On October 25, the women kicked off the ski season with a GS race in Sölden, Austria, followed the next day by the men. Julia Scheib won the race for the women, with Paula Moltzan and Laura Gut-Behrami following, and Marco Odermatt won for the men, with Marco Schwarz and Atle Lie McGrath.
Austrian Julia Sheib was able to take home her first-ever World Cup win after 49 starts. “I did not see this coming for the women’s race; this was definitely someone new that we will have to look out for this season on the circuit.” Paula Moltzan took 2nd, her best World Cup GS finish to date. Mikaela Shiffrin took 4th, which is a very strong result after returning to GS and starting from bib 20. The race conditions were good, with softer snow as the racers progressed, but they ran very well.
Marco Odermatt becomes the second most successful men’s skier in Sölden, behind only Ted Ligety (USA) @FIS/ActionPress/MarcusHartmann
Marco Odermatt took home the win and carries his dominance over to the new season. This is the start he had in mind, and it must feel good knowing he is where he belongs. “I love watching all these top guys run because just watching them helps us get better, and it is entertaining,” Hudson Marshall, ‘27 said. The field was very stacked with the top 3 separated by just .27 seconds. The conditions were a bit rougher for men with heavy snow, very low visibility, and a delayed 2nd run. A big surprise to everyone was Lucas Braathen skiing out in the first run. He was definitely a favorite for the podium.
Switzerland’s Marco Odermatt celebrates on the podium after placing first with second place, Austria’s Marco Schwarz and third place, Norway’s Atle Lie McGrath REUTERS/Leonhard Foeger
Sölden, Austria, is a notoriously challenging hill, and securing a first win is a massive start to the season. Hopefully, it can carry momentum throughout the year. It was a fantastic start to the season, with great competition and young racers getting a chance to shine!
