Parallel giant slalom

Double victory! Prommeger wins in Bansko ahead of Karl

44-year-old Andreas Prommegger (right) won the parallel giant slalom in Bansko (Bulgaria) in an all-Austrian final against Benjamin Karl.(Bild: APA/SNOWBOARD AUSTRIA)

44-year-old Andreas Prommegger won the parallel giant slalom at the Snowboard World Cup in Bansko (Bulgaria) on Saturday in an all-Austrian final against Benjamin Karl. Third place went to Gabriel Messner from Italy. In the women's race, Germany's Ramona Hofmeister won, Claudia Riegler from Salzburg came sixth and Sabine Payer seventh. Another race in the Olympic discipline is scheduled for Sunday.

Prommegger took the lead in the overall standings after the 30th World Cup victory of his career. "Today was a victory of willpower in a tough race on a very demanding slope," said the man from Salzburg. "The duels against Benji are always very close. You always have to give it your all and everything has to work out - today the hundredths were on my side. I'm absolutely happy about my first win of the season in an individual race." On Wednesday, he had won the mixed competition with Sabine Payer in Bad Gastein.

After a short break, Karl returned to the World Cup in Bansko - and did so impressively. "I really enjoyed racing again today after sorting a few things out for myself. We didn't give each other anything in the grand final. I think the duel against Andi was a good advertisement for our sport." Fabian Obmann finished eleventh, Arvid Auner twelfth and Alexander Payer 16th.