A Norwegian has been on the top step of the podium eleven times this World Cup winter, with speed ace Kilde clearly being the undisputed number one with six victories. That gives a rate of 55 percent for the Norwegian Ski Association.
Switzerland held up well with seven wins, six of which can be attributed to Marco Odermatt. Thanks to Vincent Kriechmayr, who first won a shortened downhill run in Gröden and later the traditional downhill run in Bormio, Austria has only two.
Norwegian Festival in Wengen
After Aleksander Aamodt Kilde’s two victories in the speed competitions, Henrik Kristoffersen prevailed in the slalom. Marco Schwarz finished seventh as the best Austrian.
Kriechmayr downhill hottest ÖSV iron
However, his two victories make the Upper Austrian the only competitor who has defeated Kilde in a downhill run. “He’s in good spirits, but not unbeatable,” he stated. “Vinc can keep up with him,” Pfeifer said. “Now it’s off to Kitzbühel, and I think he has a score to settle there.” Although Kriechmayr himself assesses his chances of success in front of a home crowd as rather low: “That would be nice, but my last Kitzbühel results weren’t promising, that I can count on a win.”
Audience is a suitable keyword, because after two foam-restricted Kitz editions due to the Covid 19 pandemic, tens of thousands of visitors will make the chamois town unsafe again next weekend. Two downhill runs are scheduled on Friday and Saturday before the slalom on the Ganslernhang takes place on Sunday.
All Kitzbühel dates
Tuesday, January 17:
11:30 a.m.: First practice session
Thursday, January 19th
11:30 a.m.: Second practice session
(live on ORF1, broadcast from 11 a.m.)
Friday, January 20th
11.30 a.m.: Kitzbühel descent
(live on ORF1, broadcast from 10.55 a.m.)
Saturday, January 21st.
11.30 a.m.: Hahnenkamm descent (live on ORF1, broadcast from 10.55 a.m.)
Sunday, January 22nd
10.30 a.m. and 1.30 p.m.: Slalom
(live on ORF1, broadcast from 10 a.m. or 12.50 p.m.)
Huge anticipation for Kitzbühel
The anticipation of a Kitzbühel festival like in the past is “huge”, admitted Manuel Feller. “I’m already looking forward to the home races. I also think that the weather forecast is also looking pretty good,” said Johannes Strolz, who finished twelfth in Wengen on Sunday after five consecutive retirements.
While the Vorarlberger and Feller can concentrate entirely on the slalom, that is not yet entirely clear for Marco Schwarz. After the great sixth place in Wengen at his downhill debut in the World Cup, the Streif legend is now enticing. “That speaks for the fact that it would appeal to me,” reveals Schwarz. On the other hand, the dense technical program with three races on four days speaks for itself, since Schladming not only organizes a slalom, but also a floodlit giant slalom the day after.
Norway is also a force in slalom
Norway is also a force in the technical disciplines at the moment, with slalom still standing out. Braathen won in Val d’Isere and Adelboden this season, Kristoffersen in Garmisch-Partenkirchen and Wengen. Only in Madonna, where Daniel Yule of Switzerland triumphed, was the winner not Norwegian. And should the top duo leave out, there would still be Atle Lie McGrath, world champion Sebastian Foss-Solevaag, Timon Haugan and Alexander Steen Olsen, the youngest of the bunch at 21, who set the best time in the second run in Wengen.
Kristoffersen explained Norway’s recipe for success as follows: “You have to work hard to get into the national team here. That goes up to the European Cup. It is not a product of the association, but of the clubs and the parents. It might be different in Austria or Italy.”
In the slalom, the ÖSV team has so far only had two podium finishes from Feller, who was second in Val d’Isere and Garmisch-Partenkirchen. Black is the only other player to consistently make the top ten. “I think the slalom team hasn’t shown what they can do,” said Pfeifer. “We’re now hoping for the home races in good conditions, then we’ll be in the chasing role.”
One million euros in prize money
As in the previous year, the prize money for the 83rd Hahnenkamm race for alpine ski men from Friday to Sunday in Kitzbühel is one million euros. This record sum is divided between the two downhill runs “Kitzbühel” on Friday and “Hahnenkamm” on Saturday as well as the slalom on Sunday. There is 100,000 euros for the winner, 50,000 for second and 25,000 for third. Prize money is paid out in the downhills up to place 45, in the slalom for the top 30.