Alpine skier Aingeru Garay started his World Cup campaign on Sunday at the traditional season-opening giant slalom in Soelden, Austria, but failed to qualify for the second run after losing crucial time in the opening meters on the icy Rettenbach glacier course.

Rettenbach Glacier Conditions Derail Opening Run

Competing among a field of 69 skiers on the hard-packed and slippery Austrian snow, Garay launched his run from the 58th starting gate. The Basque athlete from Galdakao struggled to find clean lines through the upper section, where early calculation errors cost him vital momentum. Despite pushing through the lower splits to make up ground, he managed to claw back only five positions to finish his first descent in 50th provisional place.

When the first run concluded, Garay’s time left him one second and 11 hundredths of a second shy of the top-30 qualification cut for the afternoon session. National teammate Aleix Aubert fared closer to the qualification threshold, placing 32nd just eleven hundredths of a second outside the top thirty. The 21-year-old Catalan skier represents one of the primary hopes for the Spanish national squad, which holds three quota spots for the discipline’s opening giant slalom events.

Ortega Withdraws as Mintegi and Del Campo Prepare for Levi

The third Spanish quota spot remained unfilled over the weekend as Albert Ortega withdrew from the Soelden fixture due to persistent back pain. Meanwhile, fellow Basque skier Juan del Campo and returning competitor Ander Mintegi continue their preparations away from the glacier. Mintegi returns to international competition following a year-long rehabilitation after suffering a severe knee injury.

Both Del Campo and Mintegi are scheduled to make their debuts on November 15 in the slalom event in Levi, Finland.

Braathen Claims Soelden Giant Slalom Victory

The afternoon session opened at midday following the customary one-hour break between runs, setting up a battle among the sport’s top-tier specialists. Competing under a clear international spotlight, Brazil’s Lucas Pinheiro Braathen secured the opening victory of the campaign. Braathen, an Olympic champion of Norwegian descent, navigated the deteriorating course to edge out Swiss challengers Loic Meillard and Marco Odermatt by half a second.

Norway’s Atle Lie McGrath had established the fastest time across the opening split during the decisive run before crashing out near the bottom of the course.

Upcoming Alpine Skiing Schedule

The alpine ski circuit moves next to Levi, Finland, where specialists will contest the slalom events on November 15.