Roland Fischnaller is in top form. © ANSA / GIAN EHRENZELLER

Before the Olympics: Fischnaller in top form, but unlucky

Roland Fischnaller is incredible: The 45-year-old finished second in the last race before the Olympics in Rogla. The South Tyrolean was just a hair's breadth away from his fourth victory of the season.

31 January 2026

From: dl

Eight days before the Olympic parallel giant slalom in Livigno, Sangho Lee triumphed for the first time in almost two years. The Japanese skier edged out Fischnaller by a hair in a photo finish at the World Cup in Slovenia. The race was so close that for a while at the finish line, neither athlete knew who the winner was.

Lee subsequently described Fischnaller as the "best skier" this winter. The man from Villnöß was a little annoyed about missing out on the victory. Fischnaller is determined to win his first Olympic medal next Sunday. It would be a magnificent end to a unique career, although "Fisch" left open the possibility of retirement after this season.

Austrian Fabian Obmann finished third. What else went well for the South Tyrolean snowboarders in the parallel giant slalom? Daniele Bagozza and Aaron March were eliminated in the round of 16 – as was Italian Maurizio Bormolini. Gabriel Messner, on the other hand, only bowed out in the quarterfinals against Lee. The remaining South Tyroleans, including Edwin Coratti from Langtaufers, had already been eliminated in the qualifying round.

Italian woman on the podium again

In the women's competition, Jasmin Coratti from the Upper Vinschgau region was eliminated in the quarterfinals by Austrian Sabine Payer. Payer then lost the bronze medal match against Coratti's teammate Elisa Caffont, who thus finished third. For the Italian, it was her fifth podium finish this winter. Caffont also maintains her lead in the overall World Cup standings. The victory on Saturday went to Japan's Tsubaki Miki, who prevailed against Germany's Romana Hofmeister.