Loic Meillard celebrated a remarkable achievement by clinching his second world title in men’s slalom during the Alpine skiing world championships in Saalbach-Hinterglemm, Austria, on Sunday. His victory marks a historic moment, making him the first Swiss skier to win gold in this event in 75 years, since Georges Schneider took the title in 1950.
With this win, Meillard added to his collection of medals, having previously secured a third-place finish in the giant slalom and a gold in the team combined alongside teammate Franjo von Allmen. After finishing the race, Meillard expressed, “It’s been a crazy week,” noting that he edged out Norway’s Atle Lie McGrath by a margin of just 0.26 seconds. Germany’s Linus Strasser completed the podium, finishing 0.52 seconds behind to take home the bronze.
The slalom World Cup champion from Austria, Manuel Feller, fell short of medal contention, finishing fourth, just 0.27 seconds behind Strasser. Sunday’s slalom race was the concluding event of the championships.
Meillard’s success contributed to a superb week for the Swiss team, which matched the record set by Austria in 1999 for the most medals won in a single world championship, totaling 13, of which five were gold. Alongside Meillard’s slalom victory, Marco Odermatt claimed the super-G title, while Von Allmen triumphed in the downhill event, and Camille Rast claimed the women’s slalom gold.
This outstanding performance sets a high standard for the Swiss team as they prepare to host the next Alpine skiing world championships in Crans-Montana in 2027. Alpine director Hans Flatscher commented on the achievements, stating, “To perform at the same level, we have to work hard in the future,” emphasizing the need for sustained effort. Flatscher also remarked on the strong team spirit that helps elevate performances, saying, “The world championships start at zero.”
Clement Noel, the reigning Olympic champion, led after the first run but failed to finish after straddling a gate during his second run. Despite his earlier success, he has yet to secure a medal at the world level, with his best result being a fourth-place finish two years prior, when he missed the podium narrowly. Noel’s failure to finish meant that the French team ended the championships without any medals, which was compounded by the absence of key competitors Alexis Pinturault and Cyprien Sarrazin due to injuries.
McGrath and Strasser celebrated their podium finishes as their first major championship medals, although Strasser previously earned Olympic silver in team events. McGrath was elated after securing his medal, joyfully expressing, “What a crazy day. To be able to come down and see the green light was insane.” He humorously attempted a flip celebrating his win but admitted it didn’t go as planned, noting, “I think Cuche is the king, and I am just a little kid that wants to be like Cuche one day.”
Henrik Kristoffersen, the Norwegian defending champion, tied for 13th place alongside Brazilian Lucas Pinheiro Braathen during the event. Having switched nationalities after racing for Norway until 2023, Pinheiro Braathen aimed to make history by securing Brazil’s first medal at the skiing world championships.
Feller, seen as Austria’s leading contender for a medal, felt the disappointment of missing out, admitting, “This is the biggest defeat of my career.” Despite the long absence of Swiss victory in the men’s slalom event, he was not taken aback by Meillard’s win, recognizing Swiss dominance in the current season. Feller stated, “With the confidence Loic got over the last races, he got nothing to lose. Amazing skiing.”
