Ski World Cup in Saalbach: Can the favorites ORA and Odermatt surprise?

Ski World Cup in Saalbach: Can the favorites ORA and Odermatt surprise?

On Sunday, February 9, 2025, the grand finale of the first competition week of the Ski World Cup is due in Saalbach-Hinterglemm: the spectacular men's descent, which begins at 11:30 a.m. The tension is literally tangible, because 15 athletes have the chance to fight the medals. The coaches, such as the ÖSV descendant coach Sepp Brunner, also understand that: "There are many favorites." Technical key points such as the "snow crystal jump", in which the skiers fly up to 55 meters, and the "ox ride", which requires great concentration due to its strenuous compression and jumps, make the route extremely demanding. The Austrian skier Daniel Hemetsberger also emphasized this: "It is definitely not easy, and I believe that on the departure from the very top to the bottom, a perfect trip is needed to land at the very front," reported luzernerzeitung.ch reported. With perfect set-up he drove as if he were from another star and left half of the competition behind. "It is impressive to be world champion in three disciplines," said Odermatt after his triumph.

However, there were also setbacks: Haaser's sister Ricarda contracted a cruciate ligament tear in a fall. While the emotions for the athlete boiled up, he noticed that he wanted to cheer on his sister, who had recently suffered many setbacks,: "It took me a lot," Raphael confessed. But after the success in the Super-G, the question remains: Does Odermatt also succeed in dominating the descent? It could be a golden weekend, but the competition is strong and the challenges are waiting for him.