Swiss skier Odermatt leads GS, closes in on discipline title
Switzerland's Marco Odermatt speeds down the course during an alpine ski, men's World Cup giant slalom in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia, Sunday, March 12, 2023. Credit: AP/Marco Trovati
KRANJSKA GORA, Slovenia — Olympic champion Marco Odermatt led a men's World Cup giant slalom Sunday to close in on his second straight season title in the discipline.
Racing in sunny and warm conditions on the Podkoren 3 course, the Swiss skier was 0.28 seconds faster than Alexis Pinturault of France.
Odermatt's only rival for the GS title, Henrik Kristoffersen, trailed by 0.47 in third.
Odermatt leads the Norwegian by 140 points in the GS standings and would lock up the title if he remains at least 100 points ahead with only the season-ending race next Saturday remaining.
“The pressure is not huge. I have a lot of confidence,” said Odermatt, who won a GS on the same hill Saturday and triumphed in five of the eight giant slaloms he started this season.
Odermatt has already successfully defended his overall title this season, while also winning the super-G globe and world titles in GS and downhill.
Norway's Lucas Braathen and Slovenia's Zan Kranjec in fourth and fifth, respectively, were the only other skiers to finish within a second of the lead.
Switzerland's Marco Odermatt speeds down the course during an alpine ski, men's World Cup giant slalom in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia, Sunday, March 12, 2023. Credit: AP/Marco Trovati
The second run was scheduled for later Sunday.
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