World champion Marco Odermatt solidified his position as the top contender for the Olympic super-G title on Friday by clinching victory at the inaugural event of the renowned Hahnenkamm weekend, marking the final super-G race before the Milan Cortina Games.
Odermatt, hailing from Switzerland, secured his second super-G win of the season, distinguishing himself as the sole skier to achieve multiple victories in this discipline during the current season, which had witnessed five different winners in the previous events.
Competing under ideal sunny skies, Odermatt narrowly outpaced his compatriot Franjo von Allmen by a mere 0.03 seconds at the Kitzbuhel venue in Austria.
Reflecting on his performance, Odermatt expressed his satisfaction, stating, “It was very close, so I am satisfied. In the upper section, I felt confident, but I deviated from the racing line in the middle part, so it’s a bit surprising that I ended up in the lead.”
Following the race, Odermatt gestured with his hand to indicate the close margin of victory and then directed attention to von Allmen in the leader’s spot.
The Swiss pair finished ahead of the Austrian duo of Stefan Babinsky and Raphael Haaser, who trailed by 0.25 and 0.33 seconds, respectively, securing the third and fourth positions.
In the super-G standings, Odermatt’s primary rival, former world champion Vincent Kriechmayr, settled for seventh place. Odermatt now commands a 158-point lead over the Austrian with three races remaining post the Olympic Games.
Among the Canadian contingent, Cam Alexander achieved the highest finish, claiming the 11th spot, while his teammate Jack Crawford secured the 21st position.
Odermatt’s triumph brought him within reach of third-placed Hermann Maier on the all-time list of male World Cup race winners. Maier, who retired in 2009, accumulated 54 career wins, while Marcel Hirscher from Austria boasts 67 victories, and Ingemar Stenmark of Sweden leads the pack with 86 triumphs.
Notably, Mikaela Shiffrin holds the record for the most World Cup race wins across genders, with 107 victories since her debut win in 2012.
Odermatt’s win on Friday marked his 17th triumph in super-G races, matching Aksel Lund Svindal’s career total. Maier holds the record for the most super-G victories in a career with 24.
During the event, Swiss racer Arnaud Boisset encountered a severe crash at the Seidlalm jump section of the course but fortunately emerged unscathed.
Additionally, Norwegian skier Adrian Smiseth Sejersted narrowly avoided a fall after hitting a gate at the same jump and impressively finished the race in fifth place.
Meanwhile, Aleksander Aamodt Kilde of Norway opted out of the competition due to back pain and also withdrew from the following day’s downhill event after skiing in the early hours.
Kilde, a former overall champion, emphasized the importance of being in peak condition before competing, especially on challenging courses like the Streif in Kitzbuhel.
Despite his recent injuries, Kilde aims to return for the upcoming downhill race in Crans-Montana, the final World Cup event preceding the Olympics.