Lucas Pinheiro Braathen Dominates Run 1 of Levi Men’s Slalom

Featured image: Lucas Pinheiro Braathen during the first run of the Levi men’s slalom. Photo: GEPA pictures.

Lucas Pinheiro Braathen delivered an explosive first run in the men’s World Cup slalom season opener Sunday in Levi, Finland. The defending Levi winner built a commanding 0.65-second advantage over France’s Clément Noël, with Austria’s Joshua Sturm rounding out the top three, 0.84 seconds behind.

Levi Black demanded a balance of aggression and accuracy. Racers needed to build speed out of the start, commit over the rollover onto the steep pitch and maintain their momentum through the transition onto the lower flats. Finding consistent grip on the icy pitch challenged even the leading contenders, while a clean exit was essential to carrying speed toward the finish.

Pinheiro Braathen combined those elements best, delivering a run that set a demanding benchmark for the field.

Fastest Five After the First Run

• 1st — 🇧🇷 Lucas Pinheiro Braathen (bib 7): 52.69
• 2nd — 🇫🇷 Clément Noël (bib 1): +0.65
• 3rd — 🇦🇹 Joshua Sturm (bib 27): +0.84
• 4th — 🇳🇴 Atle Lie McGrath (bib 4): +0.85
• 5th — 🇸🇪 William Hansson (bib 47): +0.91

Pinheiro Braathen built a commanding 0.65-second lead over Noël, while just 0.07 seconds separated third through fifth. Sturm charged into third from bib 27, and Hansson’s fifth-place run from bib 47 showed that speed remained available for later starters.

Pinheiro Braathen fires out of the start

Coming into Levi as one of the favorites, Pinheiro Braathen delivered immediately. The Brazilian fired out of the start with speed and precision, attacking the opening section before diving onto the pitch without hesitation.

He lost a little grip in a few turns, but never lost his attacking intent. His quick transitions and commitment down the fall line kept him moving through the steep, while his composed upper body reflected the confidence of his skiing.

Pinheiro Braathen looked calm and in control while pushing the pace from top to bottom. At the finish, the clock told the story: a 0.65-second lead over Noël, a substantial advantage in a discipline so often decided by hundredths.

Clement Noël attacks into second

Clément Noël showed his slalom speed with a committed first run, attacking the pitch and finding solid grip through much of the steep section.

The Frenchman was not quite as clean as he could have been through a few turns on the pitch, but he continued to push, maintaining a strong rhythm and giving himself a competitive opening run.

His performance put him second, leading the pursuit of Pinheiro Braathen with an opportunity to challenge again in Run 2.

Joshua Sturm charges from bib 27 into third

Austria’s Joshua Sturm stormed out of the start and into third place with an impressive first run from bib 27, pushing McGrath into fourth.

Calm and confident, Sturm held a tight line and maintained his rhythm from top to bottom. He found strong grip on the pitch, keeping his skis carving cleanly where others had struggled and carrying his speed through the transition onto the flats.

His performance also showed how well the surface was holding up, with a podium position still within reach for racers starting outside the top seeds.

The Austrians used a time trial to select their starters for Levi. Johannes was fastest in that trial, while Sturm carried his speed onto the World Cup stage with an impressive first run on race day.

A straightforward set rewards committed skiing

The first-run set gave racers a clear task: charge and execute. It was consistent and uncomplicated, allowing the athletes’ skiing to make the statement. There were changes of rhythm and demanding turns, but nothing overly elaborate to interrupt the flow.

The opening flats offered room to build speed before tighter combinations demanded quicker feet and greater accuracy. On the steep pitch, racers needed reliable grip and the confidence to keep moving down the hill. The transition onto the lower flats still required purposeful turns, making it important to finish the steep in position and carry momentum toward the finish.

The challenge came from skiing those fundamentals well at full speed. Pinheiro Braathen showed what was possible with a committed approach, attacking the terrain while keeping his rhythm and momentum.

🇺🇸 Stifel U.S. Ski Team: Ritchie leads in 20th

Benjamin Ritchie led the U.S. men in tied 20th after a strong, composed opening run. The 26-year-old Green Mountain Valley School alumnus, Stifel headgear athlete and SHRED. athlete generated speed out of the start and linked clean turns down the hill.

Ritchie described the run as solid, acknowledging both the nerves of the season opener and the demanding surface.

“It’s super icy down the steep and you see a lot of guys struggling today,” Ritchie said.

With a place in the second run secured, he was looking forward to skiing with more freedom.

“I’m looking forward to hopefully a little less nerves and just turning it loose.”

American second-run qualifier:

Tied 20th — 🇺🇸 Benjamin Ritchie (bib 30, YOB 2000): +1.66 — HEAD; Stifel headgear athlete; SHRED.

It was otherwise a difficult first run for the U.S. men, although Bradshaw Underhill showed impressive speed before going out. Starting from bib 57, the Middlebury College ski team graduate ranked sixth at the opening split, just 0.07 seconds behind the leader. He remained firmly in contention at the second checkpoint, sitting 10th and only 0.38 back, before his promising run ended in a DNF.

🇨🇦 Canada: Wallace shows his speed in Levi

Canada’s Liam Wallace delivered an impressive first run in Levi, qualifying 19th as he continues his comeback from a serious crash a couple of years ago.

