In this 15th stage of the 1999/2000 NOKIA Snowboard FIS World Cup, giant slalom racers had the chance to try out "CB's run," in the Eagle Race Arena at Park City Mountain Resort, where the Olympic GS race, parallel giant slalom and halfpipe (men and women) will be held during the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics.

The weather and snow conditions turned out to be the riders' biggest concerns. After two days of bright sunshine, conditions changed drastically, as snow started falling right before the finals, causing a two-hour delay. While most riders deemed the slope fit for the Olympics, design changes, specifically widening the lower part and the finish area, will take place before 2002.

Knowing this, none of the racers considered this a true dress rehearsal for the Olympics, but none of them held back, either.

"I wished the World Cup went on for a couple of weeks now, it is too bad that there are only two races left...."— Dieter Krassnig (AUT)

Austrian Dieter Krassnig took the gold in this season's penultimate GS race, his first victory in two years. "I wish the World Cup went on for a couple of weeks now," he said, "it is too bad that there are only two races left. The course is nice, but I did not even start to think about the Olympics and I also do not like to give this win a special meaning with regard to 2002, since I won the pre-Olympic race in Nagano, but then missed the podium at the Games."

Reigning GS World Champion Markus Ebner from Germany took 2nd after setting the fastest time in the first run. "My first run had been perfect, but when the weather turned so bad at noon I was scared that it was in vain," he said. "It was a bit tough today, but that was mainly caused by the weather. The course is nice and there are quite a lot of spectators all the time. I think it is a good choice for the Olympics."

France's Nicolas Huet took 3rd, followed by defending World Cup Champion Stefan Kaltschütz, of Austria, who missed the podium by 55/100 of a second. But because his strongest rival, Matthieu Bozzetto, dropped out in the first run, Kaltschütz is assured the Overall GS title.

"After my crash in Schönried, I was not sure I could take it again," Kaltschütz said, "but that little piece of luck was with me, finally."

Bozzetto failed to finish a race for the third consecutive time today. "In France, we say 'never two, but three.' At least it will stop after this, but that does not help anymore. My goal is to make it to the final podium, so I will push hard in the final race."

In the standings, Bozzetto still leads Canadian Jasey Jay Anderson, who finished 34th today.

Italy's Margerita Parini repeated her '99 winning performance here, beating French Julie Pomagalski and German Heidi Renoth, who came in 3rd.

"I really like this technical course," Parini said, "but I guess I need to get more into parallel racing, since there is not going to be a single GS here in 2002."

Parini is leading the standings, ahead of Austria's Manuela Riegler, who took 7th place today, and Aasa Windahl from Sweden, who finished 14th.

The riders now return to Europe for the last two stages in Italy.

When the World Cup returns here for next year's World Cup, the halfpipe competition will be held in the true Olympic venue. "The plan is to run that pre-Olympic event on the original slope, and with the same schedule as set for the Olympics," said Salt Lake Organizing Committee member Karen Korfanta, who will oversee the alpine events.

"The event should start with the halfpipe, held over two days, followed by a two-day break to fill the pipe with snow and then hold the parallel giant slalom."

—Britta Semmler, MountainZone.com Correspondent