KITZBUEHEL, Austria — Olympic champion Clement Noel achieved his fourth World Cup slalom victory of the season on Sunday, capitalizing on errors by the first-run leaders, Timon Haugan and Steven Amiez, on one of the circuit’s most difficult courses.
Noel surged from a fourth-place start to clinch the win, finishing just 0.09 seconds ahead of Italy’s Alex Vinatzer, while Lucas Pinheiro Braathen secured third place, 0.19 seconds back, marking his second podium finish since switching to represent Brazil.
Haugan, who had previously won this season, recorded the fastest time in the opening run but encountered trouble in his second attempt, skiing out before even reaching the first split time. Amiez also suffered an early setback but completed the course, ultimately finishing at the back of the pack.
This outcome made Noel the standout skier with multiple slalom wins in the current season.
“Kitzbuehel has been a favorite of mine for many years,” remarked the French skier, recalling his previous victory at the renowned Austrian venue in 2019. “It has been six years, and I faced considerable challenges here in my recent races. Winning today feels surreal.”
Noel’s victory comes at a crucial time with the Alpine skiing world championships just around the corner, scheduled for February 16 in Saalbach-Hinterglemm.
“My key objective of the season remains the world championships, though Kitzbuehel holds significant importance for me,” he added.
Pinheiro Braathen, who transitioned to represent Brazil this season after a hiatus from competitive skiing, secured third place in December at a slalom event in Beaver Creek, marking Brazil’s first-ever World Cup podium in Alpine skiing.
“Kitzbuehel is my ultimate highlight… I felt extremely nervous today; this place means everything to me,” Pinheiro Braathen expressed to Austrian television. “The magic of this venue is unparalleled. Skiing here fills me with joy.”
With this win, Noel ascended to the top of the slalom rankings, expanding his lead to 29 points over world champion Henrik Kristoffersen, who had difficulty in the rainy conditions, failing to finish the first run after straddling a gate.
The rain intensified throughout the race, affecting visibility for the competitors.
Bulgaria’s Albert Popov, who won a night slalom in Italy last month, humorously imitated a windshield wiper with his hand while finishing his first run 1.3 seconds off the lead; he ultimately finished in 14th place.
Dave Ryding, who made history as the first British skier to win a World Cup race in Kitzbuehel three years ago, tied for 16th alongside his teammate Laurie Taylor.
This slalom marked the conclusion of the 85th edition of the prestigious Hahnenkamm races, a World Cup event known for its substantial prize fund, with winners receiving 100,000 Swiss francs, which is significantly higher than the 47,000 typically offered at other events.
The next competitions on the schedule will be two night races: a giant slalom on Tuesday and a slalom on Wednesday, set to take place in Schladming.