Skiing: Extreme success for Hall

Otago's Adam Hall has done it again.

Hall was a comfortable winner of the Winter Games men's adaptive slalom event at Coronet Peak yesterday.

The Vancouver Paralympic gold medallist sped down the Rocky Gully course with seconds up his sleeve in a time of 1min 31.59sec.

On a day when conditions were "the extreme of the extreme", Hall said he was pleased with his times and even happier to walk away with a medal.

"I didn't have any expectations," he said.

He said a trial run on the course on Wednesday had helped him prepare for the toughest of conditions and he knew what was coming.

"Today's conditions are a lot better than yesterday and it's been quick. Things have gone a lot better than expected.

"That's what you want as a ski racer. You want the hard stuff, and not the soft powder."

Although only four skiers were placed in the men's standing slalom, the level of competition was still high, Hall said.

"There's not many here, but the quality is right up there. I mean, Cameron [Rahles-Rahbula] grabbed a medal in Vancouver." The second-placed Australian impressed in his second run with 45.88sec, but Hall's first run had already set him up, leaving him almost 3sec ahead of the pack.

"I was really happy with my first run and then had a little hiccup in the second," Hall said. "Not everything's perfect, though."

It would seem Hall's week has been nothing but perfect after he won the men's adaptive giant slalom on Tuesday, as well.

He emphasised his motivation for competing did not come from winning medals.

"I don't go chasing results. They chase me."

The men's sitting slalom was won by Korean Seork Jong Park, who was an impressive 10sec ahead of Heath Calhoun, of the US.

Australia's Melissa Perrine dominated the quiet field of the women's adaptive event, claiming both runs ahead of Korea's Rim Jae Yang by nearly a minute.

The 23-year-old has impaired vision and said she followed guide Andrew Bor's voice when heading down the mountain.

"I don't see much. I see shapes, colours and blurs."

 

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