PARK CITY, Utah — Dmitry Loginov’s English is not good, but the Russian found the words for winning his second of back-to-back gold medals in snowboard racing at the FIS World Championships on Tuesday.
“Thank you, Park City,” he said.
The 19-year-old doubled up on his first-place finish in Monday’s parallel giant slalom, defeating Italy’s Roland Fischnaller in final race of the parallel slalom competition.
Even on the red lane, which those who earned a choice had avoided, Loginov’s racing was powerful enough to keep him in the lead. Fischnaller erred in the middle of the run and took second.
“Before starting, I was a little bit worried, because that lane was obviously slower, or it was more destroyed,” Loginov said through a translator. “But I understood I had to do my best and do the best run of my life.”
He succeeded.
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Fischnaller, who is exactly 20 years older than Loginov, said his legs were burnt out from the multiple runs it took to make the finals, and said the story of Loginov’s win was good for the sport.
Stefan Baumeister of Germany also doubled up on medals, taking his second bronze in two days by defeating Loginov’s teammate, Dmitry Sarsembaeve.
Like Loginov, Baumeister said he was enjoying his time in Park City, even if the snowy conditions made racing difficult.
In contrast to the repeat medalists in the men’s competition, the women’s podium was wholly different on Tuesday.
Giant slalom gold medalist Salina Joerg of Germany crashed in the quarterfinals while racing Russia’s Maria Valova, who went on to take fourth.
Julie Zogg of Switzerland took first, edging out Annamari Dancha of Ukraine in a close race.
“It’s unbelievable,” Zogg said.
The 26-year-old said it was a “crazy day” in a difficult race.
“But I’m so happy now,” she said.
It was also a momentous day for Dancha. She has been competing on the World Cup circuit since 2006, and had participated in five World Championships and three Olympics without winning a medal.
“I’ve waited for this for a long time,” she said. “And I’m really happy, and I cry.”
Her silver is Ukraine’s first snowboarding medal at the World Championship level.
Dancha said she immediately called her mother, who was her first coach growing up, and her best friend.
In the competition for bronze, both Valova and Ramona Theresia Hofmeister of Germany fell during their runs. But Hofmeister recovered more quickly, and took the medal position.
“My first thought was ‘Oh, no, not fourth place again,’ which I had two years ago at World Championships in Spain,” Hofmeister said. “I don’t know what I did but it’s really crazy.”
Robert Burns, who trains out of Steamboat Springs, was the highest-finishing American man, taking 15th, while Kaiya Kizuka was the highest-finishing American woman, taking 29th.