Axelle Gachet-Mollaret & Emily Harrop e Matteo Eydallin & Robert Antonioli Team World Champions

The third day of the Ski Mountaineering World Championships 2023 currently taking place at Boí Taüll in Spain brought the week's longest and most technical event, the team race. This combined formula returned to the World Championships after a four-years hiatusand represented ski mountaineering at its very best, with technical ascent and descents, steep ridges and narrow couloirs.

At 9:00am the first off the starting block were the Senior Women. Nine teams from five countries competed past five ascents and a total of 1920 metres of altitude gain. Right from the outset the French team composed of Emily Harrop and Axelle Gachet-Mollaret, two of world's best ski mountaineers, took the lead and the hot favourites built an early lead on the first climb. They continued their dominant run right up to the finish, winning their second gold together after last year's Long Distance World Championships. Alba de Silvestro and Giulia Murada of Italy placed second, while Célia Perillat-Pessey and Candice Bonnel placed third.

Forty minutes after the Women's race, the Senior Men started with 26 teams from 14 countries poised to tackle the 2110 metres elevation gain, six ascents and six descents. Immediately after the start the four strongest teams took the lead, but this pack soon whittled down to two with the battle for gold between Matteo Eydallin & Robert Antonioli from Italy and Xavier Gachet & William Bon Mardion from France. The Italians steered clear on the last climb and then managed to maintain their lead, finishing 52 seconds faster than the Frenchmen. The second Italian team, Davide Magnini & Nadir Maguet, placed third, 3 minutes and 52 seconds after their compatriots.

Saturday the competitions continue with the Individual. The penultimate race will be streamed live from 9:10 on Saturday on TV.ISMF-SKI.ORG.

Link: www.ismf-ski.org, SCARPA, Karpos

ISMF World Championships Individual Seniors Boi Taüll 2023