Swiss Racer Leads Giant Slalom at Adelboden
A Delighted Home Crowd Witnesses Surprise
In a thrilling start to the World Cup giant slalom in Adelboden, Switzerland, Loïc Meillard, an athlete from the host nation, surprised many by leading the first run on Sunday. Starting with the first bib, Meillard clocked a time that placed him 0.27 seconds ahead of Norwegian competitor Henrik Kristoffersen, while the reigning Olympic and world champion, Marco Odermatt, who was projected to dominate, found himself in third place, needing to make up a 0.34-second deficit in the afternoon run.
Odermatt, who has notably won all 14 giant slalom events he has entered over the last two years, has a remarkable streak at Adelboden, securing victories in this classic event for three consecutive seasons. His consistent performance in giant slalom has earned him three straight season-long World Cup titles, a domination that leaves teammate Meillard with just two career wins in this discipline.
As the competition progressed, Odermatt initially struggled to match Meillard’s impressive run. However, he showcased his skill by making up a significant portion of the time, recovering over four-tenths of a second on the steep final slope.
The weather conditions improved significantly from the previous day, with sunshine and clear skies greeting competitors and fans alike, as temperatures hovered around -9 degrees Celsius (16 degrees Fahrenheit). This shift in weather allowed the giant slalom event to proceed, as the original schedule had to be altered to avoid cancellation due to fog and snowfall during the slalom on Saturday.
Lucas Pinheiro Braathen, representing Brazil but originally from Norway, was unable to finish his first run on Sunday, having placed second the day before. Despite the setback, the giant slalom race attracted an impressive crowd of around 15,000 spectators, setting a potential record for a Sunday at Adelboden. This storied course holds a significant place in the history of the World Cup, having featured in each of the 58 seasons since its inception.
Looking ahead, Odermatt intends to secure a fourth consecutive title on the Chuenisbaergli hill, a feat that would align him with the record set by Alpine skiing icon Ingemar Stenmark, who accomplished this from 1979 to 1982. The 27-year-old star currently leads both the giant slalom and overall World Cup standings, vying for a fourth-straight crystal trophy in each category. In addition to his successes in giant slalom, Odermatt is also at the forefront of the downhill and super-G standings as the circuit heads to Wengen for races the following weekend.
