Marco Odermatt and Loïc Meillard offered Switzerland a sumptuous double in the giant of the Worlds in Courchevel. The 25-year-old Nidwalden, already crowned downhill in these games, beat the skier from Hérémence by 0”32. Marco Schwarz adorned himself with bronze.
Second in a “very, very difficult” 1st round in his own words, 0.58 behind Marco Schwarz, Marco Odermatt took advantage of an error made by the Austrian at the bottom of the 2nd course to sign a rare double downhill/giant in the Worlds. Aksel Lund Svindal (in 2007) is the only skier to have done so in the last 50 years.
Disappointed by his 6th place in combined and his 8th in super-G, Loïc Meillard conceded 0”32 to his leader following setting the best time in the 2nd round. Fourth at the end of the first course, he thus won his 3rd world medal following the 2 bronze won in 2021 (combined and parallel). He will therefore approach the Sunday slalom with total confidence.
Caviezel 9e, Tumler 18e
The 2 other Swiss entered in this giant finished outside the top-8. Gino Caviezel, who suffered a cut in his leg following a fall in training on Thursday, ranked 9th. Fourth Helvetian in the running, Thomas Tumler, disappointing 27th on the first track, raised his head a little to finish 18th.
ats/nm
Read also : “the fight was enormous”, loose Odermatt
The Worlds program
SA 18.02: ladies’ slalom in Méribel (10 a.m./1.30 p.m.)
SU 19.02: men’s slalom in Courchevel (10.00am/1.30pm)
The selection of Swiss-Ski
Dames (10): Aline Danioth, Andrea Ellenberger, Jasmine Flury, Michelle Gisin, Lara Gut-Behrami, Joana Hählen, Wendy Holdener, Priska Nufer, Camille Rast, Corinne Suter.