Austrian Team secures two gold medals at Junior World Championships at Latsch

Latsch (PMA) - Austrian Michelle Diepold and Fabian Achenrainer are the new Junior World Champions on Natural Track. They are the fastest after three competition runs at track Gumpfrei at Latsch in Italy. Both celebrate their first big success at the junior level. Silver went to Overall Junior World Cup winners Theresa Maurer from Germany and Jack Leslie from New Zealand. The Italian team collects two bronze medals by Alexandra Pfattner and Lukas Gasser.

It is a thrilling battle at the men's competition. Achenrainer, Leslie and the Italian Thomas Unterholzner are divided by a few hundredths after two runs. Leslie is leading before the final run. He is on his way to a sensational gold medal until the last corner of the race. He breaks to early, loses time and the victory. Achenrainer wins with an advantage of only 11 hundredths ahead of the kiwi. Leslie writes history, by winning New Zealand's first medal at FIL Championships. The best time at the last run scores Lukas Gasser. The Italian advances from fourth to third and wins the bronze medal.

Michelle Diepold sets the pace at the women's event. She is the fastest on course, even faster than the men by half a second. The silver medal went to Germany. Theresa Maurer wins the first medal at a singles event for the German team. At the last competition run she is even faster than Diepold. Third place went to Italian Alexandra Pfattner ahead of Russian Lubov Starikova.

MEN'S RESULT (after three competition runs)
GOLD: Fabian ACHENRAINER (AUT) 3:14.16
SILVER: Jack LESLIE (NZL) 3:14.27
BRONZE: Lukas GASSER (ITA) 3:14.44
4. Thomas UNTERHOLZNER (ITA) 3:14.77
5. Jakov BUKIN (RUS) 3:15.96
6. Thomas HÖRBURGER (AUT) 3:16.36

WOMEN'S RESULT (after three competition runs)
GOLD: Michelle DIEPOLD (AUT) 3:13.74
SILVER: Theresa MAURER (GER) 3:14.54
BRONZE: Alexandra PFATTNER (ITA) 3:15.96
4. Lubov STARIKOVA (RUS) 3:16.45
5. Maria AUER (AUT) 3:19.70
6. Daniela MITTERMAIR (ITA) 3:20.11