Wiley Maple: GEPA pictures
Who’s Racing Downhill When and How to Watch
Back-to-Back Speed in Kvitfjell
The world’s best downhillers will charge down Kvitfjell’s Olympiabakken slope for the second straight day. Back-to-back races mean no time to dwell on mistakes or celebrate success—racers must quickly regroup, adjust their tactics, and push even harder.
Saturday’s race is the final men’s downhill of the regular World Cup season. After this, only the top 25 in the season standings will be awarded an invitation to the World Cup Finals in Sun Valley, Idaho.
Marco Odermatt took another step toward downhill dominance on Friday, finishing second behind Dominik Paris. With that result, the Swiss all-around star extended his lead in the season standings to 103 points over countryman Franjo Von Allmen. Another strong performance on Saturday could seal the 2025 downhill globe before he even sets foot in the U.S.
For many others, the stakes are just as high. Some will be battling to solidify their spots in the top 25 while their closest competitors fight to break in. This is also the final opportunity for most racers to score World Cup downhill points this season. Those who haven’t yet secured a place in the top 60 of the World Cup Start List need to do so now—earning that ranking is crucial for their country to maintain or gain a downhill start spot for next season.
With everything on the line and little time for adjustments, expect an all-out battle on Kvitfjell’s demanding course.
Friday’s Kvitfjell Downhill: Paris Breaks Through
Paris powered to his first victory of the season on Friday, proving once again that Kvitfjell is one of his favorite hunting grounds. The Italian veteran delivered a fearless, attacking run to claim his fourth career downhill victory at the Norwegian venue.
Paris also became just the second non-Swiss skier to win a downhill this season, breaking up what has been near-total dominance from Switzerland. That control remained evident on the podium, with Odermatt taking second and Stefan Rogentin securing third. The Swiss team wasn’t done there—they also locked down fourth and fifth, reinforcing their grip on the World Cup downhill standings.
Adjustments will be made with the field having one race under its belt, and the fight for victory on Saturday will be even more intense. Can Paris make it a double? Or will the Swiss strike back?
Podium Count: Swiss Dominance and International Presence
With seven men’s downhills completed this season, five countries have placed a skier on the podium. While Switzerland has dominated, four other countries—Canada, Italy, Slovenia, and the United States—have also earned top-three finishes.
Switzerland’s control over the downhill standings is still staggering—Swiss skiers have claimed 14 of the 21 podium spots available. The team’s depth is unmatched, with five Swiss athletes reaching the podium: Odermatt, Von Allmen, Alexis Monney, Rogentin, and Justin Murisier.
- Switzerland – 14 podiums (Odermatt, Von Allmen, Monney, Rogentin, Murisier)
- Canada – 3 podiums (Cameron Alexander, James Crawford)
- Italy – 1 podium (Dominik Paris)
- Slovenia – 2 podiums (Miha Hrobat)
- United States – 1 podium (Ryan Cochran-Siegle)
With one more downhill race remaining before the World Cup Finals, Switzerland looks poised to continue its dominance. But as Paris proved in Kvitfjell’s Friday race, challengers are still ready to break up the Swiss reign.
2024-25 Downhill Podiums
| Race Venue | 1st Place | 2nd Place | 3rd Place |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beaver Creek – Birds of Prey | Justin Murisier (SUI) | Marco Odermatt (SUI) | Miha Hrobat (SLO) |
| Val Gardena / Gröden – Saslong | Marco Odermatt (SUI) | Franjo Von Allmen (SUI) | Ryan Cochran-Siegle (USA) |
| Bormio – Stelvio | Alexis Monney (SUI) | Franjo Von Allmen (SUI) | Cameron Alexander (CAN) |
| Wengen – Lauberhorn, Switzerland | Marco Odermatt (SUI) | Franjo Von Allmen (SUI) | Miha Hrobat (SLO) |
| Kitzbühel – Hahnenkamm, Austria | James Crawford (CAN) | Alexis Monney (SUI) | Cameron Alexander (CAN) |
| Crans-Montana, Switzerland | Franjo Von Allmen (SUI) | Marco Odermatt (SUI) | Alexis Monney (SUI) |
| Kvitfjell, Norway – Race 1 | Dominik Paris (ITA) | Marco Odermatt (SUI) | Stefan Rogentin (SUI) |
The Title Race: Down to Two
With his second-place finish in Kvitfjell, Odermatt has built a 103-point lead over Von Allmen, making the race for the downhill globe a two-man fight. Mathematically, only Von Allmen still has a chance but faces long odds.
