Preview of the most thrilling weekend the alpine skiing fans can wish for.
The Kitz is coming, and the traditional slalom night party in Schladming follows. The female alpine skiers don’t want to remain in the shadows of their male colleagues, so they will conquer the Kandahar track, one of the most demanding tracks in the women’s FIS calendar in German Garmisch-Partenkirchen.
The Challenge of GaPa
Garmisch-Partenkirchen lies in Bavaria, and due to its altitude and unique climatic conditions, it enjoys colder weather and more snow than the rest of Germany every winter. It also has a rich history; during the infamous 1936 Olympic games (so-called Nazi Olympics) GaPa hosted the Winter Olympics. It was also the first time alpine skiing appeared in the Games program. The speed races take place on the Kandahar slope, opened in 1936 for the Olympics. With an 85% gradient in one section, this course is the steepest in the women’s World Cup circuit. There will be a downhill event on Saturday and a super-G on Sunday.
What to expect from the speed races? We expect Sofia Goggia (ITA) to give it her all. This is the hill for the bravest, and that might suit her. Federica Brignone (ITA) would want to put her excellent form to the test, as well. She suffered a DNF in the last giant slalom race on Kronplatz and will want to make up for it. In the previous speed event in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Kajsa Vickhoff Lie (NOR) also showed promising form, finishing second in the downhill. As for super-G, Lara Gut Behrami (SUI) is still waiting for her World Cup win this season, and with her experience, Garmisch could be just the right place.
Corinne Suter’s (SUI) form is also on the rise, and historically, she has been very successful in Garmisch, so she might also crown her rising form with a victory.
The Courchevel Technical Break
As men will tackle the night slalom of Schladming after the Kitz weekend, the ladies will have to battle in their technical discipline on Thursday. The difference is that they have to travel from Germany to France, while men only move from one Austrian valley to another. But then, ladies have free time for regeneration before the World Championship starts, while men must travel to Garmisch after Schladming. The night events are very popular with the fans, yet the racers are no machines, and this year, I feel like FIS is making the last week before the Championship extra demanding.
In Courchevel only slalom will occur. Courchevel is a famous French resort that hosted the World Championship of 2023. As for the slalom, anything is possible. Camille Rast (SUI) is in the lead, Sara Hector (SWE) and Wendy Holdener (SUI) are in superb form, and young miracles like Zrinka Ljutic (CRO) and Lara Colturi (ALB) show much potential.
The Kitz Weekend
Kitzbühel is a highlight of the alpine skiing season. Many athletes would gladly exchange their World Championship medals to have the Hahnenkamm trophy in their collection. We will dedicate a whole article to this royal event, but who do we expect to raise the chamois?
The safest tip with the speed races is that a Swiss will win. It has worked four times this season, so why not in Kitzbühel? The question remains of whether Odermatt, Von Allmen, Murisier, or Monney will triumph. Marco Odermatt has never won in Kitzbühel. This is one of the very few trophies he does not have on his wall. Let us not forget the American Ryan Cochran-Siegel and the Slovenian Miha Hrobat, who also showed impressive form this year.
The downhill on the Streif is unpredictable; odds favor both the reckless youngsters and experienced veterans. We’ll see on Saturday.
As for the slalom on Sunday, the Norwegian pack would be once more on the top, no doubt, with the Brazilian Pinheiro Braathen and Loic Meillard from Switzerland chasing them.
The Night Celebration in Schladming
For the technical specialists, the night events in Austrian Schladming would be the last test before the World Championships. So, maybe some of the team members whose coaches have not yet made their final choices about the national team members for this event might be a little nervous. And stress does not help, definitely not in slalom. The best of the Austrians, Manuel Feller and Marco Schwarz, would already be feeling enough stress, with the locals cheering them in the pulsing heart of the skiing world. In Schladming, everything revolves around skiing; there is also a famous skiing academy where talented young people can study secondary school while training at the highest level. And the fans here are famed for creating an unforgettable atmosphere.
There will be a giant slalom on Tuesday and a slalom on Wednesday. The night giant slalom is something special. Racers are used to the night slaloms, but the giant slalom track is too long for most organizers to light up and prepare for the evening conditions. So, Schladming races celebrate the organizers’ skill and devotion to sports. Temperatures are supposed to sink very low over the weekend so the track will be in perfect condition.
Henrik Kristoffersen (NOR) has loved Schladming since he chased Marcel Hirscher or Hirscher chased him. Luca Di Aliprandini (ITA) and Loic Meillard are also in promising form for the giant slalom competition. But will that be enough to stop Marco Odermatt? Will anything?
