Clément Noël: GEPA pictures
Norway’s Timon Haugan opened the slalom season on the Levi Black race slope, tackling an icy course set by British coach Jai Geyer. The conditions were excellent, but the wide, exhausting turns tested every skier. The first three racers set a competitive tone, each claiming the top spot briefly. France’s Olympic champion, Clément Noël, emerged as the first run leader with a time of 59.67. With two skiers tied for seventh on the Slalom World Cup Start List, the first seed featured eight athletes. Norway’s Henrik Kristoffersen wrapped up the group. They were separated by just 1.22 seconds.
Noël Holds the Lead in a Tight Race
Clément Noël maintained his lead, with Swiss star Loïc Meillard just +0.02 seconds behind and Germany’s Linus Strasser at +0.30. Among the first eight racers, Great Britain’s Dave Ryding, the oldest competitor in the field, was the only other to stay within a second of Noël, finishing at +0.41. The leaderboard shifted when bib 11, France’s Steven Amiez, delivered a strong run, securing third place at +0.21.
Talent Still at the Start After 15 Racers
After the first 15 skiers completed their morning runs, the field stretched across 2.36 seconds. However, plenty of talent remained at the start, ready to shake up the leaderboard. By the time 20 racers finished, the top 10 had tightened to just 1.18 seconds, with Austria’s reigning World Cup slalom champion Manuel Feller sitting in 10th.
The Battle Heats Up After 30 Racers
After the first 30 skiers completed their morning runs, Bulgaria’s Albert Popov, wearing bib 23, claimed 10th place, sitting +1.11 seconds behind Noël. Anticipation grew as two elite slalom stars made their highly anticipated returns. Eight-time overall champion Marcel Hirscher, now representing the Netherlands and wearing bib 31, took to the course after coming out of retirement. Right behind him was Lucas Pinheiro Braathen, the 2023 slalom title winner, competing for Brazil with bib 33 after a brief retirement.
Hirscher Struggles, Pinheiro Shines
Hirscher, the first of the returning stars, battled to find speed and rhythm, finishing visibly frustrated and missing the cut for the afternoon finale. Pinheiro Braathen, however, delivered an impressive performance. He powered through the course, finishing ninth and securing a spot in the second run. By the end of the morning, Pinheiro Braathen held 10th place.
Finland’s Hallberg Lights Up the Home Crowd
The morning’s most electrifying run came from Finland’s own Eduard Hallberg. Wearing bib 40, Hallberg thrilled the home fans by finishing eighth, just +0.60 seconds behind Noël. By the end of the first run, two racers starting outside the first 30 had broken into the top 10. Remarkably, all of the top 10 skiers were within one second of Noël’s leading time. Lucas Pinheiro Braathen rounded out the group in 10th +0.86.
Mixed Results for North American Racers
Stifel U.S. Ski Team’s Jett Seymour was the first North American to hit the course but could not finish his run. However, teammate Ben Ritchie, wearing bib 48, delivered a solid performance, crossing the line in 23rd and securing a spot in the afternoon’s deciding run. Ritchie’s final rank after the first run was 25th. Unfortunately, the next Stifel U.S. Team member, River Radamus, faced a fate similar to Seymour’s and could not complete the course.
Canada’s veteran Erik Read was the next North American to take the course but could not finish his run. His teammate Simon Fournier faced the same outcome, leaving both Canadians out of the afternoon’s deciding run.
Next among the North Americans was Stifel U.S. Ski Team World Cup rookie Camden Palmquist. He completed his run but did not qualify for the second round. The final U.S. team member to ski, Luke Winters, was unable to finish, joining Seymour and Radamus with a DNF.
Depth of Talent Shines on Quality Surface
The excellent race surface allowed ten skiers with bibs higher than 30 to qualify for the second run. Finland’s hometown hero, Eduard Hallberg, led that group and delivered an inspiring performance in eighth. The final skier to make the cut, when Christian Hirschbuehl was DQed, was Germany’s Adrian Meisen, who qualified 30th with bib 62. The time spread among the 30 qualified racers was 1.95 seconds.
Second Run Set to Thrill Fans
The second run promises excitement, starting at 7 a.m. Eastern and 4 a.m. Pacific.
U.S. audiences can watch the race live or as a replay on Ski And Snowboard Live.
Sports enthusiasts in Canada can watch the World Cup on CBC Sports.
First Run Top 30: Breaking Down top 3 North Americans Who Qualified
Top 3 Performance Analysis and North Americans Who Qualified: A First Run Breakdown
About the Author: Peter Lange
