Sweden Victorious in Finals Team Event
The sun and temperature was dropping rapidly on Friday afternoon in Are, Sweden, for the team event at World Cup Finals. Just before the sun dipped behind the mountains for good, the hometown Swedish team of Anna Swenn-Larsson, Frida Hansdotter, Emelie Wikstroem, Mattias Hargin, Andre Myhrer, and Matts Olsson defeated the French team of Romane Miradoli, Tessa Worley, Julie Lizeroux, and Clement Noel in the finals. Germany defeated Austria in the small final for third place.
With only points in the nation’s cup standings up for grabs and many top racers opting to prepare for the weekend’s tech events, only eight nations chose to field teams for the event with Switzerland, Italy, Norway, and Slovenia also participating. Due to a low number of athletes qualifying for Finals as well as NorAm races taking place in North America, neither the United States or Canada fielded a team on Friday.
The Swedes not only repeated their victory from last year’s Finals in Aspen, but also avenged an uncharacteristic early exit in the team event in last month’s Olympics, falling in the quarterfinals to eventual silver medalists Austria.
“It was a good competition,” said Andre Myhrer. “We beat the reigning Olympic champions and France, which we had to beat earlier in the World Cup. It was nice to put it there.”
“We were not happy in Korea so this is nice,” added Mattias Hargin.
Racing continues in Are with the final men’s giant slalom and women’s slalom races of the season on Saturday, March 17.
Official Results