Adam Zampa Photo Agence Zoom

The Alpine Skiing FIS Continental Cup series in the Southern hemisphere, both the South American Cup (SAC) and the Australia New Zealand Cup (ANZ), have concluded their 2012 racing seasons. This year, some of the world’s top male and female ski racers have competed for the overall titles, with the regional winners gaining good starting positions for the 2012/13 World Cup Opening next month in Soelden (AUT).

On a whole, the two Southern hemisphere Continental Cup series where only athletes from the organising continent may claim the fixed World Cup starting places, concluded with roughly 25 per cent of races cancelled due to weather or snow conditions.

Following the cancellation of the planned South American Cup (SAC) finals in Nevados de Chillan (CHI) from 20th-24th September, the final races were held from 11th-13th September in Cerro Catedral (ARG).

For the 12th time, the SAC overall title went to the technical specialist Cristian Javier Simari Birkner (ARG) who collected 491 points ahead of his teammates Sebastiano Gastaldi (340) and Jorge F. Birkner Ketelhohn (219).

Finland’s Andreas Romar claimed the SAC downhill title for 2012, while in super-G it was Germany’s Josef Ferstl.

On the ladies' side, Simari Birkner’s sisters Maria Belen and Macarena also continued their domination, with Maria Belen clinching her 12th title ahead of her sister. Noelle Barahona of Chile took third.

Maria Belen Simari Birkner also won the slalom and giant slalom rankings while Russia's Alexandra Prokopyeva took the downhill title. The super-G was a tie race concluding with two winners: Argentina’s Macarena Simari Birkner and Russia’s Anastasia Kedrina, both with 160 points.

“Down Under”, the ANC 2012 held its opening races at Mt Buller (AUS) in early August, before continuing to Mt Hotham and Coronet Peak and conclude in Mt Hutt (NZL) where half of the races were subject to cancellations.

This year's ANC overall victory was claimed by Slovakia’s Adam Zampa (416) with Johan Oehagen of Sweden in second place (305) and Cameron Smith from the United States finishing third (232).

Meanwhile, the ladies' ANC title was conquered by local talent, 16-year-old Greta Small (380). Norway's Rikke Gasmann-Brott (360) and Caroline Barry (215, USA) completed the podium.

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