TL;DR
Swiss skiing phenomenon Marco Odermatt achieved a historic first win on Val Gardena's renowned Saslong course, leading a Swiss 1-2 finish with a masterful performance that launched him to the top of both downhill and overall World Cup standings. His flawless execution through the challenging Ciaslat section sealed a memorable victory in the 2024/25 FIS Alpine Ski World Cup.
Swiss Superstar Marco Odermatt Claims Historic First Victory on Val Gardena's Legendary Saslong Course
Marco Odermatt demonstrated his unrivaled skill on Saturday (21 December), securing his first career victory in Val Gardena during the 2024/25 FIS Alpine Ski World Cup downhill race.
The reigning World Cup and World champion dominated the field with a lightning-fast time of 2:03.10, finishing nearly half a second ahead of fellow Swiss competitor Franjo Von Allmen. The win marks another milestone in Odermatt's remarkable career.
Starting 14th on the challenging Saslong course, Odermatt's technical precision through the notorious Ciaslat section proved decisive. His masterful navigation of this complex portion set him apart from the competition, establishing an insurmountable lead.
The podium battle behind Odermatt proved intense, with Von Allmen claiming second place by just one-hundredth of a second over Olympic medallist Ryan Cochran-Siegle. French competitor Nils Allegre narrowly missed the podium, finishing fourth by the same razor-thin margin.
Several late starters mounted impressive challenges, with Slovenia's Martin Cater (bib 42), Austria's Stefan Eichberger (bib 56), and Germany's Romed Baumann (bib 31) finishing fifth (+0.50), sixth (+0.52), and seventh (+0.53) respectively.
This victory, Odermatt's second of the season following his Beaver Creek Super-G triumph, propelled him to the summit of both the downhill and overall standings.
"It was one of my best downhills, I said the same when I crossed the finish line. I came close to maybe Courchevel (at the World Championships) or Wengen last year. Yeah, I think if you want to win the downhill, you need the perfect run. Today, already at the top— which is not really my section— I skied very well. Finally, I also jumped well, and then the Ciaslat was really perfect. So, yeah, I'm very happy with the run." - 'Odi' told Eurosport after the race.
The Swiss champion's next challenge awaits in Alta Badia's giant slalom on Sunday, where he aims to defend his double victory from last year.
FIS Alpine Skiing World Cup 2024/25 - Val Gardena men's Downhill, 21 December 2024 - Results
Top 10:
1. Marco Odermatt (SUI) 2:03.10
2. Franjo Von Allmen (SUI) +0.45
3. Ryan Cochran-Siegle (USA) +0.46
4. Nils Allegre (FRA) +0.47
5. Martin Cater (SLO) +0.50
6. Stefan Eichberger (AUT) + 0.52
7. Romed Baumann (GER) +0.53
8. Bryce Bennett (USA) +0.61
9. Cameron Alexander (CAN) +0.64
10. Stefan Rogentin (SUI) +0.68
About the author
Michael Fulton
Melbourne-based skier and snowboarder with 50+ resorts across 5 continents. Specialises in Australian resorts and international resort comparisons.
