Paralympics: Hall, Peters find form ahead of Sochi

Paralympic skiers Adam Hall and Corey Peters have had more success in their buildup to the Paralympics in Sochi, Russia.

The pair contested a World Cup event in Copper Mountain, Colorado, with Hall winning silver and gold medals in the standing slalom. It is the event in which Hall won gold at the Vancouver Paralympics four years ago.

Peters won a silver medal in the sitting giant slalom.

Hall was beaten to gold in the first standing slalom, clocking 1min 17.34s, just .27s behind Russian 16-year-old Alexey Bugaev.

However Hall got to the top of the podium in the second race, winning in 1:17.22, from French double world champion Vincent Gauthier-Manuel (1:17.53), with Bugaev third in 1:18.10.

It was Otago racer Hall's last World Cup race before the Paralympics.

"Finishing off with win against a strong field and the main medal contenders for Sochi is a good indication we're on track," Hall said.

"We just have to make the most of all our opportunities and keep working hard. We are making good progress at the right time."

Peters was competing against Japan's three-time Paralympic medallist Taiki Morii in the GS, with Morii winning with an overall time of 1:57.06, from Peters' 1:57.38. Austraian Roban Rabl was third in 1:57.46 in a really tight finish.

"I'm really pleased to make the podium, with such a strong field here," Peters, from New Plymouth, said.

"Coming into the second run, the top eight were separated by less than a second. Things are really on track with my GS."

Peters was leading after the first run in his second GS, but a mistake on the second run cost him time, and a podium finish. He clocked 1:56.42, for equal sixth with German Georg Kreiter. Swiss Christoph Kunz won in 1:55.55.

"It gives me good confidence knowing I'm up there with the best in the world and I'll spend the next 45 days pre-Sochi working hard on improving and getting faster. Things are looking on track to perform well in Russia," Peters said.

A total of 75 skiers from nearly 15 countries attended the event giving the New Zealand team the opportunity to benchmark their performances against their main rivals for Sochi.
Hall and Peters will be joined in Sochi by para-snowboarder Carl Murphy. The Paralympics start on March 7.