Marco Odermatt: GEPA photos
Alta Badia World Cup GS 2024: Males’s World Cup GS: Who’s Racing, When, and Tips on how to Watch
From Val d’Isère to Alta Badia: A Pivotal Large Slalom Cease
After the joy of Val d’Isère, the World Cup GS tour strikes to Alta Badia, Italy, and the legendary Gran Risa course. Recognized for its steep, technical terrain, this iconic venue calls for ability and endurance from the world’s finest racers.
Alta Badia has been a cornerstone of the World Cup since 1985, internet hosting legendary battles on its difficult slopes. The enormous slalom on Dec. 22 guarantees to be a crucial race within the season, with a slalom the next day including to the weekend’s depth.
Because the motion shifts to the Dolomites, the competitors heats up in what guarantees to be one other thrilling chapter on this 12 months’s World Cup season.
Getting ready the Gran Risa for Race Day
The native crew, working alongside the FIS, has been arduous at work clearing contemporary snow that blanketed the Gran Risa to make sure the very best race circumstances. Their meticulous course of entails piling the snow and utilizing a large snowblower to take away it from the course—a trademark {of professional} preparation. Right this moment, they additional enhanced the floor by watering the Gran Risa with water bars and slipping the hill to create a tough, icy monitor perfect for racing.
Sunday’s forecast predicts overcast skies and extra snowfall, including one other layer of complexity to an already demanding race setup.
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Early Season GS Podium Recap
The primary three races of the 2024-25 Males’s World Cup Large Slalom season have highlighted sturdy performances from a wide range of nations:
Sölden, Austria: Norway swept the rostrum with Alexander Steen Olsen taking 1st, Henrik Kristoffersen ending 2nd, and Atle Lie McGrath in third.
Beaver Creek, USA: Thomas Tumler of Switzerland earned his first World Cup win, adopted by Brazil’s Lucas Pinheiro Braathen in 2nd and Slovenia’s Žan Kranjec in third.
Val d’Isère, France: Marco Odermatt dominated to safe 1st, with Austria’s Patrik Feuerstein and Stefan Brennsteiner in 2nd and third.
These outcomes underline the extreme worldwide competitors and set the stage for an thrilling GS in Alta Badia.
Marco Odermatt’s Decided Comeback
Marco Odermatt, extensively considered essentially the most dominant skier of his technology, silenced doubts with a commanding victory in Val d’Isère. After a stunning string of three DNFs in GS, Odermatt’s win showcased his resilience underneath powerful second-run circumstances.
With renewed momentum, contemporary off his third World Cup downhill victory, Odermatt returns to Alta Badia, the place he has triumphed 4 occasions. Because the defending general champion, his efficiency will likely be pivotal in reasserting his dominance within the large slalom standings.
Final Season’s Alta Badia GS Podiums
Final season, Alta Badia underscored Odermatt’s dominance within the large slalom with back-to-back victories. Within the first race, he took 1st, adopted by Austria’s Marco Schwarz in 2nd and Kranjec in third. The second GS noticed Odermatt repeat his win, with Croatia’s Filip Zubčić in 2nd and Kranjec as soon as once more in third.
This 12 months, Schwarz makes his GS debut in Alta Badia, whereas Odermatt arrives in sturdy type after his commanding Val d’Isère efficiency. The competitors is ready to warmth up as these confirmed contenders goal to excel on the Gran Risa.
Prime 15 Males’s 2014-15 GS World Cup Standings
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These standings underline the depth and world attain of large slalom racing, setting the stage for intense battles because the season continues in Alta Badia.
Sixty-seven males from 22 nations will begin the lads’s World Cup GS in Alta Badia on Dec. 22. Switzerland and Austria lead the sector with eight certified athletes on the beginning listing.
H. Krug (SUI) will set the primary run, and N. Kjelsli (NOR) will set the second run.
U.S. Racers to Watch
Radamus Targets a Sturdy Lead to Alta Badia
Radamus, ranked Ninth on the World Cup Begin Record (WCSL), leads the Stifel U.S. Ski Crew in large slalom. Regardless of ending seventeenth in Val d’Isère, he has had a strong season, with an Eleventh-place lead to Sölden and a season-best seventh in Beaver Creek.
The Gran Risa presents an thrilling alternative, as he completed 14th within the second GS right here final season. Together with his consistency and dedication, Radamus will look to climb additional up the standings.
Ford Finds Momentum Heading into Alta Badia
Ford, ranked twenty eighth on the WCSL, continues to enhance this season. He delivered his finest results of the 12 months in Val d’Isère, ending 18th. Alta Badia has been a profitable venue, with a Ninth-place end within the first GS right here final season—his finest results of that 12 months.
Ford will goal to construct on his momentum and ship one other sturdy efficiency on Sunday.
Kenney Goals to Qualify in Alta Badia
Kenney, an unbiased racer competing with the International Racing Crew, is ranked 58th on the WCSL. Whereas he skied nicely in Val d’Isère, he didn’t end the primary run. He has but to complete a run on the Gran Risa however hopes to alter that with a clear efficiency on Sunday.
Gile and Nelson Carry Promise to Alta Badia
Gile narrowly missed qualifying in Val d’Isère, ending simply 0.47 seconds off the mark in his finest first run of the season. Alta Badia affords one other probability to make his breakthrough and rating his first World Cup factors.
Nelson, 23, joins the World Cup motion after a stellar NorAm collection in Panorama, British Columbia, the place he gained a GS, completed 2nd in one other, and secured podiums in two super-G races. Racing the Gran Risa for the primary time, he seems to be to hold his momentum onto the World Cup stage.
North American Males Racing on the World Cup GS Begin Record
Canada’s Impartial Contender
Learn Seems to be to Make the Second Run in Alta Badia
Erik Learn, an unbiased skier with the World Racing Academy, represents Canada within the Alta Badia GS. Now ranked forty first on the World Cup Begin Record (WCSL), the veteran narrowly missed qualifying for the second run in Val d’Isère by simply 0.45 seconds, regardless of delivering his finest first run of the season.
A College of Denver alumnus, Learn has raced the Gran Risa 12 occasions, scoring on seven events. His finest consequence right here got here in 2021, when he completed Eleventh. Together with his wealth of expertise and dedication, Learn will goal to safe a spot within the second run and add to his constant file on one of many World Cup’s most demanding programs.
North American males racing GS in Alta Badia
Bib 8, River Radamus, Stifel USST, Ski and Snowboard Membership Vail, SYNC Shields
Bib 26, Tommy Ford, Stifel USST, Mount Bachelor Sports activities Schooling Basis, HEAD
Bib 40, Patrick Kenney, USA, International Racing, College of New Hampshire, Burke Moutain Academy, Marker/Völkl, SYNC, SHRED
Bib 46, Isaiah Nelson, Stifel USST, Buck Hill Ski Crew, SHRED
Bib 56, Bridger Gile, Stifel USST, Ski and Snowboard Membership Vail, HEAD, Oakley, SYNC Shields
Bib 59, Erik Learn, CAN World Racing Academy, Banff Alpine Racers, College of Denver, Atomic
How and When to Watch
The primary run begins at 4:00 a.m. Japanese and 1:00 a.m. Pacific Time, adopted by the second run at 7:30 a.m. Japanese and 4:30 a.m. Pacific Time.
U.S. audiences can watch the race reside or as a replay on Ski And Snowboard Dwell.
Sports activities fans in Canada can watch the World Cup on CBC Sports activities.
Every day Program and First Run Begin Record
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Begin Record
