FIS ski cross race hosts European athletes in Gudauri

Skiers from across Europe were on slopes of Kudebi in Gudauri, Georgia’s major winter destination, in a display of skill and talent for an International Ski Federation-sanctioned ski cross race.

Over 60 athletes representing 13 countries brought their high-end gear and ability to the three-day event seen as a display of Georgia’s readiness to host international-level ski cross competitions.

With Friday’s opening programme cancelled due to heavy fog, participants took to the route — set up on Kudebi by French professional Thomas Guirlando — to make up for the lost time over March 16-17.

Mikayla Martin of Canada and Youri Duplessis Kergomard of France claimed victories in women’s and men’s categories respectively, as the weather kept changing over the weekend.

Prize-winning finishers of the men’s race photographed after their finish. Photo: Nino Alavidze/agenda.ge.

The former section saw Czech Republic’s Nikol Kucerova, Russia’s Ekaterina Maltseva and Zoe Chore of Canada fill the remaining podium places.

Tim Hronek of Germany, Tom Bonnefond of France and Gil Martin of Switzerland were the finishers among the men who claimed spots between second and fourth.

The roster of skiers included Georgia’s main prospect David Tediashvili, as all participants competed not only for finishing positions but ranking points for the FIS World Championships.

Mountain Resorts of Georgia Director Teimuraz Gamtsemlidze told Imedi TV the Gudauri competition represented “mission successful” for Georgia’s 2019 project of organising FIS- and Europa Cup-level events.

The competition saw over 60 participants travelling to Gudauri as the winter resort hosted the race. Photo: Nino Alavidze/agenda.ge.

The organisation of the Ski Cross competition is seen as part of ongoing preparations for the country’s hosting of the 2023 FIS Freestyle Ski and Snowboarding World Championships.

Another event in the preparations, a FIS Snowboard Cross Europa Cup race, was held on Kudebi the previous weekend and praised by  European professionals and athletes as “very well organised”.

Both races were hosted in the wake of the first FIS-sanctioned race in Georgia, which took place in Bakuriani — another of the country’s winter sports resorts — last year.