For more than 20 years, the Gianni Marzola Prize has been an integral part of the World Cup week in Val Gardena/Gröden. The special prize is awarded to the youngest participant in the speed events on the Saslong.

This year, the 1,500 euro award went to 21-year-old Swiss skier Livio Hiltbrand (date of birth: September 27, 2003). The 2023 Super-G Junior World Champion and 2024 Downhill Junior World Champion was at the start of the downhill classic on Saturday and even collected his first World Cup points by finishing 17th. For Hiltbrand, the race at the foot of the Sassolungo/Langkofel was only his third appearance in the World Cup. Prior to that, the Swiss skier competed in the super-G in March 2023 in Soldeu and in the downhill two weeks ago in Beaver Creek.

Incidentally, last year's Gianni Marzola Prize went to the runner-up in this year's downhill, the Swiss skier Franjo von Allmen.