Are You Ready for the Alpine Ski World Cup in Soelden, Tirol, Austria?

Alpine Ski World Cup. Soelden, Rettenbach Glacier. Picture: Ski Paradise

On Saturday, October 25, all eyes will turn to the majestic Rettenbach Glacier in Soelden for the opening event of the 2025-2026 Audi FIS Alpine Ski World Cup, featuring the longest, steepest, and most challenging Giant Slalom slope on the Tour.

Excitement and speculation surrounding the start of the season increase as we approach the race. Who will come out on top? Will Marco Odermatt continue his Giant Slalom dominance? Will Mikaela Shiffrin —the winningest female in World Cup history—be back at the top of the podium in Soelden?

Soelden's first race is always interesting to watch. The Alpine Ski World Cup opener at Soelden is, in many ways, a testing ground. Until the big show on Saturday and Sunday, it’s a mystery who has podium potential this season. Everyone is trying to get their feel and see where they stack up against their competitors.

Racers may think their setup and skiing are good and they are ready, but they don't know until they test it in a World Cup race, so it's still a little bit of a mystery. Skiers still don't feel prepared coming into Soelden.

On top of that, it’s an unrelenting, often brutal track in which athletes have to capitalize on the steeps and carry their speed onto the challenging flats at the bottom of the course in Soelden.

In 2016, coach Magnus Andersson reminded the USA skiers to "take advantage of the flats...I saw Ted Ligety win a lot of races here on the flats". Like, for instance, in 2012, when Ligety won by an unthinkable 2.75 seconds over Marcel Hirscher, the biggest lead ever in Soelden.

Alpine Ski World Cup Season Opener Program:

Saturday, 25.10.2025

• 10:00 CET 1st run Women‘s Giant Slalom

• 13:00 CET 2nd run Women‘s Giant Slalom

Sunday, 26.10.2025

• 10:00 CET 1st run Men‘s Giant Slalom

• 13:00 CET 2nd run Men‘s Giant Slalom

Soelden Winners:

2024 Federica Brignone (ITA) / Alexander Steen Olsen (NOR)

2023 Lara Gut-Behrami (SUI)

2022 Marco Odermatt (SUI)

2021 Mikaela Shiffrin (USA) / Marco Odermatt (SUI)

2020 Marta Bassino (ITA) / Lucas Braathen (NOR)

2019 Alice Robinson (NZL) / Alexis Pinturault (FRA)

2018 Tessa Worley (FR)

2017 Viktoria Rebensburg (GER)

2016 Lara Gut (SUI) / Alexis Pinturault (FRA)

2015 Federica Brignone (ITA) / Ted Ligety (USA)

2014 Mikaela Shiffrin (USA) ex aequo Anna Fenninger (AUT) / Marcel Hirscher (AUT)

2013 Lara GUT (SUI) / Ted Ligety (USA)

2012 Tina Maze (SLO) / Ted Ligety (USA)

2011 Lindsey Vonn (USA) / Ted Ligety (USA)

2010 Viktoria Rebensburg (GER)

2009 Tanja Poutianen (FIN) / Didier Cuche (SUI)

2008 Kathrin Zettel (AUT) / Daniel Albrecht (SUI)

2007 Denise Karbon (ITA) / Aksel Lund Svindal (NOR)

2005 Tina Maze (SLO) / Hermann Maier (AUT)

2004 Anja Pärson (SWE) / Bode Miller (USA)

2003 Martina Ertl (GER) / Bode Miller (USA)

2002 Andrine Flemmen (NOR) ex aequo Tina Maze (SLO), Niki Hosp (AUT) / Stephan Eberharter (AUT)

2001 Michaela Dorfmeister (AUT) / Frederic Covili (FRA)

2000 Martina Ertl (GER) / Hermann Maier (AUT)

1998 Andrine Flemmen (NOR) / Hermann Maier (AUT)

1996 Katja Seizinger (GER) / Steve Locher (SUI)

1993 Anita Wachter (AUT) / Franck Piccard (FRA)

Women's victory ranking (by country):

• Austria: 5

• Germany: 5

• Switzerland and Italy: 4

• Slovenia: 3

• Norway and USA: 3

• Finland, Sweden, France, and New Zealand: 1

  
  

Women's victory ranking

• 3 wins Tina Maze SLO 2002, 2005, 2012, and Lara Gut Behrami SUI 2013, 2016, 2023

• 2 wins Viktoria Rebensburg GER 2010, 2017; Andrine Flemmen NOR 1998, 2002; Martina Ertl GER 2000, 2003; Mikaela Shiffrin USA 2014, 2021; Federica Brignone ITA 2015, 2024.

  
  

Men's victory ranking (by country):

• USA: 6

• Austria 5

• France: 4

• Switzerland: 5

• Norway: 3

  
  

Men's victory ranking:

• 4 Wins Ted Ligety USA 2011, 2012; 2013; 2015

• 3 wins Hermann Maier AUT 1998, 2000, 2005

• 2 wins Marco Odermatt SUI 2021, 2022; Alexis Pinturault FRA 2016, 2019; Bode Miller in 2003, 2004

  
  

Youngest Winner:

• Lucas Braathen in 2020 at the age of 20.

• Alice Robinson in 2019 at the age of 17.

  
  

Oldest Winner:

• Didier Cuche won in 2009 at the age of 35.

• Lara Gut-Behrami was 32 years old when she won for the third time in 2023.

  
  

The biggest Leads:

• In 1993, Anita Wachter won by a margin of 2.23 seconds over Sophie Lefranc-Duvillard.

• In 2012, Ted Ligety won by a margin of 2.75 seconds over Marcel Hirscher.

  
  

The Closest Wins:

• In 2002, there were 3 female ex-equo winners: Andrine Flemmen, Tina Maze, and Niki Hosp.

• In 2014, ex aequo winners: Anna Fenninger and Mikaela Shiffrin.

• In 2009, Tanja Poutianen beat Kathrin Zettel by only 0.01 seconds.

• In 2000, Hermann Maier beat Stephan Eberharter by only 0.06 seconds; one year later, Frederic Covili won the race by 0.09 seconds over Stephan Eberharter.

  
  

Last season, Federica Brignone secured her second win in Soelden. Racing on the Rettenbach glacier for the 14th time, she has landed on the podium five times (1st in 2015 and 2024; 2nd in 2018, 2020, and 2023). She finished ahead of Alice Robinson (+ 0.17) and  Julia Scheib (+1.08).

The day after, Norway secured a podium clean sweep at the Giant Slalom season opener in Soelden, with Alexander Steen Olsen claiming the top spot, Henrik Kristoffersen finishing second, and Atle Lie McGrath coming in third in the battle for victory.

October 25, 1998, was a memorable day in Austrian Alpine Skiing history. Hermann Maier, Stephan Eberharter, and Heinz Schilchegger swept the podium in Sölden. Christian Mayer finished fourth, Hans Knauss sixth, and Benjamin Raich eighth.

Hermann Maier celebrated another impressive win in the opening World Cup race of the 1998-1999 winter season. The double Olympic champion in Nagano 1998 beat his teammate Stephan Eberharter by 1.60 seconds on the demanding Rettenbach glacier course.