Mentel-Spee claims six-from-six at IPCAS Snowboard World Cup Finals
11.02.2014The Netherlands’s Bibian Mentel-Spee continued her stunning form on Tuesday (11 February) in La Molina, Spain, by claiming victory at the IPCAS Snowboard World Cup Finals to maintain her 100 per cent record for the season.
Training at the IPCAS Snowboard World Cup Finals La Molina, Spain
© • Luc Percival
The men’s upper-limb impairment event was won by Austria’s Patrick Mayrhofer (1:31.34) to win on his World Cup debut ahead of Italy’s Roberto Cavicchi
In blizzard-like conditions, Bibian Mentel-Spee was fastest in all three of her runs to record an overall result of 1:27.37, made up of her two best times, and underlined why she is a hot favourite for gold when para-snowboard makes its Paralympic debut at Sochi 2014.
The USA’s Amy Purdy (1:35.96), Mentel-Spee’s biggest threat in Sochi, finished second whilst her teammate Nicole Roundy (1:39.55) was third.
In the men’s event, the USA’s Evan Strong (1:21.58) topped the podium although it was his teammate Michael Shea (1:22.70) who walked away with the overall World Cup title despite finishing fourth.
By finishing second Finland’s Matti Suur-Hamari (1:21.85) claimed his second World Cup podium of the season whilst the USA’s Keith Gabel (1:21.87) was third.
The men’s upper-limb impairment event was won by Austria’s Patrick Mayrhofer (1:31.34) to win on his World Cup debut ahead of Italy’s Roberto Cavicchi (1:31.47) and Spain’s Adrian Garcia Fresneda (1:34.06).
Races continue on Wednesday with the second round of World Cup Finals races.
Competitions will be livestreamed at http://www.paralympic.org/live-sport and pictures are available at www.Flickr.com/photos/Paralympic or search #LaMolina.
Para-snowboard competitions in the cross discipline at Sochi 2014 will take place on 14 March at 10:00 (MSK).
