ISMF WORLD CUP 2 - SHAHDAG AZB
Historic Debut for the ISMF World Cup in Shahdag, Azerbaijan
The World Cup took an exciting step forward this weekend as Shahdag, Azerbaijan, hosted its first-ever international ski mountaineering competition.
This weekend saw the debut of delegations from Iran, Kazakhstan, and Turkey, with Qatar making its first-ever appearance in the competition.
The Venue: Shahdag Mountain Resort
Located in the Qusar district at the eastern end of the Greater Caucasus, the Shahdag ski area provided a stunning backdrop for the event, undermined by a certain lack of snow. Shahdag, meaning “Mountain of the King,” is named after the nearby 4,242-meter peak.
Sprint Highlights: A Successful Friday for POMOCA Athletes
On Friday, Emily Harrop (FRA) triumphed in the Sprint race, reinforcing her dominance following her win in Courchevel. Closely followed by Marianne Fatton (SUI), Emily delivered a performance that confirmed her exceptional form this season.
In the men’s field, the Swiss team made a grand impression with four men in the final six contenders. Arno Lietha (SUI) claimed his first victory of the season, it was a POMOCAthlete filled final, with the Bussard twins, Robin and Thomas both present! Robin secured an amazing 2nd position. The podium was completed by Ot Ferrer Martinez (ESP), his first in the senior category!
Vertical Race: Saturday’s Uphill Challenge
Saturday’s Vertical race offered a 2.6 km course with 490m of elevation gain. Despite warm temperatures, Axelle Gachet Mollaret (FRA) and Rémi Bonnet (SUI) delivered commanding performances, claiming their second consecutive Vertical wins of the season.
As for our POMOCAthletes : Emily Harrop (FRA) secured third place after an intense battle with Johanna Hiemer (AUT). On the men side, Maximilien Drion (BEL) fought his way to his first podium of the season, finishing third after some challenging races in the beginning of the season. Way to go Max!
Individual Race: A Sunny Monday
The Individual race on Monday saw Rémi Bonnet (SUI) further cement his dominance in long races. Untouchable, he finished over three minutes ahead of the podium, which was completed by Samuel Equy (FRA) and Thibault Anselmet (FRA).
In the women’s race, Axelle Gachet Mollaret (FRA) claimed another victory, with a one-minute-thirty-second lead over her compatriot Emily Harrop, who is sitting comfortably ahead in the World Cup general classification!
Next Stop : Andorra
This concludes a remarkable weekend in Azerbaijan for the POMOCA Team, achieving 3 out of 6 wins and securing 50% of the podium spots. Congratulations to all the athletes!
The next World Cup stop will take place in Arinsal, Andorra, on January 25th and 26th. Stay tuned for more action!