From La Parva to Ushuaia: alpine racing lights up the Southern Hemisphere

Over the past two weeks, alpine racing has been in full swing across the Southern Hemisphere, with events staged in Chile, Argentina, and New Zealand. From South American Cup speed races in La Parva to a packed program in Ushuaia and national competitions in Coronet Peak, athletes from around the world have been earning valuable points and testing their form ahead of the winter season.

Grand Prix La Parva delivers high-speed thrills as part of the South American Cup

The Grand Prix La Parva, part of the Ford Chile Winter Series Visa circuit, brought spectacular excitement to the slopes of Ski La Parva. Positioned as one of the most important alpine speed events in the Southern Hemisphere, the competition attracted more than 120 athletes from 30 nations.

With speeds exceeding 130 km/h, two major jumps, sweeping turns, and plenty of adrenaline, the races counted toward the South American Cup.

In the men’s field, Sweden’s Felix Monsén (Atomic) was fastest on day one, while Czech racer Jan Zabystran (Kaestle) took control on the following days, securing back-to-back victories. Chile’s Henrik Von Appen (Head) once again proved his consistency as the nation’s speed specialist.

In the women’s races, the United States enjoyed a strong showing with wins from Haley Cutler (Atomic).

The Ford Chile Winter Series Visa spans five Olympic disciplines, Alpine Skiing, Cross-Country, Para Alpine, Ski Cross, and Snowboard Cross. In total, more than 600 athletes from over 35 countries are expected to compete this season, with valuable points at stake for the global circuit.

South American Cup action in Ushuaia

The racing atmosphere was just as intense in Ushuaia (Argentina), where eight South American Cup events were staged: two Giant Slaloms and two Slaloms for each gender.

Italy’s Anja Zenere (Salomon) dominated the women’s Giant Slalom races, finishing ahead of teammates and World Cup regulars such as Lara Della Mea (Fischer) and Katharina Liensberger (Rossignol), while Sue Piller (SUI/Atomic) also reached the podium. On the men’s side, Albert Ortega Fornesa (ESP/Rossignol) and Joshua Sturm (AUT/Atomic) shared the honors, each winning one GS and finishing runner-up in the other.

In Slalom, Austria’s Joshua Sturm added another victory, ahead of Eduard Hallberg (FIN/Fischer) and Léo Anguenot(FRA/Rossignol). France’s Antoine Azzolin (Dynastar) took the second men’s race, also with Hallberg on the podium.

For the women, France showcased its depth with Marion Chevrier (Atomic) and Doriane Escane (Head) delivering a 1–2 sweep in both Slalom races.

Additional highlights from New Zealand

Earlier in September, Coronet Peak (NZL) hosted its National Championships, where home favorite Alice Robinson (Salomon) claimed the women’s GS title. In the men’s event, Isaiah Nelson (USA/Rossignol) secured victory ahead of Patrick Kenney (USA/Völkl) and Andreas Zampa (SVK/Salomon).

A week later, the same resort welcomed six ANC (Australia–New Zealand Cup) races featuring strong World Cup participation. Robinson added another GS win, while the USA dominated the Slalom events through Katie Hensien (Rossignol), who won both, and Jett Seymour (Atomic), who doubled up on the men’s side.