Jack Crawford knows how to keep things exciting.
This Toronto native made headlines by clinching his first World Cup gold medal at the prestigious downhill ski event in Kitzbühel, Austria. The atmosphere was electric as Crawford became the first Canadian since 1983 to win the men’s gold at the challenging Hahnenkamm mountain. Meanwhile, fellow Canadian Cameron Alexander, who was in second place before Crawford’s run, secured a bronze medal.
It was a nail-biting finish. Crawford edged out the Swiss skier Alexis Monney by just 0.08 seconds, creating a thrilling moment for fans in attendance.
Although Crawford has a Super-G World Championship title and an Olympic bronze medal, a World Cup gold had eluded him. His last podium appearance in World Cup events was in March 2023, where he took silver in Aspen, Colorado. During the 2022-23 season, he achieved three podium finishes but faced challenges in the current season, not finishing higher than fifth in the downhill races.
During his final run on Saturday, things were looking promising for Crawford. About one minute in, he had a 0.17 second lead after clearing the third sector, and he held tight to that advantage until the finish line.
“I didn’t really expect it today,” Crawford shared with FIS media. “I knew I was in a position to ski really well and put forth a run that could contend, but to see green when I crossed the finish line was something else.”
Cameron Alexander didn’t disappoint either. He crossed the line just 0.22 seconds behind Crawford. This was his fourth consecutive Top 10 finish in downhill races, marking a solid performance in Kitzbühel, where he has now achieved a Top 10 finish three times in his career.
Both athletes are climbing up the men’s downhill Crystal Globe rankings, sitting in sixth and seventh place respectively after this event. Their strong showings in the Super-G on Friday, where Alexander finished fifth and Crawford came eighth, set them up well for the big race.
The excitement continues in Kitzbühel, with a slalom race set to conclude the weekend’s action on Sunday.
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Cameron Alexander,FIS Alpine World Cup,Jack Crawford