From Lillehammer, NOR
(December 1, 2023) – The United States’ Guillermo Castillo won gold in the closest race of a busy day of sliding in Lillehammer, as he edged out Italy’s Flavio Mendardi by just .01 to win gold.
The two-time Para Sport World Cup champion entered the second heat in fifth place, just behind Mendardi and just over a tenth behind leader and teammate Robert Balk.
The second heat saw a big mix-up in the standings. First, Switzerland’s Christopher Stewart set teh quick downtime of the heat to move up from ninth to what would be seventh. Then Corie Mapp followed suit to move up from seventh to fifth in the second run.
Castillo’s second run was the second quickest of the heat and enough to move into the lead. From there, neither Mendardi, USA’s Austin Parker (third after Run 1) and Latvia’s Arturs Klots could match Castillo’s time.
The final slider off the top was Balk. Balk just couldn’t put the second run together and fell down to third, giving Castillo the win.
Castillo’s gold was the third of his career, while Menardi’s silver was his first medal in two seasons.
Klots, the previous day’s winner, finished fourth, .02 ahead of Mapp in fifth.
Austria’s Hermann Ellmauer rounded out the top six.
Parker rounded out the American effort in eighth.
Results:
| Pos | Name | Nation | Bib | Start 1 | Start 2 | Run 1 | Run 2 | Finish |
| 1 | Guillermo Castillo | USA | 9 | 6.22 | 6.29 | 56.95 | 57.18 | 1:54.13 |
| 2 | Flavio Menardi | ITA | 7 | 6.23 | 6.31 | 56.94 | 57.20 | 1:54.14 |
| 3 | Robert Balk | USA | 2 | 6.24 | 6.33 | 56.81 | 57.41 | 1:54.22 |
| 4 | Arturs Klots | LAT | 10 | 6.22 | 6.31 | 56.86 | 57.40 | 1:54.26 |
| 5 | Corie Mapp | GBR | 5 | 6.25 | 6.41 | 57.08 | 57.20 | 1:54.28 |
| 6 | Hermann Ellmauer | AUT | 6 | 6.24 | 6.31 | 56.97 | 57.34 | 1:54.31 |
| 7 | Christopher Stewart | SUI | 14 | 6.25 | 6.28 | 57.24 | 57.13 | 1:54.37 |
| 8 | Austin Parker | USA | 1 | 6.25 | 6.31 | 56.88 | 57.50 | 1:54.38 |
| 9 | Israel Blanco | ESP | 3 | 6.23 | 6.32 | 57.08 | 57.36 | 1:54.44 |
| 10 | David Jennewein | ITA | 8 | 6.23 | 6.29 | 57.29 | 57.37 | 1:54.66 |
| 11 | Ziva Lavrinc | SLO | 12 | 6.27 | 6.28 | 57.36 | 57.47 | 1:54.83 |
| 12 | Fabrizio Caselli | ITA | 11 | 6.23 | 6.23 | 57.52 | 57.50 | 1:55.02 |
| 13 | Valdotas Urnikaitis | NOR | 13 | 6.23 | 6.24 | 57.90 | 57.99 | 1:55.89 |
| DSQ | David Christopher | USA | 4 | 6.27 | 6.32 | 57.31 | DSQ |
