From Lillehammer, NOR
(November 30, 2023) – Arturs Klots rallied from behind to win the season opener for the Para Sport World Cup in Norway.
Klots entered the second heat in third place, trailing leader Guillermo Castillo of the United States by .10, with Great Britain’s Corie Mapp only .05 out of the lead.
On the second run, the Latvian took the lead from Spain’s Israel Blanco after Blanco had put down a great second run to move up from seventh place.
Klots then withstood efforts from both Mapp and Castillo to win the first gold medal of the season.
The gold for Klots was his eighth in World Cup competition and 13th medal overall. Mapp’s silver was the 29th medal in his illustrious career.
Blanco held on for third, edging Castillo by .o7 for the final podium spot of the day. The bronze gave Castillo ten on his career.
Castillo finished fourth, tied with Italy’s Flavio Menardi for the spot. USA’s Robert Balk moved up from ninth in the first heat to finish sixth.
David Christopher and Austin Parker helped put all four American sleds in the top ten with finishes of ninth and tenth, respectively.
Results:
| Pos | Name | Nation | Bib | Start 1 | Start 2 | Run 1 | Run 2 | Finish |
| 1 | Arturs Klots | LAT | 1 | 6.14 | 6.16 | 56.69 | 56.82 | 1:53.51 |
| 2 | Corie Mapp | GBR | 6 | 6.15 | 6.17 | 56.64 | 56.99 | 1:53.63 |
| 3 | Israel Blanco | ESP | 8 | 6.14 | 6.19 | 56.78 | 56.86 | 1:53.64 |
| 4 | Guillermo Castillo | USA | 2 | 6.12 | 6.17 | 56.59 | 57.13 | 1:53.72 |
| 4 | Flavio Menardi | ITA | 4 | 6.16 | 6.16 | 56.76 | 56.96 | 1:53.72 |
| 6 | Robert Balk | USA | 9 | 6.15 | 6.20 | 56.86 | 57.03 | 1:53.89 |
| 7 | Hermann Ellmauer | AUT | 5 | 6.15 | 6.18 | 56.74 | 57.18 | 1:53.92 |
| 8 | David Jennewein | ITA | 3 | 6.14 | 6.17 | 56.76 | 57.18 | 1:53.94 |
| 9 | David Christopher | USA | 7 | 6.17 | 6.20 | 56.98 | 57.05 | 1:54.03 |
| 10 | Austin Parker | USA | 10 | 6.15 | 6.19 | 56.82 | 57.23 | 1:54.05 |
| 11 | Christopher Stewart | SUI | 11 | 6.16 | 6.17 | 56.96 | 57.34 | 1:54.30 |
| 12 | Ziva Lavrinc | SLO | 13 | 6.17 | 6.18 | 57.24 | 57.18 | 1:54.42 |
| 13 | Fabrizio Caselli | ITA | 14 | 6.15 | 6.12 | 57.35 | 57.24 | 1:54.59 |
| 14 | Valdotas Urnikaitis | NOR | 12 | 6.12 | 6.13 | 57.69 | 57.60 | 1:55.29 |
