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 After
some years of absence, due to technical and financial problems, the World
Cup returns to France, in great style, in Besançon, nice small town in
eastern France, near the border with Germany.
More Italian climbers (13 people) compared with the beginning of the
season, thanks to the improvement of the situation of the Federation (
early in the season it had even been impossible to send competitors to the
Open).
Only Billoro comes through the Open. In the quarterfinal good performances
of Brenna, Lagni, Bruseghini. Bad results for all the others. Full success
for the women instead, all four climbers reach the next round: Marchisio,
Benetti, Artioli and Iovane. The latter almost reaches the finals, and is
the first excluded from it.
In the men's field, debacle of Brenna, only 15°; another time, in the
best moment, he sees the World Cup become further and further. The
semifinal routes is completed by Legrand (again in top form) and the
Japanese Koyamada.
Different result in the finals, where the winner is Ovtchinnikov, two
years after the exploit of Courmajeur '97, where Brenna was second. Second
here the constant François Petit, third the Frenchman David Caude.
Interesting and full of surprises the women final. An interpretation
mistake is the reason of the seventh place of Liv Sansoz, Muriel Sarkany
and Katie Brown complete the route and must climb in a superfinal, where
the American wins.
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