The Italian biathletes championship took place in Antholz.

South Tyrol's winter athletes win at the Italian championships

The Italian championships for cross-country skiing, biathletes and freestylers were held at the weekend. The South Tyrolean youngsters were able to put themselves in the spotlight. There was also a medal at the Junior World Snowboard Championships.

March 26, 2024

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The Italian mass start championships for all categories, as well as the mixed relays (U22, U19, U17) and the sprint (general class) took place in Antholz. In the general age group, Rebecca Passler from Antholz (Carabinieri sports group) became Italian champion in the mass start. In the U19 category, Hannes Bacher (Carabinieri) was happy about the bronze medal. There were three medals for the U17 ski hunters: Julian Huber (Antholz) and Jonas Tscholl (Martell) won silver and bronze respectively and among the young women of the same age, Tanja Wanker from Val Gardena took home the silver medal.

In the sprint on Sunday, Passler doubled her success from the previous day and took gold again, while veteran Lukas Hofer struck in the men's race. The day before, the Montaler had to settle for fourth place in the mass start. South Tyrol won gold in the mixed relay in the U17 age group with Thea Wanker, Tanja Wanker, Julian Huber and Jonas Tscholl. In the U22, first place also went to a South Tyrolean quartet, which included Birgit Schölzhorn, Gaia Brunello, Felix Ratschiller and Christoph Pircher. Eva Hutter, Diletta Broll, Maximilian Leitgeb and Hannes Bacher, however, won the bronze medal in the U19.

Marie Schwitzer demonstrates her talent

The cross-country skiers were in action at the weekend in Pragelato, where not only a stage of the Italian Cup was held, but the Italian championship titles were also awarded in some races. It started on Friday with a sprint in the classic technique, in which Marie Schwitzer from Sarnen (Carabinieri sports group) was victorious in the U18 age group ahead of Marta Bellotti (ASC Sesvenna). Among boys of the same age, Luca Pietroboni came fifth as the best athlete in the South Tyrolean state squad. In the U20 category, Romina Bachmann from Casies (Carabinieri sports group) took third place, while Riccardo Foradori (Sesvenna) came second among men of the same age.

Cross-country skier Marie Schwitzer (center) won in the U-18 category.

Saturday, however, was all about the relay competitions, in which South Tyrol's young cross-country skiers Marit Folie, Marta Bellotti and Marie Schwitzer won the Italian championship title. On Sunday, however, the title fights continued with a distance race over 10 km in the free technique. The third place of Federica Sanfilippo from Ridnaun in the women's race should be mentioned here, as she ended her successful career as a biathlete and cross-country skier. Sara Hutter from Laas, who belongs to the Finanzwache sports group, came second in the U23 age group, while Ylvie Folie (Carabinieri) finished the U23 race in third place with a total of tenth time. The U20s determined the Italian champions in a mass start in the free technique. Among the women, Marit Folie took fifth place as the best South Tyrolean. The even younger athletes competed in a mass start over 15 km in the free technique. Here there was a South Tyrolean double victory in the U18 by Marie Schwitzer (1st) and Marta Bellotti (2nd).

The duo Santuari/Fachin wins JWM bronze

The Junior World Championships in Lachtal, Austria, ended with a medal for South Tyrol's snowboarders. On the last day of the competition, Mike Santuari (Welschnofen) won the bronze medal alongside Fabiana Fachin from Valdidentro (she competes for Burgstall). In the individual races, the local board sliders were denied precious metal. In the parallel giant slalom, Tommy Rabanser from Val Gardena was eliminated in the quarterfinals and came sixth. In the parallel slalom, Santuari (4th) and Rabanser (5th) stood next to the podium at the award ceremony. In the women's category, there was no top ten result for a South Tyrolean snowboarder in either individual event.

Freestyler Maria Gasslitter shines in Madonna di Campiglio.

The freestyle snowboarders were able to make a great impression at the Italian Championships and a stage of the Italian Cup. Nicole Bazzanella (Seiser Alm) became the 2009-2010 Italian champion in Big Air and took third place in slopestyle. Her teammate Jan Fulterer also won the bronze medal in slopestyle. Bazzanella finished the competition, which is part of the Italian Cup, in first place in slopestyle. In the 2004-2008 vintages, Roberta Rossi (Olang) took home a win in slopestyle and came second in big air. Their teammate Samuel Brunner did exactly the opposite: He was number one in big air and came second in slopestyle.

Meanwhile, the Raiffeisen Slopestyle Tour continued on Klausberg. Two state squad athletes competed here. Marian Brunner won on the snowboard in the 2004-2008 vintages, while Elia Hofer took fifth place on skis. Hofer also achieved the best result from a South Tyrolean perspective at a FIS competition in St. Anton, where he also came fifth. Adrian Thöni (6th) also made it into the top ten. and the ex-state squad athlete Mattia Mersa (9th) and Fabio Pfeffer (10th). However, the highlight of the season for the freestylers is this week when Maria Gasslitter, Samuel Pattis, Valentin Auer, Laurin Volgger, Liam Gamper, Ryo Scherlin and Felix Fulterer will be at the start at the FIS Slopestyle & Big Air Junior World Championships in Livigno.