New Zealand sit skier Corey Peters has finished in fourth place this morning at the Giant Slalom World Para Sport Championships in Norway.
Corey Peters in action in Norway. Photo: GDF Media
This was Peters' first time back competing in an international field in almost three years as the Covid-19 Pandemic grounded New Zealand's Para Alpine athletes last Northern Hemisphere season.
"It was obviously quite exciting to be back in the start gate but also I was quite anxious because it had been so long since I had felt those race nerves," Peters said.
New Plymouth's Peters put down a solid, yet conservative run one and was sitting in 6th position, +4.75 behind the current leader.
"My first run was quite conservative, I was more concerned about getting to the bottom in my first race back, but in ski racing when you ski conservatively you lose a lot of time to your competition."
Heading into run two, with the podium within reach, Peters blasted out of the start gate. "I needed to come in with a bit more aggression and attack the course, I feel quite proud of run two. Run two was definitely the better of two runs for me.
"Today puts me in a good frame of mind a few weeks out from Beijing knowing that I am still up there with the best of them, although Giant Slalom isn't my best event. The true test will be in the Super-G next week in Sweden."
Jesper Pedersen (NOR) took the win today by an impressive +6.51 lead over Igor Sikorski (POL) in second. Andrew Kurka (USA) rounded out the podium in third.
Fellow New Zealander Aaron Ewen was also competing but recorded a DNF.