As part of the 53rd Saslong Classic, the photo contest "Saslong - Passion & Performance" was announced for a second time. Gianpaolo Piazzi captured the first place with his worthy snapshot in the contest organized by the Saslong Classic Club and the Saslonch Hut.

On Friday afternoon, Piazzi was announced the winner at the Media Center in S. Cristina. The photo of the Italian shows a Norwegian athlete directly under a gondola during his ride over the Saslong and convinced the expert jury not only because of the high image quality, but also scored points with the dynamic presentation of its subject. Second place went to Francis Bompard with a special play of light and shadow, and third place went to Pierre Teyssot with a work showing the full effort of an Austrian athlete.

The President of the Saslong Classic Club, Rainer Senoner, used the award ceremony to underline the important role of all media representatives: "I would like to thank all photographers and journalists who, with their excellent work, make an important contribution to the success of the race week in Val Gardena/Gröden. With your photos and reports you carry numerous emotions directly from the hearts of the Dolomites to the whole world. These snapshots show not only the passion of the athletes, but also the passion of those people who are behind the lens."

Senoner also thanked all the photographers who participated in the competition. A total of 22 images were submitted as part of the contest. The three winning works will now be included in the "Hall of Fame" at the Saslonch Hut, where they will be exhibited.