Freeskier

Svancer plagued by injury ahead of big final

Matej Svancer is still fighting for two crystal globes.(Bild: GEPA)

Freeskier Matej Svancer is fighting to win the Big Air and overall World Cup rankings this week in Tignes (Fra). The Pinzgau native is ahead of New Zealander Luca Harrington in both the Big Air and overall rankings ahead of the final World Cup events of the season. However, the 20-year-old is going into the competition with an injury.

For freeskier Matej Svancer, it's all about winning the Big Air and overall World Cup rankings this week in Tignes. The Pinzgau native is leading ahead of New Zealander Luca Harrington in the final World Cup events of the season, but will be handicapped at the start in France. The 20-year-old suffered a painful bruise on his left heel last week. What may benefit him is the World Cup arithmetic with strike results.

Harrington, who is 17 points behind overall, will only overtake Svancer with at least two third or one second place. The ÖSV athlete, on the other hand, could also use points in the slopestyle for the overall standings, but his participation in the qualification scheduled for Tuesday will of course only be decided at short notice. The alternative would be to take it easy for the Big Air. Svancer: "This injury comes at the worst possible time, but I will try to bite my teeth. Winning a globe like this is a huge motivation."

Lara Wolf, Julius Forer, Lukas Müllauer and Hannes Rudigier are also in the five-strong ÖSV squad for Tignes. The qualifications are scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday, the Big Air finals for Thursday (19:00, live ORF Sport +/starting at 19:30), the Slopestyle finals for Friday (starting at 10:00). Svancer's lead over Harrington after five of six season competitions in Big Air is ten points.