Swiss skier Odermatt wins super-G, approaches points record
Switzerland's Marco Odermatt holds the World Cup super-g discipline trophy at the finish area of an alpine ski, men's World Cup super-g race, in Soldeu, Andorra, Thursday, March 16, 2023. Credit: AP/Alessandro Trovati
SOLDEU, Andorra — Swiss skier Marco Odermatt won the men’s super-G at the World Cup Finals on Thursday to close in on the 23-year-old record for most points in a single season.
The victory raised Odermatt’s tally to 1,942 points, leaving him 58 short of the all-time mark set by Austrian great Hermann Maier in the 1999-2000 season.
Odermatt can break the record of 2,000 points with a top-three finish in Saturday’s giant slalom. He has finished on the podium in all eight giant slalom races he started this season.
“I have achieved everything I wanted this season so I'm going to celebrate today,” said Odermatt, who has secured the overall, super-G and giant slalom season titles. "With what's left in my tank, I will attack on Saturday. When it happens, then it's great. If not, then I don't owe anyone an explanation.”
Theoretically, Odermatt would have another chance in Sunday’s season-ending slalom, but he has never raced in that event on World Cup level.
The overall record, between men and women, is held by Slovenian standout Tina Maze, who gathered 2,414 points when she won the women's overall title 10 years ago.
Odermatt, a two-time overall champion, had already locked up the season title in super-G after winning five of the previous seven races. He added his sixth triumph in the discipline, and 12th overall this season, by beating Marco Schwarz of Austria by 0.29 seconds.
Switzerland's Marco Odermatt, center, winner of an alpine ski, men's World Cup super-g race, celebrates as second-placed Austria's Marco Schwarz, background, left, and third-placed Norway's Aleksander Aamodt Kilde, right, applaud, in Soldeu, Andorra, Thursday, March 16, 2023. Credit: AP/Alessandro Trovati
Aleksander Aamodt Kilde finished 0.71 seconds behind in third, a day after the Norwegian received the globe for the best downhiller of the season.
Mikaela Shiffrin, who is Kilde's girlfriend and watched the race from the finish area, hugged Odermatt to congratulate him after the race.
Ryan Cochran-Siegle of the United States finished 0.86 seconds behind Odermatt in fourth for his best result of the season.
The men used the exact same Aliga course as the women did for their super-G earlier Thursday.
Norway's Aleksander Aamodt Kilde, right, hugs Switzerland's Marco Odermatt at the finish area of an alpine ski, men's World Cup super-g race, in Soldeu, Andorra, Thursday, March 16, 2023. Credit: AP/Alessandro Trovati
Odermatt, whose winning time was 1 minute, 23.91 seconds, was nearly three seconds faster than Swiss teammate Lara Gut-Behrami, who won the women’s race in 1:26.70.
The team event is scheduled for Friday.
