World champion Marco Odermatt reaffirmed his position as the top contender for the Olympic super-G gold on Friday by clinching victory in the first race of the famed Hahnenkamm weekend, the final super-G event before the Milan Cortina Games. Odermatt’s win made him the only skier with multiple super-G triumphs this season, breaking a streak of five different winners in the previous races.
Competing under clear skies, Odermatt narrowly bested his Swiss compatriot Franjo von Allmen by a mere 0.03 seconds in Kitzbuhel, Austria. Reflecting on his performance, Odermatt expressed satisfaction, admitting surprise at his lead after a slight deviation from the ideal race line in the middle section. The Swiss skier’s victory marked his seventh win of the season.
In a light-hearted moment, von Allmen playfully pretended to choke Odermatt in jest after the race, highlighting the competitive spirit among athletes. The Swiss duo outpaced Austrian skiers Stefan Babinsky and Raphael Haaser, who finished third and fourth, respectively, trailing behind by 0.25 and 0.33 seconds.
With former world champion Vincent Kriechmayr settling for seventh place, Odermatt extended his lead in the super-G standings over the Austrian by 158 points with just three races remaining post-Olympics. Among the Canadian contingent, Cam Alexander achieved the top result, securing an 11th-place finish, while Jack Crawford placed 21st.
Odermatt’s triumph also propelled him closer to third-placed Hermann Maier on the men’s World Cup all-time race winners list. The Swiss skier’s 17th super-G victory equaled Aksel Lund Svindal’s record, with Maier holding the most super-G wins at 24 in his career. Despite some mishaps on the course, including a dramatic gate hit by Adrian Smiseth Sejersted, the Norwegian skier showcased resilience to secure a fifth-place finish.
Meanwhile, two-time Kitzbuhel downhill winner Aleksander Aamodt Kilde opted out of the super-G race due to back pain, emphasizing the importance of being in peak condition for such challenging events. Kilde, a former overall champion, is aiming for a return at the upcoming downhill race in Crans-Montana, the final World Cup event before the Olympics.