Nette Kiviranta was third in the giant slalom of the para-alpine skiing World Championships in the luge category.
Nette Kiviranta took bronze in the para-alpine skiing World Championships in his side event in the giant slalom.
– It feels really good. The first giant slalom competition is over. If there were a little more bills underneath, there would have been more confidence. However, I’m happy to take the medal home, Kiviranta commented in an interview with the race organizers.
In the category of sledgers, the victory was taken by a German Anna-Lena Forster, who led the race already after the opening round. The United States took the World Cup silver Laurie Stephens.
Kiviranta did not get the right to represent the Paralympics in Beijing last year, because according to the International Paralympic Committee, athletes participating in the Paralympics should have a competition license from the previous two seasons. However, Kiviranta only got its classification for the Paralympic season due to the delays caused by the corona pandemic.
Kiviranta, born in 2001, participated in the prestigious competition for the first time at last year’s World Championships. That’s when he immediately got World Cup silver in the luge slalom.
Kiviranta was paralyzed in a car accident in 2018 and suffered a spinal cord injury. Before the accident, he had just won the junior championship bronze in alpine skiing.
Santeri Kiiveri was eighth in the vertical skiers giant slalom. The Frenchman won Artur Bauchet.
The World Championships in Espot, Spain at the turn of the week are counting down to the slalom races, which you can follow live from Areena.