Haaser shines in the giant slalom: gold at home World Cup in Saalbach!

The Tyrolean Raphael Haaser inspires the ski world! At the home world championship in Saalbach-Hinterglemm, the 27-year-old sensationally secures the gold medal in the giant slalom. With a phenomenal performance in the second round, where he achieved the fourth best time, Haaser catapults himself to first place after the initial fifth place and thus refuses the Swiss a triple victory. "It is incredible. I've never been at the top of a World Cup race and then here at the home world championship," cheers Haaser in the ORF interview and describes his joy almost stoically.

With his triumph, Haaser brings the first gold medal in the giant slalom discipline for Austria since Marcel Hirscher 2017. He does this extraordinary performance after suffering some setbacks in the season, including a knee injury. Haaser, who made a second place in the Super-G only a week ago in Kitzbühel, has now secured his place in the list of legendary ÖSV world champions such as Hirscher, Hermann Maier and Rudolf Nichtlich. After the first round, Haaser was still 62 hundredths behind the leading Timon Haugan, but with a breathtaking middle part of the run, he left the favorites behind, including the defending champion Marco Odermatt, which ends in fourth place. Marco Schwarz secures a solid fifth place.

The way to the medal

Before 19,500 cheering fans in the stadium, Haaser demonstrated his perseverance and determination. "I said to myself that I have nothing to lose. It only counts one, two or three," he said after his surprising victory. The gratifying outcome for the ÖSV is not only a personal triumphal trip for Haaser, but also the sixth medal for the Austrian team during this ski World Cup. While it was disappointing for the other domestic starters, since Patrick Feurstein came in 16th and Stefan Brennsteiner left in the first round, Haaser's victory stays alive in the memory of the fans. This is the moment when Haaser steps into the footsteps of great Austrian ski stars, and the ski world will probably celebrate it for a long time.