Marco Odermatt: GEPA pictures
Alta Badia World Cup GS 2024: Men’s World Cup GS: Who’s Racing, When, and How to Watch
From Val d’Isère to Alta Badia: A Pivotal Giant Slalom Stop
After the excitement of Val d’Isère, the World Cup GS tour moves to Alta Badia, Italy, and the legendary Gran Risa course. Known for its steep, technical terrain, this iconic venue demands skill and endurance from the world’s best racers.
Alta Badia has been a cornerstone of the World Cup since 1985, hosting legendary battles on its challenging slopes. The giant slalom on Dec. 22 promises to be a critical race in the season, with a slalom the following day adding to the weekend’s intensity.
As the action shifts to the Dolomites, the competition heats up in what promises to be another thrilling chapter in this year’s World Cup season.
Preparing the Gran Risa for Race Day
The local crew, working alongside the FIS, has been hard at work clearing fresh snow that blanketed the Gran Risa to ensure the best possible race conditions. Their meticulous process involves piling the snow and using a massive snowblower to remove it from the course—a hallmark of professional preparation. Today, they further enhanced the surface by watering the Gran Risa with water bars and slipping the hill to create a hard, icy track ideal for racing.
Sunday’s forecast predicts overcast skies and additional snowfall, adding another layer of complexity to an already demanding race setup.
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Early Season GS Podium Recap
The first three races of the 2024-25 Men’s World Cup Giant Slalom season have highlighted strong performances from a variety of nations:
- Sölden, Austria: Norway swept the podium with Alexander Steen Olsen taking 1st, Henrik Kristoffersen finishing 2nd, and Atle Lie McGrath in 3rd.
- Beaver Creek, USA: Thomas Tumler of Switzerland earned his first World Cup win, followed by Brazil’s Lucas Pinheiro Braathen in 2nd and Slovenia’s Žan Kranjec in 3rd.
- Val d’Isère, France: Marco Odermatt dominated to secure 1st, with Austria’s Patrik Feuerstein and Stefan Brennsteiner in 2nd and 3rd.
These results underline the intense international competition and set the stage for an exciting GS in Alta Badia.
Marco Odermatt’s Determined Comeback
Marco Odermatt, widely regarded as the most dominant skier of his generation, silenced doubts with a commanding victory in Val d’Isère. After a surprising string of three DNFs in GS, Odermatt’s win showcased his resilience under tough second-run conditions.
With renewed momentum, fresh off his third World Cup downhill victory, Odermatt returns to Alta Badia, where he has triumphed four times. As the defending overall champion, his performance will be pivotal in reasserting his dominance in the giant slalom standings.
Last Season’s Alta Badia GS Podiums
Last season, Alta Badia underscored Odermatt’s dominance in the giant slalom with back-to-back victories. In the first race, he took 1st, followed by Austria’s Marco Schwarz in 2nd and Kranjec in 3rd. The second GS saw Odermatt repeat his win, with Croatia’s Filip Zubčić in 2nd and Kranjec once again in 3rd.
This year, Schwarz makes his GS debut in Alta Badia, while Odermatt arrives in strong form after his commanding Val d’Isère performance. The competition is set to heat up as these proven contenders aim to excel on the Gran Risa.
Top 15 Men’s 2014-15 GS World Cup Standings
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These standings underline the depth and global reach of giant slalom racing, setting the stage for intense battles as the season continues in Alta Badia.
Sixty-seven men from 22 nations will start the men’s World Cup GS in Alta Badia on Dec. 22. Switzerland and Austria lead the field with eight qualified athletes on the start list.
H. Krug (SUI) will set the first run, and N. Kjelsli (NOR) will set the second run.
Radamus Targets a Strong Result in Alta Badia
Radamus, ranked 9th on the World Cup Start List (WCSL), leads the Stifel U.S. Ski Team in giant slalom. Despite finishing 17th in Val d’Isère, he has had a solid season, with an 11th-place result in Sölden and a season-best 7th in Beaver Creek.
The Gran Risa presents an exciting opportunity, as he finished 14th in the second GS here last season. With his consistency and determination, Radamus will look to climb further up the standings.
Ford Finds Momentum Heading into Alta Badia
Ford, ranked 28th on the WCSL, continues to improve this season. He delivered his best result of the year in Val d’Isère, finishing 18th. Alta Badia has been a successful venue, with a 9th-place finish in the first GS here last season—his best result of that year.
Ford will aim to build on his momentum and deliver another strong performance on Sunday.
Kenney Aims to Qualify in Alta Badia
Kenney, an independent racer competing with the Global Racing Team, is ranked 58th on the WCSL. While he skied well in Val d’Isère, he did not finish the first run. He has yet to finish a run on the Gran Risa but hopes to change that with a clean performance on Sunday.
Gile and Nelson Bring Promise to Alta Badia
Gile narrowly missed qualifying in Val d’Isère, finishing just 0.47 seconds off the mark in his best first run of the season. Alta Badia offers another chance to make his breakthrough and score his first World Cup points.
Nelson, 23, joins the World Cup action after a stellar NorAm series in Panorama, British Columbia, where he won a GS, finished 2nd in another, and secured podiums in two super-G races. Racing the Gran Risa for the first time, he looks to carry his momentum onto the World Cup stage.
North American Men Racing on the World Cup GS Start List
Canada’s Independent Contender
Read Looks to Make the Second Run in Alta Badia
Erik Read, an independent skier with the World Racing Academy, represents Canada in the Alta Badia GS. Now ranked 41st on the World Cup Start List (WCSL), the veteran narrowly missed qualifying for the second run in Val d’Isère by just 0.45 seconds, despite delivering his best first run of the season.
A University of Denver alumnus, Read has raced the Gran Risa 12 times, scoring on seven occasions. His best result here came in 2021, when he finished 11th. With his wealth of experience and determination, Read will aim to secure a spot in the second run and add to his consistent record on one of the World Cup’s most demanding courses.
North American men racing GS in Alta Badia
- Bib 8, River Radamus, Stifel USST, Ski and Snowboard Club Vail, SYNC Shields
- Bib 26, Tommy Ford, Stifel USST, Mount Bachelor Sports Education Foundation, HEAD
- Bib 40, Patrick Kenney, USA, Global Racing, University of New Hampshire, Burke Moutain Academy, Marker/Völkl, SYNC, SHRED
- Bib 46, Isaiah Nelson, Stifel USST, Buck Hill Ski Team, SHRED
- Bib 56, Bridger Gile, Stifel USST, Ski and Snowboard Club Vail, HEAD, Oakley, SYNC Shields
- Bib 59, Erik Read, CAN World Racing Academy, Banff Alpine Racers, University of Denver, Atomic
How and When to Watch
The first run starts at 4:00 a.m. Eastern and 1:00 a.m. Pacific Time, followed by the second run at 7:30 a.m. Eastern and 4:30 a.m. Pacific Time.
U.S. audiences can watch the race live or as a replay on Ski And Snowboard Live.
Sports enthusiasts in Canada can watch the World Cup on CBC Sports.
Daily Program and First Run Start List
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Start List
About the Author: Peter Lange