To overtake Odermatt, Von Allmen must win the final downhill and hope that Odermatt finishes 16th or worse—an unlikely scenario given Odermatt’s form.
The updated top five standings show just how much of a gap Odermatt has created:
- Marco Odermatt (SUI) – 525 points
- Franjo Von Allmen (SUI) – 422 points (-103)
- Alexis Monney (SUI) – 305 points (-220)
- Miha Hrobat (SLO) – 270 points (-255)
- James Crawford (CAN) – 238 points (-287)
Unless something magical happens, the 2025 downhill globe is Odermatt’s to lose as the World Cup heads into its final regular season race.
Countries in the Top 15
After seven downhills this season, seven countries are represented in the top 15 of the downhill standings. Switzerland leads with five skiers, while Canada, the United States, Austria, and Italy each have two. Slovenia and France each have one.
- Switzerland – 5 skiers (Odermatt, Von Allmen, Monney, Murisier, Rogentin)
- Canada – 2 skiers (Crawford, Alexander – injured, not competing in Kvitfjell)
- United States – 2 skiers (Cochran-Siegle, Bennett)
- Austria – 2 skiers (Kriechmayr, Hemetsberger)
- Italy – 2 skiers (Paris, Casse – injured, not competing in Kvitfjell)
- Slovenia – 1 skier (Hrobat)
- France – 1 skier (Allegre)
All 15 of these racers have already secured their spots in the World Cup Finals. With that pressure off, their focus shifts entirely to maximizing points—either to solidify their current standings or move up the rankings before the season-ending showdown in Sun Valley.
With just one regular-season downhill left, every position gained could make a difference in the fight for overall standings.
Top 5 Downhill Standings
Current 2024-25 Men’s World Cup Top 15 Downhill Rankings
Sixty racers from 14 countries will compete in the Saturday Kvitfjell downhill on the Olympiabakken course.
North American 2025 Contenders
Stifel U.S. Ski Team and Independent Racer Wiley Maple
Ryan Cochran-Siegle continues to lead the Stfiel U.S. Ski Team downhill squad, currently sitting 11th in the World Cup downhill standings. He placed 10th in Friday’s Kvitfjell downhill and remains the only American to reach a downhill podium this season.
Bryce Bennett is tied with Cochran-Siegle in the standings after finishing 7th on Friday, marking his third-best downhill result of the season. Both are safely locked into the World Cup Finals, but their focus now is on maximizing points to climb the standings before heading to Sun Valley.
Further down the rankings, Sam Morse (35th) and Jared Goldberg (37th) need an outstanding final regular-season downhill in Kvitfjell to qualify for the Finals. Saturday is their last chance to break into the top 25, making it a must-perform race.
A strong performance also came from U.S. independent racer Wiley Maple, who finished 21st on Friday, scoring downhill points for the first time this season. His result sees him 45th in the standings and guarantees him a spot in the top 60 of the World Cup downhill start list. That prevents the U.S. from losing a nation start spot for next season—a significant achievement for World Cup racing.
Several other Stifel U.S. Ski Team racers are still searching for their first World Cup downhill points this season. Kyle Negomir and Jack Smith are all looking to break through in Kvitfjell. With just one race left in the regular season, they are running out of time to put on the points board.
