With an excellent second run the Russian double Pawel Porschnev/Ivan Lazarev secured their first win in the first race of this season. After two seasons without a first place, but eight second places, they returned to the top spot of the podium. “We have been practising in Europe for some weeks now, we are staying in Olang in Italy, but this does not mean that we have had any more training runs here in St. Sebastian than anybody else”, said Lazarev. With their excellent performance they ended the record winning streak of Pigneter/Clara. After having won all six races in the winter, they had to settle for second today. The Italians took it easy: “You cannot always win and it is boring anyway when there are always the same people winning.” Patrick Pigneter has good cause to be that generous, as he knows: “We made a lot of mistakes today. With a perfect run we probably could have been one second faster. But we were on new equipment, had not really tested a lot, and at the beginning of the season there is no way to know where you are standing.”

Very happy about their third place were Poland´s Andrzej Laszczak/Damian Waniczek. “We did not do well in the training runs. We saw our time and thought – oh no. So we are very, very satisfied with the third place today. It is great start into a new season.”

Only one run was held in the women´s event, but it promised a breathtaking final run for tomorrow. The Austrians Melanie Batkowski and Marlies Wagner were leading, separated only by one hundredth of a second. Eventually they were beaten by the experienced racers Renate Gietl (ITA) and Ekatharina Lavrentjeva (RUS).

Tomorrow, Sunday, the competition day will be opened with the men´s first run at 10am, followed by the women´s second run.

Photos (c) Hermann Sobe