Winter Games: Hall bags bronze for NZ

Despite winds and variable snow conditions, Dunedin International Paralympic Committee standing skier Adam Hall managed a personal best time and a bronze medal in the Winter Games yesterday.

"It was a good result for me, especially in the giant slalom, which is not my strongest event."

After the "frustrating" start to the week - the IPC super G was cancelled due to poor weather on Wednesday - the IPC alpine skiers got their first chance to race in yesterday's standing men's adaptive LW1 giant slalom.

"Out of the whole season, this is the worst weather we have had," Hall said.

Poor weather was part of alpine skiing, and skiers had to "make the best of it".

"It can happen any time, anywhere in the world. Out of everything, that is the one thing they can't control."

Hall was pleased with his performance, particularly as he had been up against world No 1 Gerd Schonfelder, of Germany.

Schonfelder won the event, and Switzerland's Thomas Pfyl was second.

Hall has been named in the New Zealand team to compete in the Winter Paralympics in Vancouver next year, and he said the Winter Games had given him a better idea of where he stood in relation to other athletes, and on which areas he could improve.

He is confident he can bring home medals from the Paralympics next year and will finish the winter training in Wanaka.

Today, Hall will compete in the Winter Games slalom - his favoured event - and he hopes for another podium finish.

Germany's Martin Braxenthaler won the men's sitting giant slalom yesterday, beating team-mate Thomas Nolte and Carl Burnett, of the United States.

Wanaka's Peter Williams finished sixth in the men's sitting division, keeping him in contention for a spot in New Zealand's Paralympic team for next year.