Swiss skier Odermatt leads GS, closes in on overall title
Switzerland's Marco Odermatt speeds down the course during an alpine ski, men's World Cup giant slalom in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia, Saturday, March 11, 2023. Credit: AP/Giovanni Pizzato
KRANJSKA GORA — Olympic champion Marco Odermatt built a big lead in the opening run of a men's World Cup giant slalom Saturday as the Swiss skier closed in on the overall title.
Odermatt led second-place home favorite Zan Kranjec by 0.53 seconds and Henrik Kristoffersen of Norway by 0.54. Austrian skier Stefan Brennsteiner was 0.65 behind in fourth.
Odermatt, who is the defending overall champion, will lock up the title again if he finishes the race in 17th position or better. That result would increase his lead over runner-up Aleksander Aamodt Kilde in the overall standings to 400 points or more.
Kilde is sitting out this weekend’s races and the Norwegian speed specialist can mathematically score 400 points at next week’s World Cup Finals in Andorra.
Odermatt could become the first skier to win the sport’s most prestigious prize in back-to-back seasons since Austrian standout Marcel Hirscher won eight times in a row from 2012-19.
Odermatt can also secure the giant slalom title this weekend. He currently leads Kristoffersen by 100 points and Kranjec by 195. A second race is scheduled for Sunday, followed by the season-ending race next Saturday.
Odermatt triumphed in four of the seven World Cup giant slaloms this season and won gold in GS at last month’s world championships.
Switzerland's Marco Odermatt speeds down the course during an alpine ski, men's World Cup giant slalom in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia, Saturday, March 11, 2023. Credit: AP/Marco Trovati
The Swiss skier has already clinched the super-G title.
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