Manoel Bourdenx is relishing the chance to hit top speed in Saalbach ©Luc Percival/International Paralympic Committee

French standing skier Manoel Bourdenx is relishing the opportunity to hit top speed at the World Para Alpine Skiing World Cup in Austrian resort Saalbach.

The event takes place 12 months after Bourdenx claimed his first ever World Cup medal with a super-G bronze in Juzhno-Sakhalinsk in Russia.

For the first time since that day, Bourdenx will have the chance to do a speed race at World Cup level as Saalbach hosts two downhill and two super-G events.

Having achieved his career best result so far last season, Bourdenx is excited for the upcoming speed races, but also keeping his expectations grounded.

"I'm back from two surgeries last summer on my shoulder and knee. I didn't train until early December and nothing in speed," he said.

"My only [speed] runs were in Veysonnaz a few days ago and my goal is only to enjoy Saalbach and the end of the season with no pain."

After training runs yesterday and today, the action is set to begin tomorrow with downhill races.

Further downhill competitions are scheduled to be held on February 4 before super-G events on February 6 and 7.

The star-studded field in Saalbach includes downhill and super-G world champion Theo Gmur of Switzerland as well as France’s Arthur Bauchet and Austrian Markus Salcher who won the crystal globes in downhill and super-G respectively.


Austria suffered a blow ahead of the main races when Veronika Aigner, who has dominated the women’s vision impaired races, tore cruciate ligaments in both knees during a downhill training run in Saalbach.

There was also disappointment for Canada’s athletes, who opted not to travel to Austria shortly before their scheduled trip to follow the country’s new travel safety guidelines.

With Canada’s Paralympic downhill champion Mac Marcoux ruled out, the men’s vision impaired class promises to be another duel between Italy’s Giacomo Bertagnolli with guide Andrea Ravelli and the Paralympic super-G champions Jakub Krako and Branislav Brozman of Slovakia.

The Italians hold the crystal globes in both speed disciplines and have won all races at this season’s World Cup so far.

In the women’s standing class, the podium spots will likely be decided between Sweden’s Ebba Aarsjoe, Russia’s Varvara Voronchikhina and France’s eight-time Paralympic champion Marie Bochet.

Aarsjoe has already won three gold medals at the World Cup this season while Voronchikhina took one gold and three silver.

Norwegian sit skier Jesper Pedersen will also be trying to add more gold to his tally at the Saalbach speed races, but will need to overcome the challenge of Italy’s Rene de Silvestro to defend his downhill and super-G crystal globe titles in 2021.