Serge Lang Trophy 2021: First AIJS Award For Alexis Pinturault

For the first time since 1997, a majority of members of the AIJS (Association Internationale des Journalistes de Ski) decided to elect a French racer, Alexis Pinturault, as the “Skieur d’Or AIJS” for the 2021 season in recognition of his recent achievements and his agreeable personality. That year, it was the very charismatic Luc Alphand, the second Frenchman to clinch the overall World Cup title after JC Killy in 1967 and 1968, who was elected as “Skieur d’Or AIJS” following his numerous successes in events in past years.

In March 2021, Pinturault became the only third skier in the French team to capture the big crystal globe during the Finals at Lenzerheide, in Switzerland, and this on his 30th birthday, in March 20th! With a total of 34 victories and a total of 74 podiums on the World Cup tour in the past ten years and multiple medals at recent Olympics and FIS World Championships including gold in combined at Are 2019, Alexis is one of the most successful athletes on the tour as well as one of the best “allrounders” with wins in all alpine disciplines except downhill. From 2014 to 2020 he finished five times on the podium in the overall standings and was eight times 2nd or 3rd in the giant slalom classification before dominating his during the 2020/21 season with four victories!

Members of the International Association of the Ski Journalists also sent votes for other top champions such as Petra Vlhova (SVK), Lara Gut-Behrami (SUI), Beat Feuz (SUI), Sofia Goggia (ITA), Marco Odermatt (SUI), Mikaela Shiffrin (USA) who all together shared as much votes as Alexis Pinturault.

The vote for the 2021 “Skieur d’Or AIJS” was unfortunately delayed last fall by the Covid Pandemia which affected once again the normal process of voting and prevented the presentation of the AIJS Trophy created by Joska at Bodenmais and funded by FIS during the World Cup Opening at Soelden after the cancellation of the FIS Forum there. If possible, Alexis will be awarded during the final part of the season after the 2022 Olympics.

“As so often, the winners of the overall World Cup standings were clearly front runners in this year’s election, but Alexis received by far the largest amount of votes from members from several countries,” commented AIJS President Patrick Lang, in charge since 1999 of the organization of the election process. “All the racers named by our colleagues enjoyed great moments during the 2020/21 season and fully deserved to be part of this election. As an example, Petra Vlhova fought hard in all disciplines during the entire season to collect her first big Crystal globe while Lara Gut-Behrami had an amazing FIS World Championships at Cortina d’Ampezzo five years after her triumph in the overall standings.”

“All of us saw how dedicated Alexis has been in past seasons in his attempts to claim the big globe, so many believed that he fully deserved to finally clinch it. Alexis is a pleasant interview partner for reporters who appreciate his efforts to answer in several languages including English and German. We wish him much luck in his next competitions.”

Winners of the “AIJS Skieur d’Or “ – Serge Lang Trophy 2005-2020 : 2005 - B. Miller (USA) - 2006 - B. Raich (AUT) 2007 - A.L. Svindal (NOR) 2008 - M. Lanzinger (AUT) 2009 L. Vonn (USA) 2010 - C. Janka (SUI) 2011 - I. Kostelic (CRO) 2012 - M. Hirscher (AUT) 2013 - T. Maze (SLO) 2014 - A. Fenninger (AUT) 2015 - A. Fenninger (AUT) & M. Hirscher (AUT) – 2016 & 2018 Marcel Hirscher - 2019 Mikaela Shiffrin (USA) – 2020 Federica Brignone (ITA)

4th AIJS Photo Ski Contest Prix Armando Trovati 2021

Along with the awarding of the Skieur d’Or, Serge Lang Trophy 2021, the AIJS (Association International Ski Journalists) is also proud to announce the winner of the fourth edition of the AIJS Photo ski Contest, known as the Prix Armando Trovati award.

The photo was taken at one of the most famous photo locations of the white circus, the Ciaslat on the Saslong slope.