In the Austrian Schladming the Alpine Ski World Cup continued with an exciting giant slalom, in which the Norwegian duo Lucas Braathen and Henrik Kristoffersen the competition left behind and the Swiss World Cup dominator Marco Odermatt referred to third place.
Braathen wins despite difficult conditions
Lucas Braathen showed an impressive performance and again demonstrated why it was one of the aspiring stars of the alpine skiing. The 23-year-old Norwegian kept his nerves on the demanding planai slope and drove in both rounds with high precision and aggressiveness. His compatriot Henrik Kristoffersen completed the Norwegian double success with second place.
The difficult conditions due to changeable weather and an increasingly restless slope presented the drivers with great challenges. Braathen remained unimpressed and put on a flawless journey in the second run, which finally brought him the victory. “It was a hard race, but I am overjoyed that I could call up my performance,” said Braathen after his success.
Or matt beaten, but satisfied
For Marco Odermatt, who had dominated the previous giant slalom this season, third place meant a little disappointment. Nevertheless, the Swiss was satisfied with his performance: “The conditions were not easy and I gave everything. You can’t win every race and I congratulate Lucas and Henrik on their strong performances. ”
German drivers again without a top position
From a German perspective, the giant slalom was again disappointing. None of the DSV athletes was able to place in the top 10. The best German was Alexander Schmid, who took 13th place with a solid but not outstanding run.
“The competition is currently extremely strong and we have to continue working on our consistency,” said Schmid after the race. Despite the renewed disappointment, the DSV sees the future optimistic because young talents like Anton Grammel and Fabian Gratz show the first progress.
Norwegian dominance and tension for the overall ranking
With the victory of Braathen and the second place from Kristoffersen, Norway underlines its strong position in the Alpine Ski World Cup. The two athletes collected important points for the discipline and overall ratings, in which Odermatt is still in front.
The World Cup remains exciting because the competition is extremely balanced this year. The next giant slalom in Garmisch-Partenkirchen is already coming up next weekend, where Odermatt will certainly hope for a revenge.
The race in Schladming will be remembered as one of the highlights of the previous World Cup season. The strong performance of browns and cristofers as well as the gripping rivalry with Odermatt promise an exciting continuation of the alpine ski season.
(Tagstotranslate) Henrik Kristoffersen