Marco Odermatt wins record fourth straight Wengen downhill

Marco Odermatt Wins Record Fourth Consecutive Wengen Downhill

Marco Odermatt has etched his name further into alpine skiing history by capturing his fourth consecutive downhill victory at Wengen’s Lauberhorn on Saturday, surpassing legends Franz Klammer and Beat Feuz to become the most successful downhill racer at the prestigious Swiss venue.

The 28-year-old Swiss star finished the wind-shortened race in 1 minute 33.14 seconds, a commanding 0.79 seconds ahead of Austria’s Vincent Kriechmayr in second place. Italy’s Giovanni Franzoni, riding high from his maiden World Cup victory in Friday’s super-G, completed the podium in third, 0.90 seconds back.espn

Shortened Course Defines the Race

Strong winds prompted organizers to drastically shorten what is normally the longest downhill on the World Cup circuit, making the technical “Kernen S” section the key to the race. Rather than the traditional 4.4-kilometer run from the Lauberhornschulter, skiers started from the Hundschopf.barrons

Odermatt mastered the narrow S-section perfectly, carrying faster exit speed than any of his competitors. His Swiss teammate Franjo von Allmen, the reigning world downhill champion, took a riskier approach and clipped a television camera inside the section before crashing in the finish area, though he escaped uninjured and still managed to finish fourth. Alexis Monney completed a strong Swiss showing in fifth place.sfchronicle

Italy’s Dominik Paris registered the fastest speed of the day at 151.57 kph en route to sixth place.sfchronicle

Eyes on Milano Cortina

The victory marked Odermatt’s 52nd career World Cup win, moving him within two of matching Hermann Maier for third place on the all-time men’s list. He continues to lead the overall World Cup standings as he pursues a fifth consecutive overall title.reuters

With the classic Kitzbuehel races in Austria up next, all roads now lead to the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics, where Odermatt enters as the overwhelming favorite for multiple medals. The men’s downhill will be held at Bormio’s challenging Stelvio course, where Odermatt has previously won two super-G races.olympics

“The downhill event is the most iconic at the Winter Olympics,” Odermatt has said in the lead-up to the Games. “Naturally, winning a gold medal is among my ambitions, and I will strive for it.”reuters