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HEAD Worldcup Rebels Start the Olympic Season in Sölden as the Team to Beat
SÖLDEN, Austria (October 24, 2025) — The HEAD Worldcup Rebels enter the Olympic season in Sölden as the sport’s dominant force, riding momentum from an extraordinary 2024–25 campaign. They were the top brand at the World Championships with three individual gold medals, the leading team in the World Cup with 20 victories, and No. 1 in the FIS Brand Ranking with 7,900 points.
Now, as the world’s best racers prepare for the traditional giant slalom openers on Oct. 25–26, HEAD’s mission is clear: defend their title and stay the team to beat.
Salzgeber: “Sölden Sets the Bar for Everyone”
“Sölden always sets the bar for everyone,” said HEAD Racing Director Rainer Salzgeber. “In previous years, we’ve seen that athletes who ski well here often perform well for the rest of the season. That’s why Sölden is an important systems check.”
He added, “From the company’s point of view, this weekend is especially exciting. We get to see which setup each athlete has chosen, and that always brings surprises.”
Ahead of the races, HEAD hosted a press conference Thursday afternoon at the Giggijoch valley station, where Salzgeber joined top HEAD athletes Lara Gut-Behrami, Sara Hector, Atle Lie McGrath, Vincent Kriechmayr, Wendy Holdener, Camille Rast, Lena Dürr, AJ Hurt, and Alexis Pinturault, among others. The atmosphere was confident, upbeat, and filled with Olympic-year anticipation.
Gut-Behrami, Hector, and Rast Lead the Women’s Charge
Switzerland’s Lara Gut-Behrami headlines the women’s team after a remarkable 2023–24 season. She claimed the giant slalom Crystal Globe, earned her tenth World Cup GS win, and now returns to Sölden seeking a fourth victory on the Rettenbach Glacier after triumphs in 2013, 2016, and 2023.
“I’m doing well and had a very good summer—healthy and accident-free,” said Gut-Behrami. “My goal is to stay healthy for the whole season and to ski as fast as possible.”
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Sweden’s Sara Hector, the 2022 Olympic GS champion, brings her trademark energy and focus. She finished third in the 2024–25 GS standings and owns seven World Cup wins in the discipline. “Sölden always feels early, but it’s great fun,” Hector said. “I’m ready to give it my all.”
Meanwhile, Swiss racer Camille Rast, one of last season’s breakout performers, is eager to return after an intense recovery from a hip injury. Rast earned the World Championship slalom title, won her first two World Cup races, and reached her first GS podium in Killington last year. “It’s been a long recovery, but I’m feeling better every week,” Rast said. “Sölden comes early, but I’m super motivated to start the season.”
Five HEAD athletes ranked inside the top 15 of last season’s GS standings: Hector SWE (3rd), Gut-Behrami SUI (5th), Rast SUI (9th), AJ Hurt USA (13th), and Wendy Holdener SUI (15th).
McGrath and Grammel Anchor the Men’s Giant Slalom Team
Norway’s Atle Lie McGrath and Germany’s Anton Grammel lead the HEAD men into Sölden. McGrath, who finished third here last season, aims to repeat that sharp form. “Last year, I felt relaxed before Sölden and skied well,” he said. “So this year I’ll trust my skiing, stay calm, and have fun. Then anything is possible.”
Grammel, 27, surged into the top ten for the first time in his career last season, finishing tenth in both Hafjell and Sun Valley. His compatriot Linus Straßer joined HEAD this season and is eager to build consistency. “Switching to HEAD makes me feel even more motivated,” Straßer said. “I want to be competitive in every race and aim for the podium in slalom.”
Austria’s Lukas Feurstein, who earned his first World Cup win in the Sun Valley super-G last March, also starts the new season full of confidence. “Summer training went really well,” Feurstein said. “I want to ski more consistently this year and bring my best results to every race.”
Eyes on Milan-Cortina: The Olympic Highlight
The Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Games will be the highlight of this season, running from Feb. 6–22. Salzgeber said the team embraces the excitement without losing sight of the day-to-day grind.
“A major event like the Olympics always has special energy,” he said. “But for us, every race matters. What we achieved at the World Championships set a high standard, and we aim to build on that success.”
HEAD athletes have historically performed exceptionally at major championships, and this season, the team is once again focused on peaking when it matters most.
New Faces, Same Ambition
HEAD welcomes several new talents this year, including Marta Bassino (Italy) and Billy Major (Great Britain), who bring fresh strength to the Worldcup Rebels roster. Rising Norwegian Oscar Sandvik, the 2025 Europa Cup overall champion, also joins the squad after an impressive summer training block in New Zealand.
Salzgeber expects Sandvik to adapt quickly. “What I’ve seen from him is very promising,” he said. “It would be great if he can find his rhythm in the World Cup early.”
While several veterans have retired—among them Stephanie Venier, Elisabeth Kappaurer, Elisabeth Reisinger, Dominik Schwaiger, and Mathieu Faivre—their legacy continues to inspire. “Our team may be smaller, but it’s powerful and united,” Salzgeber said. “We’re ready to show again how strong we are.”
Staying No. 1 in the World Cup
HEAD’s goals remain as bold as ever: stay No. 1 in the FIS Brand Ranking and lead the World Cup standings.
“If our top athletes stay healthy and perform to their potential, we’ll have a strong foundation for another great season,” Salzgeber said. “We’ve proven we can dominate — now it’s time to do it again.”
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