Joan Verdu takes first ever podium for Andorra

What a historic weekend for Joan Verdu and for Andorra! The 28-year-old athlete finished third to take a World Cup podium for the first time in his career in the Giant Slalom in Val d'Isere on Saturday. This is not only his first podium, it’s also a first for his country. Podiums were also taken by HEAD Worldcup Rebels Cornelia Hütter and Lara Gut-Behrami on Friday at the Super-G in St. Moritz.

"There were two big highlights this weekend. The men's Giant Slalom was a super race at a very high level. Joan Verdu winning Andorra its first ever podium was a very emotional moment. The comeback performances by Alexander Schmid and Atle Lie McGrath were also outstanding. These are results that are real takers", says HEAD Racing Director Rainer Salzgeber. "Alexis Pinturault's fifth place was also a solid result. These achievements confirm that we are moving in the right direction in terms of equipment. The women's results were also highly satisfactory. In the Downhill, Cornelia Hütter was within striking distance of the podium. It was another race that was influenced to a certain extent by the wind conditions. The injury situation is really tough, however. We saw how well Nina Ortlieb performed in training and how well prepared she was, to sustain such a severe injury during a trial run right before the race is extremely hard. But knowing her, that won't be the last we’ll be hearing from her. We will see another comeback. I wish her and Elisabeth Reisinger all the best for their recovery.

"This is crazy, and I can hardly believe it!"

Joan Verdu caused a sensation with his performance in the Giant Slalom on Saturday in Val d'Isere. On the first run, the Andorran athlete was in fifth place, and with the eleventh fastest time on the second run he bagged his first World Cup podium. Previously, the 28-year-old's best finishes were two twelfth places in the two Giant Slaloms in Alta Badia in 2022. "This is crazy, and I can hardly believe it! I have been injured quite a few times, so it wasn't easy to reach this level. I just skied full blast", said a delighted Joan Verdu at the finish.

Strong team effort by the HEAD Worldcup Rebels

The HEAD Worldcup Rebels put in a strong team performance in this event. Alexis Pinturault from France finished in fifth place, Alexander Schmid from Germany was ninth, Atle Lie McGrath from Norway twelfth, and Patrick Feurstein from Austria 16th. Anton Grammel from Germany also notched up World Cup points in 23rd place having started with bib number 64.

Two HEAD Worldcup Rebels podium at first speed event

Two HEAD athletes were on the podium in the first women's speed discipline events of the season in St. Moritz this weekend. In the first super-G on Friday, Cornelia Hütter from Austria and Lara Gut-Behrami from Switzerland finished in second and third place. "You have to be flawless, and that is what Sofia managed to be. But I'm still surprised that I finished second. The hundredths of a second were on my side", said Cornelia Hütter. Lara Gut-Behrami reflected: "My timing still isn't quite right, so I'm happy with this good result, even if there are still some things that need to be optimised."

Five of the HEAD team in the top ten.

Stephanie Venier from Austria finished in sixth place, Corinne Suter from Switzerland was eighth and Ragnhild Mowinckel from Norway ninth, putting another three HEAD Worldcup Rebels in the top ten. World Cup points were also picked up by Laura Gauche from France (12th), Ariane Rädler from Austria (15th), Laura Pirovano from Italy (16th), Kajsa Vickhoff Lie from Norway (18th), Delia Durrer from Switzerland (21st), Keely Cashman from the USA (24th) and Elisabeth Reisinger from Austria (28th).

Cornelia Hütter just misses second podium

On Saturday, there was the first Downhill event of the season. Cornelia Hütter just missed the podium by eleven hundredths of a second in fourth place. Emma Aicher from Germany achieved her best World Cup result so far in this discipline in sixth place. Another ten HEAD Worldcup Rebels celebrated scoring World Cup points: Stephanie Venier (7th), Corinne Suter (11th), Lara Gut-Behrami (13th), Kajsa Vickhoff Lie (15th), Ariane Rädler (16th), Delia Durrer (19th), Laura Gauche (23rd), Laura Pirovano (24th), Christine Scheyer from Austria (27th) and Ragnhild Mowinckel (29th).

Nina Ortlieb and Elisabeth Reisinger sustain severe injuries

Nina Ortlieb and Elisabeth Reisinger were both very unlucky at the weekend. During the trial run immediately prior to the Super-G on Friday, Nina Ortlieb suffered a fractured tibia and fibula. On her Downhill run, Elisabeth Reisinger fell and tore a cruciate ligament.

Both the women's Super-G event and men's Slalom were cancelled on Sunday due to the poor weather conditions.