World Cup Difficulty and Speed, Nantes

The penultimate stage of the World Cup 2000 takes place in Nantes on 3-4 November in Nantes, France

November 2000

The fourth stage of the World Cup Difficulty and the second (and final) World Cup Speed get underway in Nantes, France today.

Yuji Hirayama currently leads the World Cup after a second place in Courmayeur and two third places in Chamonix and Lecco. This year's revelation, the young Frenchman Alexandre Chabot, trails by 12 points after his victory at Lecco and second place in Chamonix. He responded quickly to his disappointing 17th place in Courmayeur by winning the European Championship in Munich last month, and will no doubt be looking for an outstanding result before the final stage in Kranj, Slovenia in two weeks time.

31 points separate the current World Champion Dino Lagni from the leader, but he is nevertheless still in the running in third place. Maxim Petrenko and Serik Kazbekov are placed fourth and fifth respectively, while Cristian Brenna, second in Munich, is placed sixth.

The women's event starts where it finished at Courmayeur: Liv Sansoz and Muriel Sarkany are joint first-equal, followed by StÃ©phanie Bodet (second in Munich) and Martina Cufar. Will the challenge between Liv and Muriel continue into another Superfinal? Or will Katrin Sedlemayer, surprise victor at the European Championship, make her mark yet again?


The Italian team at Nantes: From left to right: Alberto Gnerro, Jenny Lavarda, Dino Lagni, Luca Giupponi, Cristian Brenna, Luigi Billoro, Flavio Crespi, Davide Zavagnin. photographs: Leonardo Di Marino and Maurizio Natali.