SAALBACH-HINTERGLEMM, Austria — The Alpine world championships witnessed an extraordinary display of skill on Friday, as Swiss skiing legend Marco Odermatt triumphed in the super-G event. His performance left fellow competitors speechless, affirming his status as the overwhelming favorite heading into the race.
Odermatt claimed victory with a remarkable finishing time that was a full second ahead of silver medalist Raphael Haaser, marking one of the most significant winning margins ever seen in the men’s super-G at World Championships.
With a smooth run on the sun-soaked Schneekristall course, Odermatt celebrated immediately upon crossing the finish line, raising his finger skyward and releasing an exhilarating scream as he pounded his chest in elation.
“It truly was a perfect day … I couldn’t wish for anything more,” stated Odermatt, who became the first Swiss skier to earn a super-G world title since his childhood hero, Didier Cuche, achieved the feat in 2009. He expressed that from the third gate onward, he felt an unparalleled connection with his skis, which propelled him to confidently navigate the challenging course.
This victory marks a significant milestone for Odermatt, who previously held the Olympic giant slalom title and clinched both the downhill and giant slalom championships at the last world event two years ago. He expressed immense pride in becoming a world champion in super-G, calling it “incredible” and admitting he would have chosen this title as his first if given the option.
Showing no signs of slowing down, Odermatt boasts an impressive record of 44 World Cup victories, including 14 in the super-G discipline alone, and leads the current super-G standings after multiple wins this season, including a recent success in Kitzbuehel.
Haaser’s silver medal provided Austria with its second podium finish at the championships after Stephanie Venier’s gold on the previous day. Despite the challenges faced with his sister Ricarda’s crashing incident and subsequent knee injury in the women’s super-G, Raphael Haaser expressed his joy, stating the home crowd and favorable weather made the achievement even more special.
Claiming bronze was Norway’s Adrian Smiseth Sejersted, who finished 1.15 seconds behind Odermatt, marking his first medal at a major event. He acknowledged the strong tradition of Norwegian athletes in super-G, referencing legends like Aksel Lund Svindal and Kjetil Jansrud.
Sejersted praised his teammate Fredrik Moeller, who finished fifth, suggesting the young skier is likely to maintain a strong presence in the sport for years to come, although he noted the competitors are in a tough battle against top talents like Odermatt.
More accolades for Odermatt came from fellow racers. Ryan Cochran-Siegle, who posted the best American finish by tying for seventh, stated it was clear that Odermatt stands apart from the rest in such a prestigious competition. Teammate Bryce Bennett echoed this sentiment, remarking on Odermatt’s perfect synergy with his equipment and confidence level.
Vincent Kriechmayr, the reigning world champion in both super-G and downhill who narrowly missed a medal by just five-hundredths of a second, made his return following a knee injury sustained during a crash in Wengen.
Canadian racer James Crawford, who recently claimed the Kitzbuehel downhill, finished considerably behind the leaders, about 3.41 seconds off the winning time. The event also saw the absence of several notable athletes sidelined by injuries, including former overall champions Aleksander Aamodt Kilde and Alexis Pinturault.
As the championships proceed, attention will shift to the women’s downhill scheduled for Saturday, continuing the excitement of the alpine skiing season.
