Marco Odermatt wins the Night Giant Slalom in Schladming to remain undefeated. Even though he made a big mistake in the first run that relegated him to eleventh place, he was able to climb back to first position in the second run after setting the fastest time. Manuel Feller finished in second place +0.05 seconds behind Odermatt. Zan Kranjec rounded out the podium 0.29 seconds off the pace. It's the 32nd World Cup victory for the Overall leader.
The 26-year-old Swiss has won every Giant Slalom this season: Val d'Isère, Alta Badia (2), Adelboden, and Schladming. Odermatt is the second male skier to win each of the opening five World Cup Giant Slalom events of a season. Only Ingemar Stenmark (all 10 in 1978-1979) has had a longer winning streak from the beginning of a season in Men's World Cup Giant Slalom.
Odermatt finished on the podium in each of his last 22 starts in World Cup Giant Slalom races (including 17 wins), since an 11th place in Lenzerheide on March 20, 2021.
The Swiss superstar has won each of the eight seven men's World Cup Giant Slalom events, since Marco Schwarz was victorious in Palisades Tahoe on February 25, 2023. This is the second-longest winning streak in Giant Slalom, after a run of 14 by Ingemar Stenmark from 1978 to 1980.
"This is a special victory. After the first run I still believed I could win. This shows that you can never give up and hope for the best. At the beginning of the season I was unlucky with the hundredths, now I'm lucky. In life everything always balances out. Waiting that long from the finish line is something new for me. It's the first time I've won like this", Odermatt said.
Manuel Feller was so close tonight to achieve his first Giant Slalom victory. It's his sixth World Cup podium in the Giant Slalom and the fourth time he finished in second place.
“Anyone who works hard will be rewarded at some point. At the moment it is no longer possible. I tried it, but in such a difficult race you can't take full risk. But I’m very happy with my second place", Feller said.
It's the third time Zan Kranjec finished in third place this season. He has finished in third position in both Giant Slalom races held in Alta Badia. It's his 14th podium in the World Cup, all in the Giant Salom. The last man to record at least three third-place finishes in the Giant Slalom in a single season was Henrik Kristoffersen (3) in 2015-2016.
"For sure I always go for the victory but in the end I'm happy with third place, especially after Adelboden, which was not a good race for me", Kranjec said.