Christoph Pircher (left) and Felix Ratschiller are currently in action at the Junior Biathlete World Championships.

Biathlon Junior World Championships & Co: This is what South Tyrol's talents are doing

Despite some weather-related cancellations, South Tyrol's young winter athletes were able to take part in some competitions last week and achieve respectable performances.

27. February 2024

From: pm

Biathlon

The Youth and Junior Biathlon World Championships are currently being held in Otepää in Estonia. With Linda Zingerle (Antholz), Christoph Pircher (Terlan) and Felix Ratschiller (Martell), three local ski hunters are also taking part. So far, the junior trio has not been able to intervene in the fight for medals. Pircher reached 12th place with the mixed relay at the start of the World Cup. In the individual he finished 22nd, three positions ahead of Ratschiller. Zingerle finished the individual in 12th place. There are more competitions on the program this week.

Speaking of biathlon: The Hubert Leitgeb Trophy powered by Raiffeisen ended with a mass start in Ridnaun. The competitions in the side valley of the Wipptal were counted both as a national championship and for the Alperia Cup.

The daily winners and thus the new national champions in the mass start at a glance:
U9: Anna Lena Staffler (Ulten) and Aaron Gufler (Passeier)
U11: Franziska Staffler (Ulten) and Raffaele Steiner (Martell)
U13: Lena Kostner (Gröden) and Elia Steinkasserer (Antholz)
U15: Teresa Seeber (Antholz) and Felix Wolf (Antholz)

The overall winners 2023/24 at a glance:
U9: Anna Lena Staffler (Ulten) and Aaron Gufler (Passeier)
U11: Franziska Staffler (Ulten) and Adam Oberhauser (Gröden)
U13: Anna Wolf (Antholz) and Elia Steinkasserer (Antholz)
U15: Elsa Canis (Alta Badia) and Felix Wolf (Antholz)

Freestyle

In Prato Nevoso, Liam Gamper took 25th place in a very strong field of participants in his European Cup debut in slopestyle. Due to the bad weather, the young Rittner had just as little opportunity to familiarize himself with the course as Maria Gasslitter from the Val Gardena Ski Club. She ended up in fourth place. Ex-state squad athlete Niklas Oberrauch - also from Ritten - achieved 17th place.

The podium at the Freesytle Italian Cup.

However, the Italian Cup (Coppa Italia) continued at Monte Bondone. In the junior category, Adrian Thöni (Bruneck) came out on top, while Andi Engl (also Bruneck) also reached the podium in third place. Laurin Volgger (Terenten) rounded off the strong result of the South Tyrolean state squad athletes in fifth place. In the Allievi category, Max Von Aufschneiter (Bozen) came out ahead of favorite Giovanni Miotto (Belluno).

The freestyle snowboarders had to take a break from competition due to the bad weather, but instead trained intensively at Kronplatz.

Snowboard

The alpine snowboarders were in action in Alleghe, where they took part in a FIS race for juniors. Tommy Rabanser from Val Gardena came third, closely followed by Elias Zimmerhofer (Villnöß) and Manuel Haller (Burgstall) in fifth and sixth positions respectively. Five and six - these were also the ranks that Fabiana Fachin (Burgstall) and Sophie Rabanser (Gröden) took among the young women.

The alpine snowboarders were in action in Alleghe.

Toboggan

At the FIL Youth Games in Ulten, South Tyrol's young skaters were able to achieve some success. The best South Tyrolean result in each category at a glance:
Youth 1: 1. Anne Breitenberger (Ulten/2.09,77) and 1. Leo Pircher (Latsch/2.38.36)
Youth 2: 1. Anna Wegmann (Laas/1.58,38) and 3. Simon Torggler (Latzfons/2.05,32)
Youth 3: 3. Mia Breitenberger (Ulten/1.58,59) and 2. Daniel Gamper (Feldthurns/2.00,78)
Youth 4: 3. Romi Oberprantacher (Passeier/1.56,37) and 1. Jakob Gruber Genetti (Völlan/1.50,27)

The third and final stage of the Raiffeisen South Tyrol Cup in sports tobogganing took place at the weekend in Deutschnofen on the Pfösl-Riep track. 75 tobogganers took part in the grand finale in Eggental. The fastest times were achieved by Lara Peccei (Wengen/1.05,00) for the women and Tobias Müller (Laugen Tisens/1.03,07) for the men.

The individual category winners at a glance:
Doubles: Tobias Müller/Tobias Mair (Laugen Tisens/1.07.25)
Youth 2: Annika Stadler (Villnöß/1.11,69) and Christian Dejaco (Wengen/1.07,23)
Juniors 1: Lara Peccei (Wengen/1.05,00) and Rene Pfattner (Villanders/1.05,66)
Juniors 2: Silvia Runggatscher (Villnöß/1.05,52) and Nathan Zelger (Deutschnofen/1.04,96)
General class: Theresa Hilpold (Pfeffersberg/1.06,50) and Tobias Müller (1.03,07)
Master: Meinhard Pircher (Laugen Tisens/1.04,84)