FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 30, 2007
ROSSIGNOL ATHLETES UNLEASH A DREAM WEEKEND IN WORLDWIDE COMPETITIONS!
In an unprecedented show of force from one brand in one weekend, Rossignol World Cup and X Games Athletes stand atop podiums around the world:
Alpine Word Cup, San Sicario, Italy
1st place, Lindsey Kildow (USA), Super G, Sunday January 28th
2nd place, Lindsey Kildow (USA), Super G, Friday January 26th
Nordic World Cup, Otepaa, Estonia
1st place, Virpi Kuitunen (FIN), Sprint Classical, Sunday January 28th
2nd place, Virpi Kuitunen (FIN), 10km Classical, Saturday January 27th
3rd place, Odd-Bjoern Hjelmeset (NOR), 15km Classical, Saturday January 27th
3rd place, Torin Koos (USA), Sprint Classical, Sunday January 28th
X Games XI, Aspen, Colorado
1st place, Candide Thovex (FRA), Men’s Slope Style Skiing, Sunday January 28th
2nd place, Xavier de le Rue (FRA), Men’s Snowboard Cross, Saturday January 27th
PARK CITY, UTAH--Athletes are the core of Rossignol, which means there is simply no better way to put this: Rossignol is as hot as molten lava right now! Right in the thick of mid-season competitive action, Rossignol Athletes from all disciplines unleashed a dream weekend, with victories pouring in from all corners of the globe. In an unprecedented show of force from one brand, Rossignol is proud to watch their athletes blazing to the top of everything from Ski and Snowboard competitions at the X Games, to Alpine and Nordic World Cup podiums around the world!
Beginning a historic weekend on Friday, January 26th at the Alpine World Cup in San Sicario, Italy, Lindsey Kildow laid down a clean and powerful Super G run to claim a redeeming 2nd place World Cup finish on the same course that left her hospitalized in a pre-Olympic run just one year ago. Kildow’s demons were ever further put to rest on Sunday, when she put the hammer down to snap up yet another World Cup victory for the season, vaulting her into 2nd place in the current World Cup Super G standings, and 5th in the Overall running. Kildow and Rossignol teammate Julia Mancuso are in top form and filled with confidence going into the upcoming World Championships, where more big news is likely on the horizon.
Across the European continent in Otepaa, Estonia, the Rossignol stampede continued on the Nordic World Cup. Virpi Kuitunen, the current World Cup leader by a large margin, has had an outstanding season. This weekend saw Kuitunen enjoying two more podium views—including a 2nd in the 10km Classical on Saturday, and a win in the Sprint Classical on Sunday, making this her 5th World Cup victory of the season!
On the Men’s side of the Nordic World Cup, things also heated up for Rossignol’s Odd-Bjoern Hjelmeset of Norway, with a 3rd place finish in the 15km Classical. The best surprise of the weekend came from American Torin Koos, with the first World Cup podium of his career in 3rd place for the Sprint Classic on Sunday. This comes as a huge victory for the US Ski Team, and Rossignol is extremely proud to have supported Torin’s great breakthrough on the World Cup stage.
Back over to North America, Rossignol continued to throw down in the epicenter of the action sports universe, at the 2007 X Games in Aspen, Colorado. In the Men’s Snowboard Cross on Saturday, Rossignol’s two-time World Champion Xavier de le Rue was barely edged out of victory in an exciting final round, snapping up a silver medal for crossing the line in 2nd position.
In the Men’s Skiing Slope-Style event, a jaw-dropping victory coming from none other than Candide Thovex, who spun his way to X Games gold after going HUGE in his final run. As a grand finale to an unbelievable weekend for Rossignol, Thovex crossed the finish to the throngs of roaring fans, and was awarded the highest score ever given in X Games Slope-Style history!
Rossignol is used to seeing their athletes at the top, but this weekend was just plain mind-blowing. To see such success across all disciplines of Alpine, Nordic, Snowboarding and Freestyle Skiing in a three-day span was especially sweet, and Rossignol would like to congratulate all of their athletes for making this magic happen!
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For more information and athlete bios, please visit www.rossignol.com