Marco Odermatt is dominating the World Cup skiing scene, and now he is poised to break records on his home turf. In Wengen, Switzerland, Odermatt secured his fourth career downhill victory, surpassing the tie with Franz Klammer and Beat Feuz for the most downhill wins on the renowned Lauberhorn course. Klammer, an Austrian standout, clinched three Wengen downhill wins in the 1970s, while Feuz, another Swiss skier, achieved his third victory in 2020.
Notably, Odermatt’s four consecutive wins set him apart. He finished a significant 0.79 seconds ahead of Austria’s Vincent Kriechmayr and 0.90 seconds in front of Italy’s Giovanni Franzoni, who celebrated his first career victory in Friday’s super-G. Canadian skier Cam Alexander secured a commendable seventh-place finish.
Due to strong winds, the race course was significantly shortened, focusing on the crucial “Kernen S” section. Odermatt expertly navigated this section, maintaining unmatched speed on the exit. Other Swiss skiers, Franjo von Allmen and Alexis Money, secured the fourth and fifth positions, respectively. Von Allmen, the reigning downhill world champion, took a risky approach, colliding with a television camera on the course but fortunately escaped injury.
Italy’s Dominik Paris claimed the sixth spot, recording the top speed of 151.57 kph (94 mph). This event marked the beginning of two classic venue weekends, with Kitzbuehel, Austria, next in line before the focus shifts to the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics in Italy, where the men will compete in Bormio.
Odermatt, the gold medalist in giant slalom at the 2022 Beijing Olympics, is expected to shine at the upcoming Games. With this victory, he edges closer to his 52nd World Cup win, nearing Hermann Maier’s third-place record. Additionally, Odermatt maintains a commanding lead in the standings as he pursues his fifth consecutive overall World Cup title. Celebrating his triumph in Wengen, Odermatt expressed his excitement by cheering and waving to the enthusiastic crowd adorned with Swiss flags.