Gold to Switzerland

The men’s World Championship downhill – LIVE from 11.30 am

Vincent Kriechmayr, Franjo von Allmen and Alexis Monney (from left to right)(Bild: Christof Birbaumer)

What a hotshot! Vincent Kriechmayr sensationally raced to World Championship silver in the downhill on Sunday. The Upper Austrian was only beaten by the young Swiss Franjo von Allmen in Saalbach. Bronze also went to a Swiss racer, Alexis Monney, while defending champion and Super-G World Champion Marco Odermatt (SUI) came fifth behind Dominik Paris (ITA). 

Vincent Kriechmayr continued the rain of medals for the home team, his fourth precious metal. Stephanie Venier had previously won the super-G title, Raphael Haaser the silver medal in the super-G and Mirjam Puchner the silver medal in the downhill.

Here is the medal table:

The other Austrians were unable to compete at the front on Sunday. Daniel Hemetsberger came seventh (+0.91), Stefan Babinsky ninth (+1.31), Stefan Eichberger finished outside the top 20 (+2.23).

Vincent Kriechmayr, Franjo von Allmen and Alexis Monney (from left to right)(Bild: Christof Birbaumer)

Franjo von Allmen(Bild: Sepp Pail)

Vincent Kriechmayr(Bild: Christof Birbaumer)

Vincent Kriechmayr(Bild: Christof Birbaumer)

Marco Odermatt(Bild: Christof Birbaumer)

Nils Allegre(Bild: Sepp Pail)

Stefan Rogentin(Bild: Christof Birbaumer)

Nils Allegre(Bild: Christof Birbaumer)

Great atmosphere in Saalbach(Bild: Christof Birbaumer)

Great atmosphere in Saalbach(Bild: Sepp Pail)

High tension from start number eight to 13
Monney reopened the race with start number eight, distancing the field by at least 1.03 seconds. The most exciting minutes were to follow, as Kriechmayr set a new best time in the snow immediately afterwards and took his bow in front of the dream backdrop of 22,500 spectators. With number eleven, von Allmen set a new time on the 3,129 m of the Schneekristall course, which was to be valid for the day. This time, a faulty Odermatt in the defending champion's jersey instead of the number 13 on his chest missed the podium by more than 3/10.

Here are the final results:

The Swiss men were the outstanding nation in the downhill season. They took nine of the 15 podium places, with von Allmen coming second three times. In Kitzbühel, von Allmen said in a media interview that he does not yet see himself on a par with Odermatt - and that he avoids large crowds. In Hinterglemm on Sunday, he stood above the big star, so the noble restraint was allowed to take a break in both cases.

Kriechmayr manages a "very good run"
 "There were a few little things, I didn't do everything, but it was a very good run," said Kriechmayr, whose World Championship appearance was not fixed for a long time after the knee injury he suffered in Wengen. However, the 33-year-old had already shown in the downhill training sessions this week and in fourth place in the World Championship Super-G that his body and mind are fully in tune.