conditions for me to race in, but I did do the best in this race, and it’s just unbelievable,” said Zogg afterwards.“Now it’s the time to relax for a few days; we’re heading to Hawaii tomorrow!” For Dancha, 28, it was her first medal of any kind in 101 starts in World Cup, Olympic and World Championship events.

The much-anticipated Big Air competition to be held on Tuesday didn’t happen. The FIS statement started with “After much careful consideration, the organizers of the 2019 FIS Snowboard, Freestyle and Freeski World Championships have taken the decision to cancel the snowboard big air competition, based on the weather forecast and with the best interests of the athletes in mind, and the remaining events scheduled to take place.”

The amount of snow coming in and the forecast for even more snow and very cold temperatures led to the decision.

The Freestyle and Snowboard Worlds continues through the 10th, with the Freestyle Aerials and Slopestyle events scheduled for Wednesday. Look for results here. Summaries:

FIS Snowboard World Championships
Park City, Utah (USA) ~ 1-10 February 2019
(Full results here)

Men’s Snowboard Cross (at Solitude Mountain)/ Big Final: 1. Mick Dierdorff (USA); 2. Hanno Douschan (AUT); 3. Emanuel Perathoner (ITA); 4. Lucas Eguibar (ESP). Small Final: 5. Jake Vedder (USA); 6. Baptiste Brochu (CAN); 7. Paul Berg (GER); 8. Leon Beckhaus (GER).

Women’s Snowboard Cross (at Solitude Mountain)/ Big Final: 1. Eva Samkova (CZE); 2. Charlotte Bankes (GBR); 3. Michela Moioli (ITA); 4. Francesca Gallina (ITA). Small Final: 5. Lindsey Jacobellis (USA); 6. Raffaella Bruto (ITA); 7. Chloe Trespeuch (FRA); 8. Carle Brenneman (CAN).

Mixed Snowboard Cross Team (at Solitude Mountain)/ Big Final: 1. Mick Dierdorff/Lindsey Jacobellis (USA); 2. Omar Visintin/Michaela Moioli (ITA); 3. Paul Berg/Hanna Ihedioha (GER); 4. Emanuel Perathoner/Francesca Gallina (ITA). Small Final: 5. Loan Bozzolo/Chloe Trespeuch (FRA); 6. Baptiste Brochu/Carle Brenneman (CAN); 7. Merlin Surget/Nelly Moenne Loccoz (FRA); 8. Kalle Koblet/Lara Casanova (SUI).

Men’s Parallel Giant Slalom/ Big Final: 1. Dmitry Loginov (RUS); 2. Tim Mastnak (SLO); Small Final: 3. Stefan Baumeister (GER); 4. Vic Wild (RUS).

Men’s Parallel Slalom/ Big Final: 1. Loginov (RUS); 2. Ronald Fischnaller (ITA); Small Final: 3. Baumeister (GER); 4. Dmitry Sarsembaev (RUS).

Women’s Parallel Giant Slalom/ Big Final: 1. Selina Joerg (GER); 2. Natalia Soboleva (RUS); Small Final: 3. Ladina Jenny (SUI); 4. Milena Bykova (RUS).

Women’s Parallel Slalom/ Big Final: 1. Julie Zogg (SUI); 2. Annamari Dancha (UKR); Small Final: 3. Ramona Hofmeister (GER); 4. Maria Valova (RUS).