Odermatt Makes History with 12th Consecutive GS Win: Eyes Stenmark’s Record

Marco Odermatt GEPA pictures/ Greg M. Cooper

March 2nd in Aspen, Colorado Switzerland’s Marco Odermatt overcomes a first-run deficit to win his ninth World Cup of the season and his 12th consecutive. He now owns the second-longest discipline-winning streak in history. Only Ingemar Stenmark has a longer consecutive streak at 14. There are two more GS races this season.

“I really don’t know what to say anymore, it’s crazy,” said Odermatt “I didn’t really expect that it will be enough with this mistake but I also knew that it was perfect in the second half of the run.

“Incredible that it really works every time, I don’t know why.”

“I feel nervous these days and at the start, because I know you really have to win for this record, not just good skiing, you really have to win,” he said. “If you’re so close, for sure you want to get it, but every race is so difficult.

“I’m just enjoying it as long as I can keep going for the record.”

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Loic Meillard

His teammate Loic Meillard came alive in Stifel Aspen Winternational GSs and earned his second consecutive GS podium. After Odermatt skied his winning run, Meillard skied brilliantly and finished and maintained his advantage through all but the final split.

“People don’t really understand what he’s actually doing,” said Meillard “At the moment, he’s on a different planet. He can make mistakes and do everything he wants, but he still goes fast and that’s what’s crazy.”

Timon Haugen

In third place, Norwegian Timon Haugan earned his first career GS podium. His previous best GS was 10th. Haugan was fifth after the first run but overcame the time advantages of Zan Kranjec and first-run leader Alexander Steen Olsen to finish third fastest second run time.

“I still can’t believe it,” said Haugan. “My goal this year was to make it in the top 30 in GS and it’s gone way past my goals.

“Since I was young I always pictured myself having two disciplines in the top of the world. Slalom has been good for some years and I’ve worked a lot in the GS to get on the same level.”

Alexander Steen Olsen

Unfortunately, first-run leader, Norway’s 22-year-old Alexander Steen Olsen, Struggled on the Strawpile pitch and dropped to 17th. However, as well as he is skiing, it would be surprising if he doesn’t have a GS victory in his future.

With ten racers left to ski the second run, Italian Alex Vinatzer sat at the top of the standings (0.66) ahead of Switzerland’s Gino Caviezel. However, by delivering the fastest second run, Vinatzer maintained his lead until his teammate Luca De Alipradini, sixth after the first run, assumed the leader’s chair.

However, the next skier to ski, Norwegian Timon Haugan, took the lead. That left just four men remaining to start. However, the fourth fastest from the morning, Slovenia’s Zan Kranjec, crossed into 5th place. That left only the fastest three from the morning at the start. Haugan would end the day by earning his first World Cup GS podium by finishing 3rd.

North Americans

The first two racers to tackle the second course were Stifel US Ski Team members. River Radamus and Isaiah Nelson tied for thirtieth place. However, they quite likely approached the race very differently. Radamus achieved his first podium just a week ago and started third, while Nelson qualified for his first final today.

River Radamus

Radamus started the second run first because of his earlier first run start number. Typically, when a skier of Radamus’s caliber starts early on the second run, they deliver an excellent performance and make significant progress up the leaderboard. However, today, he couldn’t find his top form. Although he skied well overall, he faced difficulties in the third timing sector. Despite moving up eight positions, it wasn’t the race he had hoped for. However, Radamus finished 22nd and contributed to his season’s point total.

Isaiah Nelson

Conversely, skiers often play it safe when they reach their first final and are poised to score their inaugural World Cup points. But Nelson took a different approach. Instead of skiing conservatively, he attacked the course with even greater energy. After the first timing sector, he was 0.60 seconds ahead of Radamus. Impressively, he pushed himself beyond his limits. Although he couldn’t finish the race, he earned immense respect for his determination to do more than secure his first points. Hopefully, he’ll achieve that milestone in his next race.

Tommy Ford

The final Stifel US Ski Team member to race was Tommy Ford. Tommy delivered the 3rd fastest second run and crossed with the lead. He then began his rapid ascent up the leaderboard. While he relinquished his lead two racers after he finished to Austrian Domik Raschner, they kept their one-two positions for the next six racers, and Tommy ended the day moving up ten positions to finish in 16th place and with one regular season GS remaining, he kept his World Cup finals dream alive.

Big second-run moves

Stifel US Ski Team’s Tommy Ford and Austria’s Dominik Rascher used fast second runs and moved up ten positions. However, Raschner started the first run 50th and earned the $5,000 Stifel Bibbo Award by finishing 14th.

In the upcoming GS races, all eyes are on the next stop in Kransjska Gora, Slovenia, scheduled for March 9th. Marco Odermatt’s remarkable performance in Aspen, overcoming a first-run deficit to clinch his ninth World Cup GS victory of the season and extend his streak to twelve consecutive wins, sets the stage for an exciting conclusion to the regular season. His teammate Loic Meillard’s consistent podium finishes add to the anticipation. Norwegian newcomer Timon Haugan’s stunning debut podium also hints at the thrilling competition to come. Despite challenges faced by some racers, like Alexander Steen Olsen’s setback, the future of Alpine skiing looks promising. With the final GS of the regular season approaching, there’s no telling what surprises await on the slopes of Kransjska Gora.

Stifel Aspen Winternational GS results and analysis of the fastest three and Stifel US Ski Team members

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The analysis of the fastest three and Stifel US Ski Team members