Marco Odermatt writes Swiss ski history. The native of Nidwalden takes third place in the giant slalom and wins the overall World Cup. Although this title is not yet official, a miracle would have to happen in the last races for Odermatt to be pushed out of first place.
This Odermatt always delivers when he has to deliver! This is also the case today: With an eighth place in the second giant slalom in Kranjska Gora, the 24-year-old could no longer have been ousted from first place in the overall World Cup in the World Cup final in Courchevel next week. But instead of 8th place, Odermatt also took the next podium place – 3rd place.
In the first run, Odermatt distanced himself from the competition with a super drive, in the second run he fell slightly behind the day’s winner Henrik Kristoffersen from Norway and the second-placed Austrian Stefan Brennsteiner.
Arithmetic games or not
The overall World Cup should not be taken away from Odermatt. Before the season finale in Courchevel, he is 329 points ahead of his main opponent Alexander Aamodt Kilde. There are still 400 points up for grabs in the four remaining races.
The Norwegian could still catch Odermatt mathematically, because he would be eligible to start in all races due to his large number of points. However, Kilde has only competed in speed races this winter. And: Odermatt should not score any points in Courchevel.
So it would take a skiing miracle for the Nidwaldner to be contested for the big crystal ball. Odermatt himself says: “Even if he [Kilde] I don’t think he could win three times, that he scored points in the slalom.”
Triumphal Wochenende
Odermatt crowned a great weekend for him: On Saturday he secured second place in the first giant slalom, winning the discipline classification. On Sunday he will be the first Swiss overall World Cup winner since Carlo Janka, who just retired, in 2010. The last Swiss woman to finish the season as the best skier in the world was Lara Gut-Behrami in 2016.
Strong Swiss team
It wasn’t just “Odi” who had a glorious day in Slovenia. After the first run, Gino Caviezel (4th place) and Justin Murisier (8th place) were in the top 10 alongside leader Odermatt. Loïc Meillard was lurking in 11th place. The team result is also evident in the end: Gino Caviezel comes in at the end Sixth, Loïc Meillard ninth, Justin Murisier fourteenth. There were also points for Thomas Tumler in 22nd place. (yeah)