Lie McGrath, Meillard, Strasser: GEPA pictures
Kranjska Gora Men’s World Cup Slalom: Who’s Racing, When, and How to Watch
Kranjska Gora’s Storied Slalom Legacy
The Men’s World Cup slalom in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia, is a classic event on the Alpine circuit. Held on the technical Podkoren slope, it has been a fixture since 1968, when Patrick Russel of France won the first World Cup race there.
Vitranc Cup: A Historic Race
The Vitranc Cup, established in 1961, became a World Cup event in 1968. The race gained national significance in 1982, when Bojan Križaj earned Slovenia’s first World Cup victory, defeating Ingemar Stenmark before 32,000 fans.
Kranjska Gora’s Place in Skiing History
The resort has long been a key venue in Alpine skiing. In 1972, it hosted the first two-run Women’s World Cup GS.
U.S. Slalom Success in Kranjska Gora
Nolan Kasper remains the only U.S. skier to reach the Kranjska Gora slalom podium, finishing second in 2011. His result also marks the last World Cup slalom podium by a U.S. male skier.
Dominance on the Podkoren Slope
Benjamin Raich of Austria holds the record for the most slalom wins in Kranjska Gora, with four victories on the Podkoren slope.
The Last Kranjska Gora Slalom Podium
The last men’s slalom in Kranjska Gora was in 2021, as last season’s races were canceled due to lack of snow. That blizzard-filled race saw France take the top two spots, with Clément Noël winning and Victor Muffat-Jeandet finishing second. Switzerland’s Ramon Zenhäusern rounded out the podium in third.
This season, Noël has dominated with four slalom victories, while Muffat-Jeandet sits 27th in the rankings with a season-best 11th place. Zenhäusern, once a consistent contender, has struggled, scoring just three times, with a best result of 20th in the season opener.
In 2021, none of the five North Americans qualified for the second run.
2024-25 Slalom Podiums So Far
| Location | 1st Place | 2nd Place | 3rd Place |
|---|---|---|---|
| Levi, Finland | Clément Noël (FRA) | Henrik Kristoffersen (NOR) | Loïc Meillard (SUI) |
| Gurgl, Austria | Clément Noël (FRA) | Kristoffer Jakobsen (SWE) | Atle Lie McGrath (NOR) |
| Val d’Isère, France | Henrik Kristoffersen (NOR) | Atle Lie McGrath (NOR) | Loïc Meillard (SUI) |
| Alta Badia, Italy | Timon Haugan (NOR) | Loïc Meillard (SUI) | Atle Lie McGrath (NOR) |
| Madonna di Campiglio, Italy | Albert Popov (BUL) | Loïc Meillard (SUI) | Samuel Kolega (CRO) |
| Adelboden, Switzerland | Clément Noël (FRA) | Lucas Pinheiro Braathen (BRA) | Henrik Kristoffersen (NOR) |
| Wengen, Switzerland | Atle Lie McGrath (NOR) | Timon Haugan (NOR) | Henrik Kristoffersen (NOR) |
| Kitzbühel, Austria | Clément Noël (FRA) | Alex Vinatzer (ITA) | Lucas Pinheiro Braathen (BRA) |
| Schladming, Austria | Timon Haugan (NOR) | Manuel Feller (AUT) | Fabio Gstrein (AUT) |
Slalom Podium Breakdown: The Battle Heats Up
With two regular-season slaloms and the World Cup Finals remaining, the race for the season title is tight. So far, nine nations have reached the podium in nine races:
- Norway (11 podiums) – 4 wins (Kristoffersen, Haugan x2, McGrath), 3 second place, 4 third place
- France (4 podiums) – 4 wins (Noël)
- Switzerland (4 podiums) – 2 second place, 2 third place
- Austria (2 podiums) – 1 second place, 1 third place
- Brazil (2 podiums) – 1 second place, 1 third place
- Italy (1 podium) – 1 second place
- Sweden (1 podium) – 1 second place
- Bulgaria (1 podium) – 1 win (Popov)
- Croatia (1 podium) – 1 third place
Current Top 15 2024-25 Season’s SL Rankings
Click the images to enlarge
Analysis of the Top 15 in the Slalom Standings
After nine of 12 World Cup slalom races, the top 15 racers come from nine different nations:
Countries Represented & Count of Racers
- Norway (NOR) – 3 racers
- Switzerland (SUI) – 3 racers
- France (FRA) – 2 racers
- Austria (AUT) – 2 racers
- Brazil (BRA) – 1 racer
- Germany (GER) – 1 racer
- Croatia (CRO) – 1 racer
- Bulgaria (BUL) – 1 racer
- Great Britain (GBR) – 1 racer
Top 5 with Deficit to Kristoffersen
| Rank | Name | Nation | Points | Deficit to Kristoffersen |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Henrik Kristoffersen | NOR | 467 | — (Leader) |
| 2 | Clément Noël | FRA | 464 | -3 |
| 3 | Loïc Meillard | SUI | 415 | -52 |
| 4 | Timon Haugan | NOR | 379 | -88 |
| 5 | Atle Lie McGrath | NOR | 362 | -105 |
Who to Watch in Kranjska Gora
With only two regular-season slaloms and the World Cup Finals left, the race for the slalom title is razor-thin.
