Czech Republic’s Zabystran, Germany’s Dorigo win first alpine finals

Alpine skiers faced their first obstacle of the Lake Placid 2023 FISU World University Games on Friday when the Super-G events were postponed due to inclement weather.

On Saturday, everything was back on track at Whiteface Mountain, with Jan Zabystran of the Czech Republic and Fabiana Dorigo of Germany making the most of the improved conditions to capture Super-G gold.

Zabystran won the men’s race in the morning with a 0.41-second lead on Italy’s Luca Tarzano, who edged Eric Wyler of Switzerland by one hundredth of a second for silver.

“I’m really happy,” said 24-year-old Zabystran after claiming his country’s first gold medal of the Games.

“I competed at some European and World Cup events where I finished around 50th place. Really happy to stand here and win something after so many years.”

“Really good after yesterday’s rain,” commented Tarzano about the slope conditions. “It’s amazing, everything is smooth.”

Wyler, a Swiss Distance University student, couldn’t hide his emotions and was already looking ahead to upcoming events.

“I’m so happy, I’m so stoked. I’m excited for the Giant Slalom and for tomorrow, the Alpine Combined. Slalom is only for fun.”

Weather conditions did deteriorate a little in the afternoon as fog descended over the starting booth for the women’s race.

That didn’t throw off Dorigo. She took the lead with no. 4 bib and her winning time stood until the end for Germany’s first triumph in Lake Placid.

“I didn’t really practice Super-G this year. I think I only had one training day,” she said, explaining she suffered an injury at the end of last season. “I didn’t ski that good at the top, but the bottom was very good,”

“We have some more races to come and hopefully there will be some more medals.”

Norway’s Carmen Sofie Nielssen lost some time at the bottom of the slope and had to settle for silver, .47 behind Dorigo.

Celia Abad of Spain was a surprise third-place finisher, using the weather conditions to her advantage to claim her nation’s first medal at the winter edition of FISU Games since 2015.

The alpine skiing competition continues on Sunday with the women’s and men’s Combined.

Written by Miha Trošt, FISU Young Reporter

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