KITZBUEHEL, Austria — Swiss skiing superstar Marco Odermatt achieved a significant milestone in his career on Friday by securing his first World Cup victory at the renowned Kitzbuehel resort during a challenging super-G race, where several competitors faced severe crashes.
This marks Odermatt’s 44th win, adding to his impressive record as he has dominated the World Cup circuit for the past three years. Despite his remarkable talent, Odermatt had previously not finished better than second in ten attempts on this notoriously difficult course, often referred to as one of the toughest in the sport.
“It’s an amazing day for me,” he expressed after the race, emphasizing his joy over the victory. He also mentioned that his primary aim for the season is to win the downhill event scheduled for Saturday.
The downhill race at Kitzbuehel is considered the pinnacle of the World Cup circuit, attracting around 45,000 spectators, including notable figures from politics and entertainment.
Odermatt reflected on his super-G win, stating, “But it’s a big step for me today, winning the super-G and having the golden (chamois) is very nice,” referring to the unique trophy shaped like a chamois, signifying his victory.
He described his performance: “For me, it was a very solid race. I tried to be clever; that’s what was needed today. In every section of the course, some racers were faster than me, but a race is about who is the fastest from top to bottom.”
The race faced several interruptions due to crashes. Notably, French skier Alexis Pinturault had to be airlifted from the slope after sustaining a right knee injury. Pinturault lost control while negotiating a left turn and collided with a gate, leading to his fall. He briefly got up but soon required medical attention, signaling for help while lying on the ground.
According to the French ski federation, Pinturault suffered a significant bone bruise to his medial plateau along with a minor fracture of the medial meniscus. He will return to France for further treatment. Pinturault is a decorated athlete, with three Olympic medals to his name and was the overall champion at the World Cup in 2021. This race marked only his eighth since returning from an 11-month recovery period due to a left knee injury.
Odermatt commented on the dangerous race conditions, especially noting Pinturault’s unfortunate crash: “So many crashes, especially Alexis again, that hurts.” He adjusted his lines to avoid the icy bumps that led to numerous falls.
Competing under nearly perfect sunny conditions, Odermatt managed to maintain his balance and adjust quickly when necessary, despite some imperfect sections of his run. Raphael Haaser finished just behind him, only 0.11 seconds slower, marking his return from a six-week injury break. Odermatt’s fellow Swiss teammates, Stefan Rogentin and Franjo von Allmen, rounded out the top four in third and fourth places, respectively.
“It’s amazing,” said Haaser, who considers this a home race, being just 45 minutes away from Kitzbuehel.
With this victory, Odermatt has solidified his lead in both the overall and super-G standings, becoming the only skier to achieve two wins in this discipline this season, as the first four super-G races had different champions.
Notably, competitors Vincent Kriechmayr from Austria and Fredrik Moeller from Norway, who ranked second and third in the super-G standings, did not compete due to injuries from a preceding downhill race in Wengen.
This super-G launched the 85th edition of the Hahnenkamm races, which boasts a prize pool exceeding 1 million euros (approximately $1.05 million), with each race winner taking home 100,000 euros (around $105,000).
Following Saturday’s downhill event, the series will conclude with a slalom race on Sunday.