Wallace was immediately competitive, sitting eighth at the opening split, just 0.10 seconds behind the leader. He moved into seventh at the second checkpoint, only 0.29 back, showing the speed to challenge well inside the top 10.

He lost time through the pitch but kept his skiing composed, linking clean turns and carrying momentum onto the lower flats. He crossed the finish in 54.34 seconds, 1.65 behind Pinheiro Braathen.

Racing with the private Spyder Redline Alpine team, Wallace gave himself a strong opportunity to chase his first World Cup points in Run 2.

Canadian second-run qualifier:

• 19th — 🇨🇦 Liam Wallace (bib 58, YOB 1999): +1.65 — SHRED.

🇬🇧 Great Britain: Taylor leads a strong opening run

Laurie Taylor led the British team in seventh after an attacking first run in Levi. Firing out of the start, Taylor showed impressive speed on the upper section and carried that momentum onto the pitch.

A small recovery briefly disrupted his rhythm, but he stayed committed and continued charging to the finish. Fourth in Levi last season, Taylor again put himself within reach of the leading contenders.

Billy Major qualified 22nd with a solid opening run. Slight hesitation over the rollover onto the pitch cost him momentum, but he found his speed coming off the steep. Clean skiing through the lower section secured his place in Run 2.

Nineteen-year-old Zak Carrick-Smith narrowly missed qualification, finishing 33rd from bib 73. Although just outside the fastest 30, his performance offered an encouraging glimpse of his potential as he builds experience at World Cup level.

British second-run qualifiers:

• 7th — 🇬🇧 Laurie Taylor (bib 19, YOB 1996): HEAD.
• 22nd — 🇬🇧 Billy Major (bib 36, YOB 1996): HEAD.

🇸🇪 Sweden: Three in the top 15 signal a promising resurgence

Sweden’s men delivered an impressive first run in Levi, with William Hansson fifth, Fabian Ax Swartz ninth and Gustav Wissting 14th. It was encouraging to see the Swedish men showing their speed again in slalom, a discipline in which the nation has such a strong history.

Hansson charged from bib 47 into fifth with powerful, composed skiing. He linked clean turns, held a strong position through the pitch and carried his momentum through the terrain changes to the finish. His performance also showed how competitive the surface remained for racers starting farther back.

Ax Swartz, racing independently of the Swedish national team, set the tone with quick, strong turns on the opening flats. He attacked the pitch with confidence, keeping his skis carving cleanly before carrying speed onto the lower section. A strong finish put him ninth from bib 25.

Wissting delivered another standout run from bib 82. Born in 2005, the young Swede showed confidence well beyond his experience, charging down the pitch and maintaining his speed through the steep. He crossed the finish in 14th, adding to an already impressive morning for Sweden.

Three racers inside the top 15, coming from bibs 25, 47 and 82, offered a promising sign of renewed depth in Swedish men’s slalom.

High-Bib Qualifiers — Bib 31 and Higher

• 5th — 🇸🇪 SWE — William Hansson (bib 47): +0.91 | 42 positions gained.
• 14th — 🇸🇪 SWE — Gustav Wissting (bib 82): +1.49 | 68 positions gained.
• 19th — 🇨🇦 CAN — Liam Wallace (bib 58): +1.65 | 39 positions gained.
• 22nd — 🇬🇧 GBR — Billy Major (bib 36): +1.68 | 14 positions gained.
• 25th — 🇫🇷 FRA — Auguste Aulnette (bib 33): +1.86 | 8 positions gained.
• 28th — 🇯🇵 JPN — Shiro Aihara (bib 55): +1.91 | 27 positions gained.
• 30th — 🇦🇹 AUT — Simon Rueland (bib 31): +2.00 | 1 position gained.

Sweden’s Gustav Wissting qualified from bib 82, the highest starting number among the second-run qualifiers. His climb to 14th also represented the biggest gain relative to starting bib, improving 68 positions.

Teammate William Hansson delivered the best finish among racers starting outside the first 30, charging into fifth from bib 47. Their performances highlighted a surface that continued to reward fast, committed skiing deep into the field.

Second Run: Pinheiro Braathen Chases Back-to-Back Levi Wins

Lucas Pinheiro Braathen enters the second run with a commanding 0.65-second advantage over Clément Noël as he chases consecutive slalom victories in Levi. Joshua Sturm sits third, 0.84 seconds behind the Brazilian.

The podium battle remains tightly packed. Just 0.09 seconds separates Sturm in third from Paco Rassat in sixth, with defending slalom globe champion Atle Lie McGrath fourth and Sweden’s William Hansson fifth. Laurie Taylor also remains in contention in seventh, 1.03 seconds off the lead.

Pinheiro Braathen’s strength was his speed across the entire course. He was faster than each of his nearest five challengers in every sector, leaving his rivals searching for gains from the opening flats through the final turns.

The second run begins at 2 p.m. in Levi, 7 a.m. Eastern, 5 a.m. Mountain and 4 a.m. Pacific. The fastest 30 from the opening run will start in reverse order.

Liski, a Ski Racing Media partner, supplies the race gates for the Levi World Cup slalom.

First Run Top 30 

click images to enlarge

Run Analysis: Leaders & Qualified North Americans