Swiss skier Marco Odermatt emerged victorious in the men’s World Cup giant slalom season opener in Sölden, Austria, holding off local favorite Marco Schwarz. Odermatt extended his narrow lead from the first run by 0.24 seconds to clinch the win with a time of 1:56.03, marking his 46th career victory and 27th in giant slalom. Schwarz, making his first podium appearance in nearly two years due to previous knee and back injuries, finished second. Atle Lie McGrath from Norway secured the third spot, trailing by 0.03 seconds.
Challenging weather conditions, including snowfall and limited visibility, caused delays before the final run. Despite the obstacles, Odermatt commended the course workers for their efforts and expressed satisfaction with his performance. The second run was postponed for an hour to clear the snow and improve visibility for the racers, reaching speeds of up to 75 kilometers per hour.
Stefan Brennsteiner of Austria initially held the third position after the first run but slipped to fourth in the end. Odermatt praised the strong showing from the Austrian team, particularly Schwarz, who narrowly missed securing Austria’s second victory after Julia Scheib’s win in the women’s race the day before.
Canadian skiers Erik Read and William St-Germain finished 37th and 60th, respectively, in the opening run. Odermatt and Schwarz had a previous rivalry in the overall standings, with Odermatt ultimately winning the big crystal globe after Schwarz’s season-ending knee injury.
Notably, Odermatt has dominated the giant slalom title for the past four seasons but faced a setback in the previous year’s opening race. The absence of last year’s winner, Aleksander Steen Olsen, due to a knee injury was also highlighted. Brazilian skier Lucas Pinheiro Braathen, aiming for Brazil’s first World Cup victory in Alpine skiing, unfortunately skied out of the course during his first run.
The competition saw World champion Raphael Haaser finishing sixth, while former overall champion Alexis Pinturault landed in 18th place in his first race since January. American skier River Radamus was the sole American to qualify for the second run, finishing 21st. Strong winds on the upper course section led organizers to adjust the start gate location, resulting in shorter run times for top racers.
The men’s World Cup will continue with a slalom event in Levi, Finland, on November 16. Fans can catch the action live on CBCSports.ca and CBC Gem by referring to the CBC Sports broadcast schedule for more information.