Olympic gold medalist Marco Odermatt triumphed over local favorite Marco Schwarz to claim victory in the men’s World Cup giant slalom season opener at Sölden in the Austrian Alps. Odermatt extended his narrow lead from the first run by 0.24 seconds to secure the win with a total time of 1 minute 56.03 seconds, marking his 46th career victory and 27th in giant slalom. Schwarz, who hadn’t reached the podium in almost two years due to previous knee and back injuries, finished second. Atle Lie McGrath from Norway took the third spot, trailing by 0.03 seconds.
Challenged by adverse weather conditions, including poor visibility and snowfall, the final run was delayed. The second run commenced after an hour-long pause to clear the fresh snow from the course. Despite the challenges, Odermatt commended the efforts of the course workers in managing the conditions. Schwarz’s compatriot, Stefan Brennsteiner, initially held the third position after the first run but slipped to fourth in the end.
Praising the strong performance of the Austrian team, Odermatt acknowledged Schwarz’s resurgence in form, narrowly missing out on a home victory. The race saw Calgary’s Erik Read finishing 37th and William St-Germain from Mont Sainte-Anne, Que., placing 60th. Two years ago, Odermatt and Schwarz engaged in a tight battle for the overall standings, with Odermatt eventually securing the top spot.
Notably, Odermatt has dominated the giant slalom discipline for the past four seasons, although he faltered in the previous year’s opening race. The absence of last year’s winner, Aleksander Steen Olsen, due to a lingering knee injury was also felt during the event. Lucas Pinheiro Braathen of Brazil, competing for the second season under the Brazilian flag, encountered a mishap during his run, aiming to secure Brazil’s first-ever World Cup victory in alpine skiing.
The men’s World Cup will progress to a slalom event in Levi, Finland, on November 16. Fans can catch the action live on CBCSports.ca and CBC Gem.
