Marco Odermatt’s Thrilling Victory at Kitzbühel Super-G: Highlights of the FIS Alpine Ski World Cup 2024/25

Marco Odermatt has accomplished nearly everything in Alpine skiing, but one thing eluded him until January 24: a win at the famous Hahnenkamm in Kitzbühel, Austria.

That all changed when he finally triumphed on the renowned Streif piste. This was the first super G race here since 2021, and Odermatt, who leads both the men’s overall and super G standings for the 2024/25 FIS Alpine Ski World Cup, showed his prowess on the hill.

Previously, Odermatt’s best finishes on the Streif included three second-place spots—two in downhills and one in a super G race against Vincent Kriechmayr, who did not race this time due to a minor injury.

Starting strong, Odermatt surged ahead, gaining nearly half a second in the first sector. He maintained this speed through multiple sectors and finished with a time of 1:13.25, much to the delight of the Swiss fans cheering him on.

His lead was almost challenged by teammate Franjo von Allmen, who was performing well until a mistake at the bottom of the course cost him valuable time. Instead, Austrian racer Raphael Haaser seized the opportunity, finishing second after making up time in the latter part of the race, ending just 0.11 seconds behind Odermatt. Swiss skier Stefan Rogentin followed closely behind, taking third place, 0.30 seconds off the winning time.

However, the competition wasn’t without its risks. Several crashes occurred during the race, including serious incidents involving Alexis Pinturault and Florian Loriot. Both required careful attention on the piste and were ultimately airlifted to safety. Pinturault’s fall happened after he hit a gate flag, causing an apparent lower leg injury. Loriot’s crash occurred as he slid off along a straight section of the course.

Despite these challenges, Odermatt’s dominance in the super G standings is now even more pronounced. He leads with 341 points, 119 points ahead of Kriechmayr. Overall, his World Cup points stand at 966, a substantial lead of 332 points over Henrik Kristoffersen.