Álvaro Romero (NKEF-DALTON) has hung the Gold in the SBX Junior World Championships in Passo San Pellegrino (Italy) after giving an authentic exhibition in which he has managed to be in first position in all the qualifying rounds. This first place means writing another page in the history books of the Spainsnow Movistar SBX Team since In 2011 Regino Hernández achieved it for the first time in history in Valmalenco (Italy) and two years later, in Turkey, was achieved by Lucas Eguibar (NKEF-DALTON) at the Erzurum station. With this sensational victory, Álvaro Romero manages to get even for the 3rd place he achieved in Krasnoyarsk (RUS) in 2021 and the 4th place in Veysonnaz (SUI).
The Basque athlete from Spainsnow shone with his own light throughout the day and felt comfortable from the first heat in which he faced Kai Hopper (CAN), Martin Kostov (BUL) and Joaquín Rodríguez (ARG). In the round of 16, the first duel between Spaniards took place since Romero himself met the Catalan from Spainsnow, Toni Toledo (FCEH-BST) who also passed the round of the 1/16 final. In this instance, both riders fought against the Canadian Hopper and another regular at the World Cups, the Brazilian Zion Bethonico (BRA). With great skill both riders got their pass to the quarterfinals, in one of the most complex rounds of the entire field. In it were Achille Leleu (FRA) and his compatriot Julien Tomas (FRA) for what was a team battle between Spain and France. Unfortunately, Toni Toledo could not overcome this round and Álvaro Romero was left as the only Spaniard in the semifinals of the FIS Junior World Cup.
In the semifinals he was going to compete for the grand final against Leleu, Niccolo Culturi (ITA) and Elias Leitner (AUT). As in all previous rounds, Romero came out like a real missile and he crossed the finish line in first position to ensure at least return to the instance in which he was already the two previous years in Veysonnaz and Krasnoyarsk. In the grand final there were only big words left and the challenge was huge since Achille Leleu was joined by Aidan Chollet (FRA) who was one of the great contenders for the title and James Savard-Ferguson (CAN). In this final round, Romero had to compete hard against his opponents. It was not easy at all and a reflection of this was that he had to wait until the last corner to be in first position and thus certify his first gold in the Junior World Championships at Passo San Pellegrino.
At the end of the test and with emotion on the surface, the young athlete from Spainsnow highlighted that he was “very excited and happy. I knew it was going to be a very tough day because even though it was a Junior World Cup there was a high level. In training on March 29 I was going very fast and throughout today, March 30, I knew that I was not going to leave anything behind on the track. In fact, I have passed first in all the rounds except in the Grand Final, which has been very close until the last corner when I managed to pass my opponents. This gold is a great finishing touch to a season in which I have been on the podium in Veysonnaz in the World Cup and I have also been champion of Spain. It helps me, without a doubt, to prepare for the new season with enthusiasm and enthusiasm and start with everything next year”.
For his part, the technical director of the Movistar SBX Team, Alex Martín, explained that the team “we are very satisfied with this result because it is the icing on the cake of an exceptional season with very good work from all the athletes. Regarding today, Álvaro has been the absolute dominator. It was not easy at all due to the track conditions at this circuit to defend that lead but he was able to achieve it and we are very happy about it. This is the result of a sporting career that continues to grow because he has already won his first Junior World Championship and is achieving very good results in the World Cup. We are very happy with the growth of the Movistar SBX Team”.
Spainsnow’s general director, Olmo Hernán, recalled that “thanks to the CSD who believed in the 2016 strategic plan which stipulated that resources for emerging disciplines like snowboarding were required to achieve success. Movistar joined this impulse to shore up the base and high level of this sport, and from that investment they are beginning to reap fruits”. In fact, Romero started in the competition in the first editions of the SBX Movistar Spanish Cupwhich this season 22-23 has played its sixth edition.
Toni Toledo could not overcome the round of the quarterfinals in which he met the Basque Álvaro Romero because an opponent threw him in the last jump and he had to settle for 13th position in these SBX Junior World Championships at Passo San Pellegrino. In the female category, there were also two more Spanish runners, Candela Fuentes (FADI-RURAL) and Andrea Seijas (FCEH-CSFC). The first of them could not overcome the demanding preheats and finished in 33rd position and Seijas did succeed but was left out of the round of 16, finishing the Junior World Championships in 17th place.