- Kristoffersen (NOR) leads the season standings by just three points over Noël (FRA), making this a crucial showdown. A win or podium finish could swing the standings.
- Meillard (SUI), 52 points back, has been consistent with four podiums but needs a big result to stay in contention.
- Haugan (NOR) and Lie McGrath (NOR), both past winners this season, could shake up the standings with another strong performance.
- Pinheiro Braathen (BRA) and Feller (AUT) are podium threats and could disrupt the title race.
With a technical course and high stakes, Kranjska Gora could be the defining race of the 2024-25 slalom season.
A Global Field
Sixty-eight men from 20 countries will compete in the World Cup slalom in Kranjska Gora on March 2.
P. Grasic (CRO) has set the first run, and R. Plattner (AUT) will set the second run.
North Americans with 2024-25 World Cup Slalom Points
North Americans Racing Slalom in Kranjska Gora
The Stifel U.S. Ski Team
Ritchie’s Breakthrough Season
Benjamin Ritchie is enjoying a breakout year in slalom. The 24-year U.S. men’s slalom podium drought—the longest in any event—remains, but Ritchie’s progress suggests change may be coming.
With 124 points this season, he has already surpassed last year’s total by more than 100 points and sits 19th in the standings, on track for World Cup Finals qualification. Over the previous three seasons combined, he scored just 55 points, making this year’s surge even more impressive.
He has two top-10 finishes, including a season-best eighth place in Madonna di Campiglio. A podium remains a challenge, but with three races left, continued progress and the right conditions could end the drought.
Seymour’s Late Push for Finals
Jett Seymour, a University of Denver first-team All-American, is the senior U.S. slalom skier in Kranjska Gora. He has earned a career-high 44 World Cup points and is ranked 35th.
A high-risk, high-reward racer, Seymour has an outside shot at World Cup Finals qualification, trailing the top 25 by 38 points with 10 strong slalom skiers ahead of him.
With two races left, he must deliver big performances, but his raw speed and aggressive skiing give him a chance to close the gap.
Palmquist Earns Another World Cup Start
Camden Palmquist, 21, will make his second career World Cup slalom start in Kranjska Gora.
After competing in the season opener in Levi, Finland, he spent the winter in Continental Cup races, preparing for his return. A 23rd-place finish in the Baqueira Beret Europa Cup in Spain secured his next World Cup opportunity.
Armed with valuable Europa Cup experience, Palmquist will aim to make the most of his second shot on the sport’s biggest stage.
Canada’s Kranjska Gora Slalom Racers: Read and Kertesz-Knight
Erik Read and Jesse Kertesz-Knight will represent Canada in the Kranjska Gora World Cup slalom.
Read’s Decade-Long Consistency
Read, an independent racer training with the World Racing Academy, continues to show remarkable consistency. He has scored slalom points in 11 consecutive World Cup seasons, a rare achievement. His 21st-place finish in Kitzbühel showcased his ability to perform on one of the circuit’s most demanding slopes.
A University of Denver graduate and first-team All-American, Read brings experience and steady results to the Canadian squad.
Kertesz-Knight’s Breakthrough Season
Kertesz-Knight, a 21-year-old World Cup rookie and Alpine Canada Alpin Development Team member, is having a breakout season. Working with Coach Urban Planinšek, he leads the NorAm slalom standings after earning his first podiums with back-to-back wins in Panorama and Norquay.
His success extends to Europe, where he earned his first Europa Cup points with a 16th-place finish in Berchtesgaden.
Adding to the moment, his father, Mike Kertesz, a longtime FIS official and Director of Race Operations for men’s events, will be in the finish area to watch his son race on the World Cup stage for the first time.
North American Men Racing Slalom
- Bib 22, Benjamin Ritchie, Stifel USST, Green Mountain Valley School, HEAD
- Bib 32, Jett Seymour, Stifel USST, Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club, University of Denver
- Bib 45, Erik Read, CAN World Racing Academy, Banff Alpine Racers, University of Denver, Atomic
- Bib 46, Jesse Kertesz-Knight, ACA, Banff Alpine Racers
- Bib 60, Cameron Palmquist, Stifel USST, Buck Hill, Team Summit, Völkl/Dalbello/ Marker, Oakley
How and When to Watch
The first run kicks off at 3:30 a.m. Eastern and at 12:30 a.m. Pacific Time, with the second run set for 6:30 a.m. Eastern and 3:30 a.m. Pacific Time.
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.
Daily Program and First Run Start List
Click images to enlarge or download
First Run Start List
About the Author: Peter Lange
