Swiss skiers and boarders grab podium places
Marc Berthod and Silvan Zurbriggen have grabbed top spots behind Austria's Mario Matt in the World Cup Super-combination race in Wengen.
Also on Sunday, Sandra Frei won the first medal – a silver – for Switzerland at the snowboard world championships in Arosa.
A day after Didier Cuche’s second place in the classic Lauberhorn downhill event and Dominique Gisin’s surprise result in the women’s downhill in Altenmarkt the Swiss alpine team confirmed the recent upturn in the fortunes.
Two other Swiss, Daniel Albrecht and Didier Défago, finished in the top seven of Sunday’s Super-combination in the Bernese Oberland.
Austria’s slalom specialist Matt came from far behind after the downhill event to take the slalom race and finish 0.38 seconds ahead of Berthod. Zurbriggen, who started the slalom run in 12th place, was a further 0.03 seconds back.
“To make the podium for the second time in a week, and in front of the home fans, is beautiful. It gives me a lot of confidence for the upcoming races,” said Berthod.
It’s the third time this winter that he finished in the top three of a World Cup event. He came second in a Super-combination event in Beaver Creek and won a slalom in Adelboden last weekend.
Sunday’s races were initially due to take place on Friday but were postponed as a result of the warm weather in the Swiss Alps.
Snowboard
At the snowboard world championships in Arosa, Sandra Frei won a silver medal in the snowboard cross event. Her team-mate, Olympic gold winner Tanja Frieden, finished in seventh place.
The third Swiss athlete, Mellie Francon, went out in the quarterfinals.
The competition was won by American Lindsey Jacobellis who defeated Frieden in the semis.
The two rivals competed the finals of the discipline during the 2006 Turin Olympics.
No Swiss made it into the semis of the men’s snowboard race. Guillaume Nantermod was eliminated in the quarterfinals.
France’s Xavier Delerue clinched gold ahead of two Americans, Seth Wescott and Nate Holland.
swissinfo with agencies
A Super-combination competition consists of a downhill and a slalom race on the same day.
The first time a Super-combination of the World Cup took place in Wengen in 2005. Didier Défago finished third in that race.
The Swiss have taken nine podium places of the World Cup this winter so far.
1. Mario Matt (Austria) 2’27”87
2. Marc Berthod (Swiss) +0.38
3. Silvan Zurbriggen (Swiss) +0.41
4. Ivica Kostelic (Croatia) +0.61
5. Daniel Albrecht (Swiss) +0.84
6. Bejnamin Raich (Austria) +0.85
7. Didier Défago (Swiss) +1.01
1. Lindsey Jacobellis (US)
2. Sandra Frei (Swiss)
3. Helene Olafsson (Norway)
4. Doresia Krings (Austria)
5. Maelle Ricker (Canada)
6. Julie Pomagalski (France)
7. Tanja Frieden (Swiss)
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