Ski Mountaineering World Cup: Nicolini, Gachet Mollaret, Anselmet and Fatton win in Ponte di Legno

Given the particularly testing times we’re currently experiencing, expectations were high for the debut event of the 2020/2021 ski mountaineering season and the first stage in Ponte di Legno, Italy, certainly did not disappoint.

264 athletes were registered for the competitions and on Saturday afternoon the slopes at Passo del Tonale hosted the first Sprint Race, a technical steep course especially towards the end, won by unstoppable Marianne Fatton from Switzerland and Thibault Anselmet from France. Fatton beat Spain's Marta Garcia Farres and France's Léna Bonnel, second and third respectively, while Anselmet got the better of Swiss Arno Lietha and defending champion Robert Antonioli.

The Vertical Race took place on Sunday morning and its 2,509 course climbed 680 vertical meters, starting from Ponte di Legno and finishing at Corno d'Aola. In the women's race Axelle Gachet Mollaret, just a few months after giving birth, confirmed her class once again to finish in a mere 28:56, a full 25 seconds ahead of Sweden’s Tove Alexandersson. Victoria Kreuzer placed fourth 44 seconds later.

In the men’s event 26-year-old Federico Nicolini surprised everyone to claim his first senior World Cup victory after charging to the finish line with just 800m to go. He stopped the clock after 23:40, beating teammates Robert Antonioli by 9 seconds and Davide Magnini by 14. Magnini had taken a significant lead in the middle of the race but the pack, including 4th placed Michele Boscacci, caught him up towards the end.

Vertical Race

VERTICAL RACE
Senior Women
1. Axelle Gachet Mollaret (FRA)
2. Tove Alexandersson (SWE)
3. Victoria Kreuzer (SUI)

Senior Men
1. Federico Nicolini (ITA)
2. Robert Antonioli (ITA)
3. Davide Magnini (ITA)

U23 Women
1. Giulia Murada (ITA)
2. Giorgia Felicetti (ITA)
3. Marie Pollet Villard (FRA)

U23 Men
1. Andrea Prandi (ITA)
2. Aurélien Gay (SUI)
3. Sebastien Guichardaz (ITA)

SPRINT RACE
Senior Women
1. Marianne Fatton (SUI)
2. Marta Garcia Farres (ESP)
3. Léna Bonnel (FRA)

Senior Men
1. Thibault Anselmet (FRA)
2. Arno Lietha (SUI)
3. Robert Antonioli (ITA)

U23 Women
1. Giulia Murada (ITA)
2. Marie Pollet Villard (FRA)
3. Manon Anselmet (FRA)

U23 Men
1. Arno Lietha (SUI)
2. Giovanni Rossi (ITA)
3. Patrick Perreten (SUI)

U20 Women
1. Caroline Ulrich (SUI)
2. Lisa Moreschini (ITA)
3. Maria Costa Díez (ESP)

U20 Men
1. Ot Ferrer Martínez (ESP)
2. Rocco Baldini (ITA)
3. Rémy Garcin (FRA)

Link: www.ismf-ski.org