North American Men Show Grit in Giant Slalom Despite Setbacks
From early injuries to late breakthroughs, the 2024–25 World Cup giant slalom season challenged the top North American men—but also proved that podium potential remains heading into the 2026 Olympic season.
Odermatt Wins Again, Radamus Leads North Americans
Switzerland’s Marco Odermatt claimed his fourth straight giant slalom title, despite not finishing the season’s first two races. The Stöckli skier still pulled away from the field, a testament to his continued dominance.
River Radamus once again led North America, scoring 212 points in one fewer race than last season and finishing 12th in the final standings, just five points shy of his 2024 total.
Radamus, who placed fourth in GS at the 2022 Olympics, continues to prove that he thrives in big moments. He delivered two seventh-place finishes—at Beaver Creek and Hafjell—and remains the continent’s best hope for a men’s GS Olympic medal in Bormio.
Ford Falls to Injury
Veteran Tommy Ford, the last North American man to win a World Cup giant slalom, showed promise in the 2025 season. He finished 21st in the Sölden opener and 18th in Val d’Isère but did not finish the three other giant slaloms he competed in. A training crash in Adelboden in mid-January ended his season.
Ford scored 23 points and ranked 36th in the final GS standings. Though he couldn’t match his stronger 2024 campaign, he remained the second-highest scoring North American man in GS.
Kenney Climbs Rankings, Makes U.S. Team
Patrick Kenney, racing independently on Völkl skis with Global Racing, made the most of his chances. The former University of New Hampshire All-American scored World Cup points in two races and finished the season with 17 points—good for 41st in the standings.
Kenney, 26, also earned a fourth-place result in the Europa Cup GS in Turnau and has now met Stifel U.S. Ski Team criteria for 2025–26. His emergence adds much-needed depth to the American men’s GS roster.
Gile Scores First World Cup Points
Bridger Gile, a longtime prospect hampered by back injuries, finally broke through at the World Cup level. The 25-year-old scored his first points with a 24th-place finish in Kranjska Gora and finished the season ranked 51st in GS.
Gile also posted two top-ten finishes on the Europa Cup circuit. With improved health, he could continue climbing the GS ranks and challenge for a spot on the Olympic team.
Steffey Returns to the Fight for Starts
George Steffey, skiing independently with Global Racing in Austria, returns after missing all of 2024 with a spine issue. Although he created a Nation World Cup start spot last season, he couldn’t use it and must now compete for access to the U.S. basic quota. A three-time World Cup scorer with a best finish of 21st in Palisades Tahoe, Steffey brings valuable experience to a competitive U.S. GS pool.
Read Carries the Torch for Canada
Two-time Olympian Erik Read, a former All-American at the University of Denver, was the only Canadian man to score GS points this season. The veteran Atomic skier extended his streak to nine straight seasons, scoring points in giant slalom, and remains Canada’s most consistent technical racer.
Read finished the season with 11 points and ranked 47th in the GS standings. Though his total dropped from 30 points in 2024, he remains Canada’s top Olympic hopeful in the discipline. He has five career top-10 World Cup GS finishes and has placed 11th and 13th in the last two Olympic Games.
Building Toward Bormio
The 2025 season tested North America’s men’s giant slalom athletes and revealed real potential heading into the Olympics. Once again, River Radamus proved he belongs among the world’s best, reinforcing last season’s breakout performance with another top-15 finish in the standings. He remains the continent’s strongest men’s giant slalom medal contender for Bormio 2026.
Following close behind, several athletes believe they can earn a spot on their nation’s Olympic team. Canadian independent Erik Read has shown world-class ability, scoring GS points for the ninth straight season. Patrick Kenney broke through and earned his way back onto the Stifel U.S. Ski Team. Bridger Gile scored his first World Cup points and delivered top Europa Cup results. They’ll all be fighting for Olympic selection and momentum going into the 2026 season.
About the Author: Peter Lange
