World Cup Roller Slalom Stage Begins in Ikskile; Smalcs Fourth

The fourth stage of the 2026 World Cup in roller slalom kicked off on Saturday, July 25, in Ikskile with giant slalom competitions. The event takes place on Peldu Street and gathered 77 athletes from eight countries. Weather conditions were sunny and dry, with temperatures reaching 25°C. The course was 230 meters long with 20 gates in each run.

In the men's race, Italian Davide Fiorot claimed victory with the fastest first run (21.71 seconds) and the second-fastest second run, totaling 42.47 seconds. Fellow Italian Mattia Pè took second place (+0.34), followed by German Jörg Berch (+0.48). Latvian Georgs Smalcs finished fourth, 0.59 seconds behind the winner and just 0.11 seconds away from bronze. He was third after the first run.

Among other Latvian men, Rihards Allens placed 14th, Pauls Pēteris Prancāns 18th, Kristiāns Lazdiņš 20th, Valters Bērziņš 24th, and Ričards Folkbergs 25th.

In the women's competition, Italian Lorenza Cezaris dominated, winning both runs with a total time of 44.52 seconds. Germans Luna Schwarz (+0.66) and Elea Bersiga (+1.10) finished second and third. The best Latvian woman was Letīcija Matisone in 21st place. Elizabete Anna Allena was 22nd, Estere Ausekle 24th, Marta Bērziņa 27th, and Estere Šēnberga 30th.

Sunday, July 26, will feature slalom races, followed by the "Cerību kauss" (Hope Cup) for the youngest participants. Spectators are invited to attend for free; information about the live stream is available on the event website. Full results can be found on the World Cup Ikskile website and social media.