Olympic gold medalist Marco Odermatt triumphed over local favorite Marco Schwarz to secure victory at the season-opening men’s World Cup giant slalom event in Sölden, Austria. Odermatt extended his narrow lead from the first run by 0.24 seconds to clinch the win in a total time of 1 minute 56.03 seconds, marking his 46th career victory and 27th in giant slalom discipline.
Schwarz, who had been sidelined for almost two years due to knee and back injuries, achieved his first podium finish in a long time. Atle Lie McGrath from Norway claimed the third spot, trailing by 0.03 seconds.
Challenging weather conditions delayed the final run, with increasing snowfall and poor visibility posing difficulties for the racers reaching speeds of up to 75 kilometers per hour. Despite the obstacles, course workers and Odermatt managed to navigate the challenging course successfully.
The second run commenced after an hour-long delay to clear fresh snow from the race line. Organizers postponed the start time twice before giving the green light as conditions improved. Odermatt praised the fairness of the second run and his preference for challenging conditions.
Although Schwarz’s teammate Stefan Brennsteiner initially held the third position after the first run, he slipped to fourth in the final standings. Odermatt acknowledged the strong performance of the Austrian team, particularly Schwarz, who narrowly missed securing a victory for Austria following Julia Scheib’s win in the women’s race.
Canadian skiers Erik Read and William St-Germain finished 37th and 60th, respectively, in the event. Odermatt and Schwarz had a notable rivalry two years ago, with Odermatt ultimately claiming the overall title after Schwarz’s season-ending knee injury.
Odermatt’s dominance in the giant slalom discipline continued with his victory, having won the title for the past four seasons. The absence of last year’s winner, Aleksander Steen Olsen, due to a knee injury was notable. Brazilian skier Lucas Pinheiro Braathen, aiming for Brazil’s first World Cup win in Alpine skiing, encountered challenges and failed to finish his run.
Raphael Haaser secured a sixth-place finish, while former overall champion Alexis Pinturault placed 18th in his first race since January. American skier River Radamus finished 21st, the only American to progress to the second run.
Due to strong winds, organizers adjusted the start gate position, resulting in shorter run times for the top racers. The men’s World Cup will continue with a slalom event in Levi, Finland, on Nov. 16, with live coverage available on CBCSports.ca and CBC Gem.
For more details on the broadcast schedule, visit the CBC Sports website.