Fischnaller wins parallel GS in snowboard WCup

The World Cup host debut of Carezza, Italy, concluded with a home turf win as well as a first in the history of the LG Snowboard FIS World Cup on the Pra di Tori slope.

While Caroline Calve celebrated her first ever World Cup win by edging off Amelie Kober (GER) and Marion Kreiner (AUT) to second and third respectively, thus also becoming the first Canadian woman to win a parallel snowboard event in the World Cup, Roland Fischnaller (ITA) locked in his career's fourth win just a few kilometers away from his home town Funes.

Next to the local hero, who celebrated his second ever home turf win, World Cup leader and champion of the last race in Telluride, CO, Benjamin Karl (AUT) as well as Rok Flander (SLO) joined the podium as second and third respectively.

According to her first win ever, Caroline Calve could really believe what happened right there although she always had dreamed of such a result: "It was my goal to be the first Canadian woman in alpine snowboarding to win a World Cup."

In fact, the 33-years-old racer, who will use the price money to adapt the her flat's bathromm, was also the sixth Canadian women ever to win a World Cup. "I haven't been the most consistent person riding out there, but I always felt that I could do this. To do it finally is really good."

The funny part of the story: she did so against Amelie Kober, the person she had her so far only World Cup final in Valmalenco, Italy, at the 2009 season's finals.

However, Calve took advantage of Kober crashing in run two who had to risk a lot in order to catch up a .68 seconds deficit of run one of the finals.

"It was a tough course. It wasn't the kind of course where people having perfect runs. It was always having mistakes and having to recover quickly from them. My strategy today was to survive the pitch and then nail the bottom," Calve summed up.

Her rival Kober was also pleased with the result - although, she lost her chance for victory by going down.

"I'm getting in shape better and better, with every race. I did risk too much in the finals compared to the runs before. Well, this happens. But I'm pleased as this course was more for sliding then for my technique, the carving. However, I guess I proofed that cutting it down also worked out," said Kober.

Second home turf win for Fischnaller

On the men's side, Fischnaller was able to not only bring home his season's second win. It also was the second time he triumphed on home turf after doing so for the first time two years ago in Limone Piemonte.

According to this, the South Tyrolean athlete was all smiles: "I dedicate this win to myself because I never loved steep courses and did so well in it today. I'm happy because it's my first ever parallel giant slalom victory. It was a tough job, a graft."