Drama in the Engadin: Dusek and Hämmerle collided again in the World Cup final!

Drama in the Engadin: Dusek and Hämmerle collided again in the World Cup final!

On April 6, 2025, there was once again a thrilling finale of the Snowboard World Championships in the Engadin, which captivated the spectators on site and in front of the screens. The duel between the two Austrian athletes, Dusek and Hämmerle, was repeated and brought similar drama to their previous encounters.

At the crucial moment of the race, Dusek slid into Hämmerle, which not only caused Dusek himself to fall, but also caused him to bring down his teammate, Hämmerle. Despite this mishap, Hämmerle showed an impressive performance and secured the bronze medal. Dusek, on the other hand, finished the race in 16th place, while Julian Lüftner, in his last career race, finished in 26th place. At the end of the World Championships, the final positions were as follows: Hämmerle came tenth and Dusek was able to hold on to 16th place.

Results at a glance

In the overall ranking of the World Cup, the results of the Austrian snowboarders caused a stir. Dusek took third place, followed by Pachner in seventh place and Hämmerle in eleventh place. Zerkhold was able to hold on to tenth position. Another highlight was the selection of 21-year-old Elias Leitner, who was named “Rookie of the Year” by head coaches from 19 nations. Austria also secured the overall Nations Cup across all snowboard disciplines.

Historical context of the snowboard world championships

The Snowboard World Championships, held regularly to determine the world champions in snowboarding, have a long and distinguished history. The first competitions identified as world championships took place in 1985, while the first official snowboard world championship was organized by the International Snowboarding Federation (ISF) in 1993. Since 1996, the FIS has also been holding its own world championships, which have their own rhythm and qualification mode.

A total of 14 FIS World Championships have been held so far, with the last ones taking place in conjunction with the Freestyle Skiing World Championships. These events have become the stage for many athletes to show off their skills and compete for the title of world champion. The Norwegian athlete Terje Håkonsen and the French Karine Ruby are among the most successful athletes in this discipline.

Overall, the day in Engadin was not only a celebration for the athletes, but also proof of the exciting development of snowboarding on an international level. As the Small newspaper reports, the rivalry between Dusek and Hämmerle remains a central theme in the snowboard scene as more and more talents like Elias Leitner take the stage.