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Cardona and Ulrich Triumph in the Schladming Sprint race
Schladming, 2 March 2024 – In a display of sheer dominance, Spain’s Oriol Cardona, the current World and European champion of the sprint specialty, showcased an impressive performance to claim another gold medal at the ISMF Schladming World Cup. On the women’s race, and on a magnificent night at the slopes in the Austrian Alps, Caroline Ulrich completed a hat-trick of wins on sprint races so far this season.
Cardona left no room for doubt as he conquered his heat, dominated the semi-final, and ultimately claimed the gold in the final, claiming his fourth medal so far no sprint races at world Cups this season -two golds, one silver and one bronze-. The silver medal on the day went to France’s Thibault Anselmet, with Maximilien Drion du Chapois of Belgium securing the bronze. Giovanni Rossi (ITA) finished fourth, followed closely by the Swiss duo Matteo Favre and Jon Kistler.
On the women’s race, Switzerland’s Caroline Ulrich continued her sprint race dominance, securing her third gold of the season after victories in Val Thorens and Villars sur Ollon. Ulrich’s path to victory included a triumphant heat win and a second-place finish in her semi-final, securing her spot in the final. The silver medal was claimed by Emily Harrop of France, while Marianne Fatton, another Swiss athlete, earned the bronze. Tatjana Paller (GER) finished fourth, followed closely by Marianna Jagercikova and Celia Perillat Pessey (FRA).
In the overall Sprint World Cup rankings for men, Cardona’s impressive performance not only earned him the top spot on the podium on the day but also solidified his current second place in the Sprint World Cup rankings, while Anselmet is still the leader. With just one race left in the season, the battle for the Sprint World Cup title promises to be a nail-biting affair.
On the women’s side, Emily Harrop maintains her position at the top of the Sprint World Cup rankings, with Celia Perillat Pessey following closely. As the season nears its conclusion, the women’s sprint competition is poised for a thrilling climax.