Odermatt Wins Super-G Crystal Globe
Marco Odermatt celebrated yet another super G win on his way to the season title There is a new king of the Super G. Marco Odermatt showed off his fluid style and stunning speed to take the victory in the super-G at Aspen.
The rising superstar clinched the season super G title with a one race to go. No one on the Audi FIS World Cup tour could match Odermatt’s prowess on the super G slopes this season.
The stands were full for the third day in a row and the atmosphere was electric as Swiss phenom Marco Odermatt won the day, his fifth super-G victory of the season. In second place was German skier Andreas Sander and in third, Norwegian Aleksander Aamodt Kilde for his second podium of the weekend.
There were quite a few big leaps from the back of the field, notably Nico Gauer of Liechtenstein jumping from bib 53 to sixth place, winning the Stifel Bibbo Award for the biggest jump, and Canadian Riley Seger moving up from from bib 51 to 10th place.
“I just want to have fun all the time and go for it. I was not counting points at the start to go for the globe, I just wanted to enjoy the race. It was a really cool hill for super G, I really enjoyed the course. I was excited to race and wanted to show my best today,” said Odermatt.
It is the first super G crystal globe for Odermatt.
He claimed five of the seven super G races so far this season and finished on the podium in all seven. The five super G wins in one season are a new World Cup record. It is the ninth win and 18th podium of the season for the Swiss skier.
“It is hard work behind every race. I did not know it was a record, so five super G wins are pretty cool and securing the globe before the final is even better,” said Odermatt.
Odermatt holds a comfortable lead in the overall standings and a slim lead in the giant slalom table as well.
Veteran Andreas Sander (GER) put together a solid run to finish in second, a mere 0.05 seconds off the lead pace.
It was a great result for the German who makes his first career World Cup podium after 180 starts.
“It means a lot for me. It was always a goal for me. After the last seasons, I made a medal at the world championships last season but no World Cup podium so far, two times in fourth, fifth, sixth, and everything. So now I am really, really happy that I achieved this big goal,” said Sander.
The newly-crowned downhill champion Aleksander Aamodt Kilde (NOR) closed out the podium in third. Kilde was challenging Odermatt for the victory and super G title, but one wide turn slowed down his pace but he was still happy with his run.
“I love racing here. I love the flow of the hill, it is one of the easier ones I would say but that is more because of the snow. It is beautiful to ski here,” said Kilde.
Kilde now has 12 World Cup podiums and five in super G this season. With his two previous super G victories, Kilde remains the only skier to keep Odermatt off the top of a super G World Cup podium this season.
Stefan Babinsky (AUT), Loic Meillard (SUI) rounded out the top five on Sunday.
Nico Gauer (LIE) came from all the way back in the 53rd start number to finish a stunning sixth. Vincent Kreichmeyr (AUT) finished seventh despite another solid run.
Super G world champion James Crawford (CAN) finished in a tie for ninth.
Marco Schwarz (AUT), Daniel Hemetsberger (AUT), and Adrian Smiseth Sejersted (NOR) were among the contenders who did not finish.
The U.S. Alpine Ski Team men put on a show with two U.S. men coming in hot from the back, tying for 14th place. Jared Goldberg bumped up to 14th from bib 45 and his teammate Erik Arvidsson bumped up to 14th from bib 52. Ryan Cochran-Siegle landed in 18th position.
“I thought I had a good top section, I thought I executed really well, turns out the wind was a little bit in my favor,” said Arvidsson. “I carried a lot of speed onto the flats and I executed how I wanted to. It was a cool feeling to end the World Cup speed season this way.”
“The wind was blowing at the very top—the clocks right next to us fell over,” said Goldberg. “I was really on the limit and could have skied cleaner but I was pushing it and trying to have a solid fast run.”
Rounding out the Stifel U.S. Alpine Ski Team, Bryce Bennett scored points in 28th place. Kyle Negomir was 36th. Almost a third of the skiers did not finish, including River Radamus.
