Bio_Svindal-e

Alta Badia (ITA) December 22nd - 2002 - Norway’s young talent Aksel Lund Svindal achieved quite an amazing performance this weekend in becoming for the second time in two days the “winStar of the Race” in Alta Badia.

After finishing 6th ex-aequo with Bode Miller in the Super-G raced Friday in Val Gardena with his bib 56, he was 9th in the Giant Slalom Sunday on the demanding “Gran Risa” course after starting in 57th position. What an impressive season-start for the Norwegian teenager who aims to excel in all four events.

After Kjetil Aamodt, in 1994 and Lasse Kjus in 1996 and 1999 , the next Norwegian to win the Overall World Cup could well be AxelLund Svindal who accumulated an impressive series of performance in the last seven days.

After qualifying in Val d’Isere in giant slalom, he came in 6th in Super-G in Val Gardena and 27th in downhill there. Apparently it boosted his confidence because he fought hard again in Alta Badia where he skied again among the top-10 despite a high start-number!

A great way for him to prepare his 20th birthday on December 26! He deserves the rest he is going to take back in Norway before returning on the World Cup Tour in Kranjska Gora in two weeks!

At the season-start, he thought to be mostly focusing on the Europa Cup races and the Juniors Worlds but now he can also plan to be competing in more important races, including the World Championships at St Moritz in a month. “Things are going really well for me so far, much better than I hoped” he said in Val Badia as he was congratulated by his colleagues and the crowd. “I think I was lucky to start at the beginning of the group in the second run because the conditions were quite good for me. It’s really nice to do so well on such great courses as Val Gardena and Alta Badia, two of the most important races on the calendar. I have worked hard in past years for this”.

In fact, the Scandinavian teenager clinched a strong total of four medals last winter at the Juniors Worlds at Tarvisio, Italy, including a gold in combined and a silver in Super-G. His trainers consider him as one of the greatest talents around, especially because his ability to ski well in all four specialties ? from downhill to slalom!

Svindal is the twelfth skier to be the “winStar of the Race” this season and the first Norwegian too. So far, only Croatia’s Ivica Kostelic was able to become twice the “winStar of the Race” last season ? in Aspen and Alta Badia. This put the Scandinavian in good position to receive the “winStar of the Season” award in Norway, during the Finals in Lillehammer in three months ? for sure a great moment for Aksel-Lund!