Nette Kiviranta, who took the first two World Cup victories of her career at the weekend, is looking for a crown for her season at the World Cup in Slovenia at the beginning of February.
Nette Kiviranta started his World Cup season successfully with two giant slalom victories in Switzerland’s St. Moritz at the weekend. The victories were the first in his career for Kiviranta, who competes in the LW11 seat class of para-alpine skiing.
– It was the best possible opening of the competition season, Kiviranta enthuses and emphasizes the competition weekend that crowned the Swiss conditions.
Kiviranta had to miss the opening of the World Cup season due to a lower limb infection caused by a spinal cord injury and two courses of antibiotics, but otherwise the training and preparation for the season went well at home in Levi.
At the same time, the victories took Kiviranta to shared first place in the overall giant slalom competition for the first time in his career, together with experienced German Anna-Lena Forster with.
Kiviranta, who only competed a little last season due to illness, is hoping for a full World Cup season. Kiviranta’s idea is to train and compete in Central Europe for the next six weeks.
– Last season there were very few competitions. You also noticed it from the reaction of your competitors. Everyone was really excited and welcomed me. It feels great to get into the community and show the results of training in the competition arena.
Aiming for two World Cup medals
The main goal of the season is in Slovenia, where the para-alpine skiing world championships will be contested at the beginning of February. The program includes the slalom on February 9 and the giant slalom on February 11.
– I’m going in pursuit of two World Cup medals, preferably the brightest one, when it’s missing. The competition is tough and the sport is sensitive. St. Even in Moritz, I was the only one in our series who got four somehow intact landings.
Along with Forster, the biggest contenders for the World Cup dream are, for example, Spain Audrey Pascual Secothe Netherlands Barbara van Bergen and Paralympic medalist Japan Momoka Muraoka.
In the 2022 World Championships, Kiviranta won silver in the slalom and in 2023, bronze in the giant slalom.
Olympic spirit from the Universiade
Next, Kiviranta will compete in the Turin Universiade, where para sports will be included for the first time. The giant slalom in Bardonecchia is scheduled for January 18.
Kiviranta traveled to Italy to prepare and celebrate, among other things, the opening that will be celebrated today, Monday.
– I’m looking forward to seeing the Finnish team spirit. It’s new for me, since I haven’t competed in, for example, the Olympics yet.
After the Universiade, Kiviranta’s goal is to tour the entire World Cup season and be involved in the next season as well right from the opening race.
The dream is to go to Milano-Cortina 2026. Kiviranta, who is waiting for her debut at the Paralympics, was left out of the Beijing Paralympics in winter 2022 at the last minute, when the International Paralympic Committee IPC did not grant Kiviranta the right to participate.