This weekend, the skiing fans saw everything that goes along with alpine sport. Spectacular skiing, brave recoveries, shocking crashes, emotions, surprises, and both outsiders and established superstars claiming the trophies. The weather played games with the organizers. On Friday, during the super-G in Kitzbühel, the sun was shining, and the racers enjoyed the perfect track, but the fog and rain made it nearly impossible for everybody to maintain regular conditions on Sunday. They made it happen nonetheless, and the fans could enjoy three incredible ski racing days.
The Horrible Toll of the Super-G Friday
Marco Odermatt said before the Hahnenkamm weekend that the Gams was the only trophy he missed in his collection, and that his goal was to get some this weekend, regardless of whether it’s going to be a super-G or a downhill. That is a pretty wild statement for somebody his age, but perhaps it is justified by his steady performance. And as Odermatt said, he did, winning the super-G in style. But before and after his immaculate performance, the audience in Kitzbühel and those sitting in front of their TV sets stopped breathing many times. The super-G featured 14 DNFs, most taking place in the eleventh gate, where a bump derailed some skiers, beginning with Lucas Feuerstein (AUT) with bib number 1. Alexis Pinturault (FRA) ended up the worst. He was transported to the hospital in immense pain and diagnosed with a broken shin and torn ACL.
On a funnier note, Otmar Striedinger (AUT) crashed spectacularly, effectively destroying two layers of safety nets. While the staff and medical team searched for him under the pile, he emerged utterly unharmed (just very angry) on the other side of the net and skied down the slope.
The Austrians could celebrate, which they probably did not expect this year, with Vincent Kriechmayr (AUT) in rehab. Not only did Stefan Babinski perform an unexpectedly good run, but Raphael Haaser, returning after injury, came the nearest to Marco Odermatt and finished second. The third spot was occupied by another Swiss, which is turning into a tradition in speed races. This time, Stefan Rogentin drew on his experience to accompany Marco on the podium, winning bronze.
The Downhills of Saturday
Two downhills took place on Saturday: ladies raced in Garmisch Partenkirchen and men in the famous Hahnenkamm.
The Kandahar Can Bite
The Kandahar racetrack is one of the most demanding slopes women race on during the season, as their track is only a few hundred meters shorter than the men’s course. Once again, we have seen many DNFs, seven namely, with one of them being excessively harsh. Austria’s Nina Ortlieb remained lying after her fall, and the diagnosis in the hospital confirmed the worst-case scenario: she had broken both bones in her lower leg, the same fracture that she had lately recovered from.
On a happier note, Kandahar brought Corinne Suter (SUI) back on the podium as she finished third. Sofia Goggia (ITA) did what she could but only finished second when Federica Brignone (ITA) showed that she is simply unstoppable this season and came home first with a 0,13-lead on Goggia.
The Canadian Joy on the Streif
The Streif was pretty merciful during the downhill, perhaps satisfied with the bloody sacrifice it took the previous day. So, we can focus on the bright side of alpine ski racing.
This season writes some of the best stories. The tales are about brave souls who work hard and regularly finish in the top 10 but always miss the most coveted prize being finally rewarded. Just like Justin Murisier (SUI) in the opening downhill of the season. Today´s story is about this year’s Hahnenkamm winner, James Crawford (CAN). Crawford has been racing on the World Cup circuit since 2018 and climbing steadily. But until this day, he’s had only 3 podiums and an Olympic bronze. What a thrill to obtain his first-ever World Cup win on the Streif.
For a long time, it looked as if the Swiss would win again, this time Alexis Monney performing best of them all and ranking second at the end of the day. Marco Odermatt and Franjo Von Allmen made too many mistakes for their standard. In the end, Crawford was the fastest. The third place belonged to another Canadian, Cameron Alexander.
The Foggy Sunday
The race organizers were in for a nightmarish morning on Sunday. Especially in Garmisch, thick fog and annoying rain threatened the start of the super-G while the organizers prepared the track with umbrellas in their hands. In Kitzbühel, the slalom track was in pitiful condition; it was soft in some places, slick with ice in others, and soft rain was bothering the racers and fans alike all day long.
Still, the organizers pulled a miracle and the skiers of both genders found a way to thrill their fans.
One Tricky Turn in Garmisch Super-G
The make-or-break spot of the super-G on the Kandahar was just below the first major jump, where the racers were supposed to turn in time before the jump because otherwise, they would miss the following blue gate. This fate met many racers, including Austria’s biggest hope, Cornelia Hütter.
As for the podium, for a long time, it looked as if Goggia and Brignone would end up first and second again. But then Lara Gur-Behrami (SUI) performed one of her smoothest, perfect runs this season and finally claimed a victory. Then Kajsa Vickhoff Lie (NOR) pushed the Italians down the ranking with her second-best run. Thus, Federica Brignone (ITA) had to be happy with third place. This still allows her to sit comfortably in the first spot of the overall season ranking.
The Slalom of Kitzbühel
The last day of the Hahnenkamm races was once more a disappointment for the local fans, with the best of them, Marco Schwarz, finishing sixth. The Kitzbühel slalom proved to be a disaster for the Norwegian squad; not even the supervision of the great Aksel Llund Svindal could save them. Henrik Kristoffersen straddled during the first run with bib number 1, foreshadowing future catastrophes. Not even Alexander Steen Olsen could make it to the second run. However, Timon Haugan was in the lead after the first run, with Atle Lie McGrapth waiting for his chance in the tenth spot, which might have been ideal in such tricky conditions.
In the end, everything was different during the second run. First, Kristoffer Jacobsen (SWE) performed such a fine run that he made the others look like amateurs. But then Alex Vinatzer (ITA), with his exciting and aggressive run overpowered him and waited in the red chair, biting his nails. The next racer, Atle Lie McGrath added another DNF to the Norwegian torment in Kitzbühel.
Lucas Pinheiro Braathen (BRA) could not depose Vinatzer, but Clement Noel (FRA) could. And then the two leaders from the first run failed to finish. Steven Amiez (FRA) made one critical mistake and ranked last. Timon Haugan completed the tragic Norwegian story with a DNF, making the rest of his squad cry in despair as they watched.
Thus, Clement Noel continues his striking season, bringing home a chamois. Alex Vinatzer returned to the World Cup podium after four years of waiting. And Lucas Pinheiro Braathen earned just another World Cup medal for South America.
This was one of the most exciting weekends in the season, but with Schladming just around the corner, the fun does not stop.
