Lucas Braathen. GEPA pictures.

SOLDEU, Andorra — Switzerland’s Ramon Zenhaeusern became the last 2023 season FIS Alpine World Cup winner. It is the second victory of his 2023 campaign and moves him to third in the discipline standings. Lucas Braathen finished in second, but secured the season’s slalom globe.

Two Norwegians rounded out the final podium. Braathen was second (+0.06) back and three-time slalom season champion Henrik Kristoffersen was third (+0.63).

Braathen fought back tears after wrapping up the men’s slalom season title Sunday, he finished runner-up in the last race at the World Cup Finals.

The globe capped an emotional campaign for Braathen, which included two slaloms victories and five podium results. But he also underwent surgery for appendicitis just before the world championships in February.

“Here it is, my baby. It’s been one of my dreams all season and now it’s here,” Braathen said while holding the trophy.

“My globe represents a lot of dedication and sacrifices over a long time. It’s not this year, it’s every single hour I put in since I was nine years old and started skiing.”

Ramon Zenhaeusern held on to his first-run lead to beat Braathen by 0.06 seconds and win the race, but the result was not enough for the Swiss skier to overtake the Norwegian in the standings as he moved up one spot into third position.

Henrik Kristoffersen finished the race (+0.63) behind in third and trailed his teammate Braathen by 52 points in second place in the final standings. Kristoffersen had won the slalom title for the third time last season.

After finishing his decisive run in warm and sunny conditions, Braathen bent over and buried his face in his gloves, then looked up and made the V sign with both hands.

“I couldn’t believe it. I knew I had a possibility but fighting Ramon and Henrik in that last run, it was probably the longest slalom of the year, some of the toughest conditions,” Braathen said.

“I don’t think words can describe how proud I am to follow up in that second run.”

Braathen became the third Norwegian skier to lift the slalom title, after Kristoffersen and Kjetil Andre Aamodt, who won it 23 years ago.

Besides Braathen, Kristoffersen and Zenhaeusern; Daniel Yule was the only other globe contender coming into the last race but the Swiss skier went out in his second run.

Swiss skier 30-year-old Marc Rochat made the World Cup finals for the first time and skied to his career-best result, finishing fourth. Rochat delivered a fast second run and moved up eight positions. That is why the Swiss never give up on talent, regardless of age.

The time has come to recognize the Norwegian Alexander Steen Olsen. The 21-year-old started the season having never scored a World Cup slalom point. He finished the season as the ninth-ranked slalom skier of the year. Although he had scored 26 GS points last season, he also ended 2023 as the season’s 22nd-best GS skier. Last year he was invited to the World Cup finals as the GS and SL Junior World Champion, which was where he scored all his 2022 GS points.

Soldeu has done a great job closing out the 2023 Alpine World Cup. It was a season of fantastic performance and record-breaking outcomes.

The FIS slope preparation team and all the local race crews who made the racing possible deserve recognition as well. They were challenged by many extreme difficulties, however, they delivered amazing venues.

Race results and analysis of the fastest three

Analysis of the fastest three

The Associated Press contributed to this report.