Alte Lie McGrath GEPA pictures/Mario Buehner-Weinrauch

Repeating the outcome of the Adelboden slalom a week ago, two Norwegians are leading the race after the first run of the Wengen slalom. This week, the 23-year-old Atle Lie McGrath earned a (-0.39) advantage over his veteran teammate Henrik Kristoffersen. McGrath was born in Burlington, Vermont, but moved to his mother’s home country when he was two.

After a slower start to the season than expected, the Norwegians have found their slalom stride.

In third after the first run is the season’s discipline leader, Austrian Manuel Feller (+0.52).

The first group delivered impressive slalom performances on a spectacular slope. Notably, Germany’s Linus Strasser was attacking and had the lead when he went over his limit in the final sector and skied off course.

Also, for the first time this season, it appeared Kristoffersen, the winner of 23 career World Cup slaloms, was one with his new Red Bull boots.

However, the fastest seven are all within a second of the leader. Many are close enough to dream of a podium, which should result in an exhilarating second run.

Difficult slope

Because of the many terrain challenges offered by the Wengen Männlichen slope, plenty of racers could not finish the course. This is a hill where no turn is the same as the last. Of the first 15 to ski, three did not finish, and of the first thirty, seven did not complete their runs. Leaving plenty of room for the rest of the starters to qualify for the second run. At the end of the first run, 20 of the 59 starters did not finish.

Attacks from the back

Nine racers who started with bibs above 30 were able to qualify. The fastest was bib 35 Croatian Istok Rhodes 9th (+1.09). The last racer to do so was bib 51 Japan’s Seigo Kato 23rd (+1.75). Twelve nations have racers qualified for the afternoon. Both the Austrians and the Swiss have five qualified for the finale.

North American slalom struggles continue. Today, Stifel US Ski Team’s Ben Ritchie was the only one to qualify for the second run. Ritchie finished the morning in 28th (+2.09). However, it is good to see that he has qualified two weeks in a row on two challenging slopes. He will be the third racer to start the final run.

Drama ahead

The first run has set the stage for an exhilarating second act in Wengen. With Norwegians Atle Lie McGrath and Henrik Kristoffersen leading the charge, the competition is fierce, and the Männlichen slope has proven to be both ally and adversary.

The challenges racers face and unexpected twists have only fueled the anticipation for the finale. As the fastest seven racers remain within striking distance of a victory, the battle for the podium promises a nail-biting climax.

The Wengen slalom isn’t just a race; it’s a captivating narrative of determination, skill, and the pursuit of glory. The second run beckons, with it, the promise of an unforgettable conclusion of the four days of racing in Wengen.

First run top 30 results and analysis of the fastest three and the qualified North Americans.

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Analysis of the fastest three and the qualified North Americans.