Lucia Capovilla and David Kammerer, silver and gold in CdM Paraclimbing 2024, Salt Lake City. ©FASI
David Kammerer, gold medal in the AL2 group, and Lucia Capovilla, silver medal in the AU2 group, carry the tricolor high in the USA
There Paraclimbing World Cup 2024 it couldn’t have been a brighter start for the blue team.
The Brunico David Kammerer (AVS Brunek), Italian AL2 category champion, achieves a fantastic upgrade of the bronze medal won here in Salt Lake City last year and gives Italy an unforgettable gold. In qualifying the American Ethan Zilz had achieved 2 tops, keeping David in second place. In the final, however, both Zilz and the Japanese Yuki stopped at movement 35+, while Kammerer, fierce and deeply motivated, reached 36+ which gave him the top step of the podium.
“It’s an incredible moment for me. I entered the final with the idea of winning this time, and I managed to win, like in a dream.” An emotional Kammerer declared after the award ceremony.
The Venetian Lucia Capovilla (ASD Arco Climbing), Italian Champion and vice-World Champion, confirms her determination and technique, reaching move 43+, leaving the Americans Rubin and Benvenuti at hold 24. The only one capable of overcoming her, arriving at hold 48, it is the titanic French Solenne Piret, World Champion, with 12 golds out of 13 World Cup races held since 2018, but who now no longer has the certainty of her undisputed dominance.
“There was very little left to victory this time – Lucia declared hotly – I’m super excited about how it went because you can see the fruit of all the training this year: I can’t help but be happy with everything my body can do. Not long left…but this is only the first stage!”
Excellent performances also for the other two Italians of the American expedition
Gian Matteo Ramini (ASD Arco Climbing), RP1 category, ranked sixth with a good performance, but this did not allow him to access the 4-man final, as did Elisa Martin (ASD Teste Di Pietra), RP3 category, who placed second fifth place, really close to the final.
“We are very happy for the season debut” says DT Cristina Cascone. “We knew that the first stage of the World Cup in Salt Lake would be a very demanding trip and we had to make a careful and difficult choice of athletes which turned out to be successful. All the performances of our Azzurri were of the highest level and this is demonstrated not only by the medals of Lucia and David but also by the near finals of Elisa Martin and Gianmatteo Ramini. A heartfelt thank you on my part goes to all the staff present on and off the field, to the Federation which with the President at the head supports this fantastic project, to the Italian Paralympic Committee which supports us with confidence and last but not least to the clubs of our athletes who they guarantee them the possibility of preparing themselves in the best possible way throughout the year.”
Next appointment with Paraclimbing
The next appointment with the Paraclimbing World Cup it will be there 24-25 June in Innsbruck. Strengthened by these fantastic results from the first stage, it will be a pleasure to attend the second, with new goals and new motivations to satisfy!
