KRANJSKA GORA, Slovenia — In a thrilling display of skill and speed, Henrik Kristoffersen took the lead in the initial run of the men’s World Cup giant slalom. The competition took place on Saturday in Kranjska Gora, a venue where both he and Marco Odermatt have frequently excelled. Since 2019, the Norwegian and Swiss skiers have dominated by each clinching three victories out of the six GS races hosted on the scenic Podkoren course.
Kristoffersen, who claimed the world champion title back in 2019, set a blistering pace by finishing his run 0.15 seconds ahead of Odermatt. He is targeting his first victory in this discipline since his last triumph at this very location in March 2022. Currently, Kristoffersen sits third in the season’s standings, trailing leader Odermatt by 81 points. Odermatt is renowned as the Olympic and three-time World Cup giant slalom champion, representing Switzerland.
Andorra’s Joan Verdu managed to secure a third-place position, marking himself as a contender with 0.52 seconds to recover in the second run scheduled for later in the day. Notably, no other skier finished within 0.8 seconds of Kristoffersen’s impressive lead.
On the Austrian front, world champion Raphael Haaser emerged as the top performer for his nation, ranking eighth. This event marked his first race since he seized gold on familiar terrain in Saalbach-Hinterglemm just two weeks prior. Despite the achievements, the Austrian men’s team faces a challenging dry spell, having not claimed victory in the 33 World Cup races since Manuel Feller’s slalom win in February 2024. This marks their most extended period without a win since a 34-event streak in the 1991-92 season.
