Sellés Sánchez ends EYOF with a third gold under her belt

The last day of competition at the European Youth Olympic Festival brought the ski mountaineering’s queen discipline.

Forni di Sopra (Italy), 27 January 2023 –  The European Youth Olympic Festival has come to its end with another magnificent display from the young skimo athletes. On Friday, the last event of the skimo programme, the individual race, was in the agenda. And what a way to close the EYOF.

The girls’ track had 740 D+ in two laps. In total, seven climbs (with one short on foot in each lap) and six downhills suited the best to the winner of both previous races: Laia Sellés Sanchez of Spain. The young Spaniard was crowned the Queen of EYOF after grabbing a third gold medal (after the ones in Sprint and Mixed Relay), dominating the race since the beginning.

The most successful athlete of the EYOF 2023 in Friuli-Venezia Giulia 2023 went for the golden hattrick from the start. The Spanish prodigy created a massive lead in the first lap, so she could control the situation without taking so many risks in the second one.

“I’m extremely happy. It’s a great way to round up my participation at EYOF. I’m thankful for the whole team. To share this experience with all my teammates and people from other countries was just something special,” said Sellés Sánchez, one of the biggest stars of the EYOF 2023.

Malin Indergråd of Norway won the silver medal after a tight battle with third Melissa Bertolina (Italy). The Norwegian athlete made the difference in the penultimate uphill of the race.

On the boy’s race (two laps and 840 D+), Erik Canovi of Italy was pushing hard from the start. He already had a good lead after the first lap. He managed to keep the pace in the second lap and won with over a two-minute gap. This allowed him to take off his skis and support his compatriot Marcello Scarinzi in the last tens of meters. Scarinzi beat Silvano Wolf (Austria) for the silver medal.

Canovi won a medal in each competition – gold from Sprint and Individual, and bronze from the Mixed Relay.

Seven countries won at least one medal in five ski mountaineering medal events. Spain won the most gold medals (3). Italy won six medals in total, the most of any country. Laia Sellés Sánchez is the only athlete of the whole EYOF with three gold medals under her belt.

Full results here.
Photo credit: EYOF FVG 2023

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