Odermatt Wins First Downhill Since Olympics
Swiss skier Marco Odermatt is closing in on the World Cup downhill season title after winning his first World Cup downhill race since the Olympics. He led a Swiss sweep of the podium in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, solidifying his position as the man to beat in the discipline. Emma Aicher also dominated the first women's super-G since the Olympics.
This victory on the challenging Kandahar track in Garmisch-Partenkirchen was Marco Odermatt's 54th career World Cup win, a milestone that ties him with Austrian ski racing legend Hermann Maier for third on the all-time men's list. Only Ingemar Stenmark with 86 wins and Marcel Hirscher with 67 have more. The win marked Odermatt's fourth downhill victory of the 2025-2026 season. The Swiss dominance was absolute, with Alexis Monney finishing a mere 0.04 seconds behind Odermatt to claim second place, and Stefan Rogentin completing the podium sweep in third, 0.98 seconds off the winning pace. For Monney, the result was a significant comeback after a disappointing Olympic downhill race. This was the second time the Swiss men have swept a World Cup podium this season. The Garmisch-Partenkirchen course, known as the Kandahar, is one of the most demanding on the World Cup circuit. Its signature section, the "Freier Fall" (Free Fall), boasts a staggering 92% gradient, making it the steepest part of any course on the tour. The track also features high-speed sections and significant jumps, testing every aspect of a skier's ability. With this win, Odermatt extended his lead in the World Cup downhill standings to 175 points over his closest rival and fellow countryman, Franjo von Allmen, with only two downhill races remaining in the season. Von Allmen, who won the Olympic downhill gold in Bormio where Odermatt finished fourth, could only manage a sixth-place finish in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. In the women's super-G, Emma Aicher of Germany continued her strong season, capturing her fifth career World Cup victory. This was her third win of the 2025-2026 season, having also won a downhill in St. Moritz and a super-G in Tarvisio. Aicher, who secured two silver medals at the recent Milano Cortina Olympics, demonstrated her versatility and skill on the challenging course.
