SAN MARTINO DI CASTROZZA - EUROPEAN CHALLENGE 2008 23 january2008. San Martino and its beautyful landscape, is waiting for the Fis Carving Cup European Challenge scheduled for this weekend. Two years ago, the last european medals went to the swiss Renè Stoessel and to the italian Alessandra Merlin after a more than spectacular race. Everything is ready now for this year's competition: Last week's snowfall guarantees a perfekt setting and surely Mauro Robustelli, official Carving course setter, will design jumps, bumps and parabolic curves. On the steep central part of the track the race will be decided. This is the last of the three apointments in Trentino, which started in Folgarida and Monte Bondone. Both Alessandra Merlin and Roberto Boselli won both races, one by style one by luck. In fact Boselli won for only 0,02 pts on Marcel Stoessel in Folgarida, and for 0,04 at Monte Bondone on another swiss, Ivan Eggenberger. This is luck but also a lot of talent. That's were the point of Alessandra is to be found, She showed again to be invincibile and in perfect tecnical and physical shape. Now only Melanie Buergener can challenge her, but attention to the young Slovenijan Team with Ana Teuc and Vanja Celigoj and the other swiss Jeanette Arnold. In the men's competition everybody is waiting for the exploit of Gianluca Grigoletto, last year's cup winner, only 7th and 4th in the last two races. Also Thomas Bergamelli could do better if he could only finish well one race. And last but not least there are always the swiss, the Austrian Hans Steiner and the Slovenijan, captained by Miha Malus, third at Monte Bondone. The programm shows two qualifying runs on saturday and the semifinal and final run on sunday morning at 11. Women's General Ranking 1. Alessandra Merlin ITA 200 2. Melanie Bürgener SUI 180 3. Vanja Celigoj SLO 120 4. Ana Teuc SLO 10 5. Francesca De Ambrogio ITA 81 6. Spela Turk SLO 69 7. Marcella Vantini ITA 58 Bianca Lo Giudice ITA 58 9. Magdalena Soltys POL 45 10. Jeanette Arnold SUI 40 Men's General Ranking 1. Roberto Boselli ITA 200 2. Ivan Eggenberger SUI 104 3. Miha Malus SLO 86 Gianluca Grigoletto ITA 86 5. Marcel Stössel SUI 80 6. Renè Stössel SUI 60 7. Marco De Martin ITA 60 8. Aaron Nider ITA 57 9. Matteo Vatua ITA 56 Simon Bär SUI 56 Press office Marco Di Marco Mob. 0039 349 2398685.

General Ranking Women 1. Alessandra Merlin (ITA) 300 points 2. Chiara Bettega (ITA) 220 points 3. Melanie Bürgener (SUI) 200 points 4. Ana Teuc (SLO) 150 points 5. Vanja Celigoj (SLO) 90 points General Rankin Men 1. Marco Pastore (GER) 240 points 2. Gianluca Grigoletto (ITA) 236 points 3. Thomas Bergamelli (ITA) 169 points 4. Simone Arfino (ITA) 150 points 5. Tommaso Bartolini (ITA) 112 points European Challenge 2004 Women Gold Tina Vhrunc (SLO) Silver Laura Gianera (ITA) Bronze Melania Bürgener (SUI) European Challenge 2004 Men Gold Roberto Boselli (ITA) Silver Ivan Eggenberger (SUI) Bronze Gianluca Grigoletto (ITA)

Alessandra Merlin (Nava Ski) first in Madesimo (Clik on the picture)

Gianluca Grigoletto (Texcart) first in Madesimo
(Clik on the picture)