SAALBACH-HINTERGLEMM, Austria — Overall champion Marco Odermatt dominated the opening run of the last men’s World Cup giant slalom of the season Saturday as the Swiss star could become the first skier in 45 years to win every race in one discipline.
Odermatt has won each of the 12 giant slaloms since February 2023, including all nine this season, and closed in on the record set by Swedish great Ingemar Stenmark, who won all 10 giant slaloms in the 1978-79 season.
“I felt the last two days that I got a bit nervous,” said Odermatt, who is the Olympic and world champion in giant slalom and locked up the GS season title and his third straight overall championship weeks ago.
Odermatt led Swiss teammate Loic Meillard by 0.40 seconds, while third-placed Alexander Steen Olsen of Norway was 1.39 off the lead. The rest of the field had more than 1.60 seconds to make up on Odermatt in the second leg later Saturday.
The course was affected by overnight rain and organizers attempted to harden the surface by sprinkling salt on it just before the race.
“It was difficult conditions, also for the organizers,” Odermatt said.
PHOTOS: Swiss skier Odermatt leads again to close in on perfect season in giant slalom
The race was the first event of the traditional World Cup finals, which features one race in each discipline for both men and women. The first weekend is reserved for the tech races, with the men’s slalom scheduled for Sunday.
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