Three Austrian Amigos in Gurgl GEPA pictures/Thomas Bachun

What a day for Austria! The Ski Austria team delivered a dramatic podium sweep. Michael Matt moves up 14 positions in the afternoon to finish third, Marco Schwarz moves up three places to finish 2nd, and first-run leader Manuel Feller wins the race.

Feller is now a three-time winner on the World Cup circuit. Also, no Austrian skier had won a slalom since Johannes Strolz’s Adelboden victory in January 2022 — a 17-race stretch.

It was the fourth Austrian podium sweep in a major race and the first since Marcel Hirscher, Matt, and Schwarz finished one two three at the 2019 World Championship race in Are, Sweden.

After the first run, Ski Racing Media declared that “Austrian men’s slalom is back,” but a podium sweep can only be described as beyond expectations.

Click on images to enlarge

Drama throughout the race

After the first ten racers had completed their second runs, Italian Tobias Kastlunger had the lead and began his accent ten positions move up the leaderboard. However, he was finally displaced from the leader’s throne by the fantastic skiing of eventual bronze medalist Matt. Matt, the 17th fastest in the morning, delivered a tremendous run that moved him up ten positions before his teammate Marco Schwarz skied the fastest second run and took the lead—with five racers still to race, the Austrian fans loudly expressed their joy with their home team’s success.

However, their celebration would continue. After the morning’s fourth fastest, Loic Meillard, did not finish, the two Austrians watched as their teammate Fabio Gstrein, 3rd after the first run, crossed the finish in 7th. Then the morning’s 2nd best France’s Clement Noel crossed in 11th. With only one Austrian left to ski, the two Austrians ensured their guaranteed spot on the podium. That Austrian, Feller, delivered and the home crowd went ballistic. Ultimately, the Austrians owned the podium and had four in the top ten.

With five racers still waiting to start their final run, a handful of protesters from the Last Generation movement entered the course immediately behind the finish line. They sprinkled an orange-colored powder on the snow and momentarily delayed the race.

Dave Ryding finishes fourth

Only (+0.03) behind Matt was Britain’s Dave Ryding. Ryding also delivered a dramatic story; he was 15th fastest in the morning, but the veteran who only knows how to give his best moved up 11 positions to finish closest to the three on the steps.

The Gurgl inaugural World Cup proved to be a deserving World Cup host and after three cancelations, they got the men’s season off to a great start. Throughout the night, Austria will celebrate.

Results of Gurgl World Cup SL and analysis of the fastest three

Analysis of the fastest three

The Associated Press contributed to this article