In the Austrian Alps at Sölden, Olympic champion Marco Odermatt successfully defended his lead against local favorite Marco Schwarz to claim victory in the men’s World Cup giant slalom season opener. Despite adverse weather conditions causing delays, Odermatt widened his narrow first-run edge of 0.01 seconds to outpace Schwarz by 0.24 seconds, crossing the finish line in 1:56.03 for his 46th career triumph and 27th in the giant slalom discipline. Schwarz, who had been sidelined by knee and back injuries for nearly two years, secured his first podium finish in a while, with Atle Lie McGrath of Norway following closely in third place.
Challenging conditions marked the final run, with a snowfall surge prompting an hour-long delay between runs as course workers cleared the fresh snow from the racing line. Despite limited visibility due to low clouds, the competition proceeded after two 30-minute start delays as conditions gradually improved. Odermatt commended the course preparation and acknowledged the difficulty faced by all skiers in navigating the challenging slope.
Schwarz’s teammate Stefan Brennsteiner initially held third place after the first run but slipped one spot in the subsequent run. Odermatt praised the strong showing from the Austrian team, particularly Schwarz, who narrowly missed securing Austria’s second victory in the World Cup season opener following Julia Scheib’s win in the women’s event.
Canadian skiers Erik Read and William St-Germain finished 37th and 60th, respectively, in the opening run. Odermatt and Schwarz, who had a gripping rivalry in past seasons, saw Odermatt clinch the overall title after Schwarz’s season-ending injury. Odermatt, a dominant force in giant slalom, experienced a setback last year but returned to form with this recent victory while last year’s winner, Aleksander Steen Olsen, was absent due to a lingering knee issue.
Brazilian skier Lucas Pinheiro Braathen, aiming to secure Brazil’s first World Cup win in Alpine skiing, faced a mishap in his run and skied out of the course. Despite the setback, Braathen remains determined to make history for his country in the sport.
Additional notable performances included world champion Raphael Haaser finishing sixth, former overall champion Alexis Pinturault placing 18th in his first race since January, and American skier River Radamus qualifying for the second run, ending in 21st place behind Odermatt. The event faced challenges from strong winds, prompting organizers to adjust the start gate location, resulting in shorter run times for top competitors.
Looking ahead, the men’s World Cup will proceed with a slalom event in Levi, Finland, on Nov. 16, accessible for live streaming on CBCSports.ca and CBC Gem. Fans can check the CBC Sports broadcast schedule for further details on upcoming races.