Departure in Garmisch

ÖSV sets negative record with Swiss triple victory

Marco Odermatt celebrated his 54th World Cup victory, while Vincent Kriechmayr (right) finished fourth.(Bild: AP/Giovanni Auletta)

Negative record for the Austrian Ski Federation! While Marco Odermatt, Alexis Monney, and Stefan Rogentin secured a Swiss triple victory in Garmisch, the ÖSV men failed to achieve a downhill victory for the 23rd time in a row on Saturday. Vincent Kriechmayr was the fastest Austrian, finishing fourth. This is Odermatt's 54th World Cup victory, putting him on a par with Hermann Maier. 

Marco Odermatt has dealt with missing out on Olympic gold in the style of a champion. The Swiss ski star led a Swiss triple victory in Garmisch-Partenkirchen and brought about a preliminary decision in the Downhill World Cup. Alexis Monney (+0.04 seconds) and Stefan Rogentin (+0.98) finished second and third, while triple Olympic champion Franjo von Allmen (SUI) finished sixth after a mistake. Vincent Kriechmayr tied with Giovanni Franzoni for fourth place (+1.20).

The result:

While Kriechmayr prevented an ÖSV debacle, Odermatt took what was probably the decisive step towards winning his third consecutive downhill crystal globe on the "Kandahar." Ahead of the final two races of the season in this discipline in Courchevel and Kvitfjell, he leads with an impressive 610 out of a possible 700 points, 175 ahead of Von Allmen. Six of the seven downhill races this season went to Switzerland. A super-G will take place on Sunday (11:15 a.m.). Here too, Odermatt (425) already has a comfortable lead over Kriechmayr (267).

Marco Odermatt(Bild: GEPA)

Historic drought in downhill
Austria's speed team has now secured one podium place after eight downhill races this season, including the Olympics. Kriechmayr finished second in Wengen. With the 23rd consecutive downhill without a win, the longest dry spell in World Cup history is now a sad reality for the ÖSV. It has been 1,081 days since the last victory, achieved by Kriechmayr on March 15 in Soldeu.

Odermatt, who won two silver medals (giant slalom, team combined) and one bronze (super-G) at the Games in Italy, as well as finishing fourth in the downhill, restored the balance of power with his 54th World Cup victory. "It was definitely a bit of revenge," Odermatt told ORF. He said he had heard voices talking about a disappointing season. "When you take home three Olympic medals and lead the standings for the globes, those are statements from people who know little about skiing."

  The week at home did him good, Odermatt said. "I came here feeling more relaxed. The atmosphere here and the spring weather are also enjoyable." At 28, he now has as many victories as Hermann Maier. "It's incredible to be on a par with Hermann," said Odermatt. Only Marcel Hirscher (67) and Ingemar Stenmark (86) are ahead of him. On a surprisingly stable slope in spring-like temperatures, Odermatt replaced his compatriot Stefan Rogentin, who had been leading until then.

Vincent Kriechmayr(Bild: GEPA)

Kriechmayr left the time at the bottom
"Odi" only had to really worry about Monney, who squandered his 47/100 lead in the lower section. Franzoni was unable to break the Swiss triple lead. Kriechmayr, who put in a visually flawless run, was exactly as fast as the Kitzbühel winner from Italy. "The placing is impeccable, the gap is too big. I should have skied better at the bottom," said the Upper Austrian, giving himself a self-assessment. "I haven't managed to get the left-hand turn into the finish right the last five times, so it's still a long way to the finish." Von Allmen messed up a turn but was still only three tenths slower than the Austrian-Italian duo.

"I'm frustrated to be fobbed off like this in a race – I'm getting a 'full loop' from top to bottom. I probably skied too round a line," said Daniel Hemetsberger, the second-best Austrian in 22nd place, after a "completely botched run." Raphael Haaser survived a moment of shock in the upper section unscathed on the day his sister Ricarda was seriously injured in the super-G in Soldeu. The Tyrolean could not do better than 26th place in his Kandahar debut. Marco Schwarz, in his first downhill race in over two years, and Stefan Babinsky shared 29th place. The other Austrians: Vincent Wieser 36th, Andreas Ploier 38th, Otmar Striedinger 41st. Despite failing to finish, one former ÖSV skier had reason to celebrate. Romed Baumann, who now races for Germany, became the sole record holder with his 167th World Cup downhill race.