Switzerland’s Janine Maechler, Belgium’s Sam Maes Top Winter Games NZ Podiums On Final Day Of ANC Slalom

31st August 2024

Day two of FIS Australia New Zealand Cup (ANC) Slalom racing saw blue skies and warm temperatures at Queenstown’s Coronet Peak ski field with a 120-strong international field of athletes set to charge on the ProAm slope.

Switzerland’s Janine Maechler brought home the win in the women’s field to match her brother Reto’s gold medal yesterday. In the men’s field, experienced World Cup racer Sam Maes (BEL) found another gear to step up from bronze yesterday and claim gold today.

First out of the gates were the top three placegetters from yesterday’s women’s ANC Slalom - NZ’s Piera Hudson, Austria’s Franziska Gritsch and GB’s Reece Bell - back in the hunt for the medals but being chased by an equally determined field and by the end of the day the podium would see a whole new set of faces.

Bell, who skied one of the fastest runs of the day yesterday, started her day in top gear, holding the lead after run one, 0.11s ahead of Maechler. Kiwi Piera Hudson, wearing the yellow bib after her win yesterday also had a solid start to her day, sitting in third place, hot on Maechler’s heels and 0.12s off the lead.

Following a course reset for the second run, the women were back in the gates with the start order flipped and the top seeds last to run.

Frustrated about dropping out of podium contention yesterday after initially holding the lead, Maechler used this as motivation and skied a blinder of a second run to claim the win by 0.36s.

“I was a little bit angry about yesterday because I skied well in the first run and then the second run was not that good, I was angry and that helped me today,” she explained. “I went a little bit stronger and pushed harder on the second run today.”

Maechler added that her brother’s success yesterday had also spurred her on. “We are really close and I was so happy for him and I think it pushed me today; I wanted to do that too.”

Italy’s Lucrezia Lorenzi also had an outstanding day, skiing from a bib 21 start into fifth place after run one and then jumping into second place with her two run times combined.

Amelie Klopfenstein (SUI) rounded out the podium in third place with Reece Bell in fourth and Piera Hudson fifth. Hudson and Maechler are now the joint holders of the ANC yellow bib.

In the men’s field, Reto Maechler (SUI) had his sights set on finishing his day back on the podium, skiing into second place on run one, 0.05s behind Norway’s Theodor Braekken, but it wasn’t to be and he would eventually finish his day just off the podium in fourth place.

The day went the other way for experienced World Cup racer Sam Maes who turned his speed up a notch or two for his second run, moving up from fifth place to claim the win.

“I finally found my extra gear that I was also looking for yesterday. First run I think I still held back a little too much but the second run was good. A step up is always good, I’m happy with that,” he said. Maes continued, “I think we’ve had some great slalom races for what the conditions are. The weather hasn’t been our best friend the last two weeks but Coronet Peak has done a good job hosting these races, it was great to ski. It’s a good preparation for the World Cup season and it’s building every run.”

Italy’s Simon Maurberger also had a good second run which saw him move from fourth place after run one to second place after run two, 0.27s behind Maes. Braekken finished third.

Today’s slalom races were the final ones on the Winter Games NZ alpine programme. The action continues at Cardrona Alpine Resort tomorrow with the FIS Snowboard Slopestyle World Cup finals.

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