Alpine Canada Alpin
Crawford continues to lead the North American charge in the 2025 World Cup downhill standings, currently ranked fifth. As the 2025 Kitzbühel downhill champion, he has established himself as one of the sport’s best. However, Friday’s Kvitfjell race didn’t go as planned—after making a significant mistake, he finished 26th. Despite that setback, he remains Canada’s best hope for a podium on Saturday.
Brodie Seger is the only other Canadian racing in Kvitfjell with downhill points this season, currently ranked 23rd with 66 points. That places him on the bubble for World Cup Finals qualification, meaning he needs a strong result on Saturday to solidify his invitation to Sun Valley.
Meanwhile, Jeffrey Read continues to struggle racing downhill this season and is still looking for his first 2025 World Cup downhill points. His goal in Kvitfjell is twofold: crack the top 60 in the World Cup Start List and help Canada avoid losing a downhill start position for next season.
University of Utah Ski Team member Raphael Lessard made his World Cup debut on Friday, finishing a respectable 46th. He managed to outpace three U.S. World Cup veterans, an encouraging sign as he prepares for his second career World Cup downhill on Saturday.
With only one regular-season downhill remaining, Canadian racers will be looking to maximize their points.
North Americans with 2025 World Cup Downhill Points
North American Men Racing the Downhill
- Bib 9, James Crawford, ACA, Whistler Mountain Ski Club, HEAD
- Bib 10, Bryce Bennett, Stifel USST, Team Palisades Tahoe
- Bib 19, Ryan Cochran-Siegle, Stifel USST, Mt Mansfield Ski Academy, Cochran’s Ski Club, HEAD
- Bib 26, Brodie Seger, ACA, Whistler Mountain Ski Club, Atomic
- Bib 27, Jared Goldberg, Stifel USST, Snowbird Sports Educational Foundation
- Bib 29, Sam Morse, Stifel USST, Carrabassett Valley Academy, TOKO
- Bib 31, Jeffrey Read, ACA, Banff Alpine Racers, Atomic
- Bib 34,Kyle Negomir, Stifel USST, Ski and Snowboard Club Vail, Atomic
- Bib 37, Wiley Maple, USA Independent, Aspen Valley Ski and Snowboard Club, SYNC, Atomic, Oakley
- Bib 55, Jack Smith, Stifel USST, Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation
- Bib 58, Raphael Lessard, University of Utah, Club de Ski Bromont, HEAD, Oakley
What to Watch For
The final men’s downhill of the regular season is set for Saturday in Kvitfjell, with plenty still on the line.
- Odermatt’s Title to Lose – A 103-point lead means Odermatt can clinch the downhill globe with a solid finish. Only his teammate Von Allmen can catch him, but he must be spectacular in the final races and hope Odermatt struggles mightily.
- Paris Going for Two – Fresh off his fourth Kvitfjell downhill victory, Dominik Paris looks to sweep the Kvitfjell downhills and break the Swiss stranglehold on the discipline.
- Swiss Strength vs. Challengers – Switzerland has won five of seven downhills and taken 14 of 21 podium spots. Can Paris, Miha Hrobat, Crawford, or another contender disrupt their dominance?
- Final Standings Fight – With Canada’s Seger (23rd) on the Sun Valley bubble, he needs a strong result to lock in his World Cup Finals spot. The USA’s Morse and Goldberg need a breakout performance to break into the top 25 and qualify.
- Nations Start Spots on the Line – Read (CAN) and Negomir (USA) are battling for top-60 spots in the World Cup Start List, which would secure downhill start positions for their countries next season.
With one last chance to move up the standings, expect an all-out battle on Kvitfjell’s fast, punishing track.
How and When to Watch
The race starts at 4:30 a.m. Eastern and 1:30 a.m. Pacific Time.
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.
Daily Program and Start List
Click the images to enlarge or download.
Start List
About the Author: Peter Lange
