Courtesy of Red Bull Media Service Team
Morand and Richalet-Chaudeur triumph to set up March 21 Moscow showdowns.
Austrian skater Luca Dallago won the ATSX 500 men’s event in Russian resort Igora to set up a Red Bull Ice Cross World Championships showdown in Moscow as Anaïs Morand and Arthur Richalet-Chaudeur boosted their title hopes too. Here is all you need to know:
– Swiss veteran Jim de Paoli looked set for the men’s victory, however he stumbled in the last portion of the track to hand Dallago a much needed victory with Finnish star Leevi Nakari grabbing his maiden podium.
– Marco Dallago‘s mistake in the final to leave him back in fourth means he is out of contention for the title at the March 21 ATSX 1000 event in Moscow.
– Brother Luca, though, can take the title if he wins in Russia and rivals Cameron Naasz (USA) and Kyle Croxall (CAN) fail to make it through to the semi-final stage.
– Swiss Morand also goes for the title in Moscow after she held off Justine Zonne (LAT), Victoria Senotrusova (RUS) and Veronika Windisch (AUT) for victory.
– Former pair skater Morand now takes on reigning champion Amanda Trunzo (USA) and Canadian Jacqueline Legere, who passed on this Russian rehearsal.
– French sensation Arthur Richalet-Chaudeur beat Russian Egor Tutarikov to take the victory in juniors with Finn Linus Ollikainen rounding out the podium.
– The “King”, who was dominant in Pra-Loup, will also be going for a world crown against Nakari, Tutarikov and reigning junior champion Jo-Jo Velasquez (USA).
Igora ATSX 500 Results, Men: 1. Luca Dallago (AUT) 2. Jim de Paoli (SUI) 3. Leevi Nakari (FIN) 4. Marco Dallago (AUT) 5. Michael Urban (CZE) 6. German Titov (RUS) 7. Joni Saarinen (FIN) 8. Denis Novozhilov (RUS) 9. Daniel Guolla (CAN) 10. Jack Schram (USA).
Women: 1. Anaïs Morand (SUI) 2. Justine Zonne (LAT) 3. Victoria Senotrusova (RUS) 4. Veronika Windisch (AUT) 5. Tatyana Leushina (RUS) 6. Junko Yamamoto (JPN) 7. Malgorzata Synowiec (POL) 8. Amandine Condroyer (FRA) 9. Malina Lelde (LAT) 10. Vera Duvanova (RUS).
Juniors: 1. Arthur Richalet-Chaudeur 2. Egor Tutarikov (RUS) 3. Linus Ollikainen (FIN) 4. Justine Zonne (LAT) 5. Vladislav Ivanov (RUS) 6. Guillaume Libert (FRA) 7. Leon Stecenko (RUS) 8. Leevi Nakari (FIN) 9. Stanislaw Majewski (POL) 10. Tuukka Takkula (FIN).