Italian Championships: Pittin repeats, Gianmoena debuts

The Italian national championships in Nordic Combined had veteran Alessandro Pittin and first-time titlist Veronica Gianmoena on top the the podium in Val di Fiemme last weekend.

The first ever Italian Championships in Ladies Nordic Combined turned out to be a very exciting competition with a duel between Veronica Gianmoena and Annika Sieff. Gianmoena had taken a slim lead in the jumping round, coming out with the pole position, totalling at 94.5 points. Annika Sieff followed suit with 93 points and only seconds to make up on Gianmoena, which she did by the mid-point of the race.

In the end, however, Gianmoena proved irresistible and distanced Sieff to a final 5.9 seconds at the finish line.Lena Prinoth ended her competition on the bronze rank, one minute and 12 seconds behind Gianmoena, while Arianna Sieff was fourth (+4:08.6).

The last competition of the day was the men’s Nordic Combined event in which a strong Alessandro "Pittbull" Pittin was never in any danger from any of the other competitors and won his 13th career title. Pittin ended the jumping event in second position with a total of 120 points but had to concede defeat for the pole position to Manuel Maierhofer (121.5 points).

On the track, however, Pittin shone with old roller ski strength and set the fastest time of 21:57.8, beating Maierhofer soundly by one minute and ten seconds. Aaron Kostner finished third, +1:26.5 behind Pittin.