Linus Strasser Kitzbühel 2024: GEPA pictures
Kitzbühel Men’s World Cup Slalom: Who’s Racing, When, and How to Watch
A Classic on the Ganslernhang
The Kitzbühel slalom, part of the iconic Hahnenkamm Races, is a premier event on the FIS Alpine World Cup calendar. Held on the Ganslernhang slope, it features some of the most thrilling slalom skiing in the world. The course, located on Kitzbühel’s Hahnenkamm Mountain, is famous for its challenging terrain. Breakovers, compressions, and off-camber turns, combined with steep gradients in key sections, push skiers to their limits, requiring calculated risks and precise control to succeed.
Known for its history and prestige, the Ganslernhang has been a fixture of the Hahnenkamm Races since 1937. On Sunday, January 26, 2025, the world’s top slalom athletes will once again battle for glory on this historic slope demanding bold decisions and fearless execution.
Last Season’s Winner: Linus Strasser
Germany’s Linus Strasser claimed victory in last year’s Kitzbühel slalom, a race deeply personal to him. Having grown up skiing with the Kitzbühel Ski Club and spending winters in the Alps, Strasser described the win as a “dream victory” and a “childhood dream come true.” He shared the podium with Sweden’s Kristoffer Jakobsen in second and Switzerland’s Daniel Yule in third.
Current Standings and Season Outlook
Henrik Kristoffersen leads the slalom standings with 435 points, showcasing his consistency throughout the season. Loïc Meillard follows in second with 370 points, and Clément Noël, who has won three slaloms this season, holds third with 364 points. Norway’s Atle Lie McGrath and Timon Haugan sit fourth and fifth with 322 and 279 points, respectively. With five slalom races remaining, including Kitzbühel, the battle for the discipline title remains fierce.
Podium Contenders
This season has delivered a mix of established stars and rising talents. Noël, with victories in Levi, Gürgl, and Adelboden, has proven his ability to dominate. Kristoffersen, the leader, continues to rack up points with consistent podium finishes, including his win in Val d’Isère. Norway’s strength was on full display in Wengen, where Kristoffersen, McGrath, and Haugan swept the podium, further solidifying their dominance in slalom.
Albert Popov’s first World Cup victory in Madonna di Campiglio highlighted the growing global competitiveness in men’s slalom. Meillard has maintained his position as a consistent podium contender, emphasizing his versatility. Lucas Pinheiro Braathen, ranked sixth with 253 points, has shown he can rise from outside the top starters to challenge for podium finishes. With Kitzbühel’s demanding Ganslernhang up next, expect bold performances as athletes fight for critical points ahead of the World Championships.
Current Top 15 2024-25 Season’s SL Rankings
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Season Overview: Podium Battles and World Championship Implications
The 2024-25 slalom season has been a thrilling showcase of fierce battles among top racers and rising stars. After seven races, the standings highlight the depth of competition this year. The next two slalom races, including Kitzbühel, are critical for World Championship team selections, adding even more pressure.
Here are the podium results from the season so far:
- Levi, Finland: Clément Noël (FRA, 1st), Henrik Kristoffersen (NOR, 2nd), Loïc Meillard (SUI, 3rd)
- Gürgl, Austria: Clément Noël (FRA, 1st), Kristoffer Jakobsen (SWE, 2nd), Atle Lie McGrath (NOR, 3rd)
- Val d’Isère, France: Henrik Kristoffersen (NOR, 1st), Atle Lie McGrath (NOR, 2nd), Loïc Meillard (SUI, 3rd)
- Alta Badia, Italy: Timon Haugan (NOR, 1st), Loïc Meillard (SUI, 2nd), Atle Lie McGrath (NOR, 3rd)
- Madonna di Campiglio, Italy: Albert Popov (BUL, 1st), Loïc Meillard (SUI, 2nd), Samuel Kolega (CRO, 3rd)
- Adelboden, Switzerland: Clément Noël (FRA, 1st), Lucas Pinheiro Braathen (BRA, 2nd), Henrik Kristoffersen (NOR, 3rd)
- Wengen, Switzerland: Atle Lie McGrath (NOR, 1st), Timon Haugan (NOR, 2nd), Henrik Kristoffersen (NOR, 3rd)
With only five slalom races remaining, including Kitzbühel, every point counts. The iconic Ganslernhang slope offers a perfect stage for athletes to prove themselves under immense pressure ahead of the World Championships.
A Global Field
Seventy-two men from 22 nations will compete in the World Cup slalom in Kitzbühel on Jan. 26.
C. Mitter (NOR) has set the first run, and M. Joris (SUI) will set the second run.
North American Men With 2024-25 World Cup Slalom Points
North Americans on the Start List
Stifel U.S. Ski Team
The Stifel U.S. Ski Team continues to show progress in slalom this season. Benjamin Ritchie leads the group with 85 points, currently ranked 19th in the standings. Ritchie’s breakout season includes five scoring finishes, three of which came consecutively. His career-best eighth-place first run in Wengen highlights his potential to contend at the highest level. With five races remaining, Ritchie looks poised to qualify for the World Cup finals in Sun Valley, Idaho.
Jett Seymour follows with 44 points, ranked 29th. Seymour’s standout performance this season was 13th place in Alta Badia. With consistent improvements, he also has a strong chance to qualify for the season finale. Once the top slalom skier for the U.S., Luke Winters aims to return to the form that earned him a World Cup finals appearance in 2022.
Canadian Contenders
Erik Read and Simon Fournier are skiing independently this season and training with the World Racing Academy. Read, a veteran who scored slalom points for ten consecutive seasons, is eager to stay consistent this year. Fournier, still seeking his first career World Cup points, continues to gain valuable experience. Both will aim to capitalize on Kitzbühel’s challenging slope to turn their seasons around.
North American Men Racing Slalom Jan 26
- Bib 28, Benjamin Ritchie, Stifel USST, Green Mountain Valley School, HEAD
- Bib 32, Jett Seymour, Stifel USST, Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club, University of Denver
- Bib 43, Erik Read, CAN World Racing Academy, Banff Alpine Racers, University of Denver, Atomic
- Bib 58, Simon Fournier, Mont Tremblant Ski Club, University of Denver, SYNC
- Bib 71, Luke Winters, Stifel USST, Sugar Bowl Ski Academy, SYNC Shields
How and When to Watch
The first run kicks off at 4:15 a.m. Eastern and at 1:15 a.m. Pacific Time, with the second run set for 7:30 a.m. Eastern and 4:30 a.m. Pacific Time.
U.S. audiences can catch the Kitzbühel slalom live or replay it on Peacock.
Sports enthusiasts in Canada can watch the World Cup on CBC Sports.
Daily Program and First Run Start List
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First Run Start List
About the Author: Peter Lange
