Cracking Start to World Cup Alpine Ski Season
25th October 2024
Last modified on October 29th, 2024
There was drama, surprises, records, returning veterans and pure excitement as the World Cup season kicked off in Soelden at the weekend. UPDATED
Switzerland’s Olympic champions Marco Odermatt and Lara Gut-Behrami are defending their overall titles in a season that started on 26th October in Soelden, Austria, and ends five months later on 27th March with the Finals in Sun Valley, USA.
The 2024/25 season looks like it could be a memorable one in the run-up to the 2026 Winter Olympics.
There are less than 500 days to go until the Milan-Cortina Games with valuable qualification points and form up for grabs.
The US skier Mikaela Shiffrin is looking to set the new benchmark with 100 World Cup wins.
So, how did things pan out at the opening giant slalom races?
The Men’s Giant Slalom, Sunday 27th October
In the men’s event it was a Norwegian clean-sweep of the podium with Alexander Steen Olsen claiming his first World Cup win in giant slalom.
Henrik Kristoffersen was second, with Atle Lie McGrath third.
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The former Norwegian racer, Lucas Pinheiro Braathen, who now races for Brazil was fourth.
On his first race back since retiring after the 2018/19 season, Marcel Hirscher who is now racing for the Netherlands, finished in 23rd place.
The 35-year old skier, who has two Olympic golds, seven world titles, and 67 World Cup race wins is back five years after retiring.
Perhaps more relevant than his overall finishing position was that he was third fastest on the second run.
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The reigning overall champion Marco Odermatt crashed out on his first run in Soelden.
On Friday Odermatt was named ‘Skier of the Year’ by the Federation of Ski Journalists.
He won 13 World Cup races last season as he took his third overall title in a row.
The organisers are claiming the first race of the season was a big success.
“The buzz for Pinheiro Braathen and Hirscher is huge and a massive plus for the sport,” said the FIS TV Director, Nick Fellows.
“Hirscher being third quickest on the second run and Pinheiro Braathen fastest tells us this story has only just begun.”
The Women’s Giant Slalom, Saturday 26th October
The race was won by Federica Brignone from Italy.
It was her 28th World Cup victory and her 13th in Giant Slalom.
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After the first run in Soelden on Saturday Mikaela Shiffrin was in top spot.
She finished in 5th place overall after a disappointing second run.
On Saturday morning Lara Gut- Behrami announced she would not be racing at Soelden:
Lara Gut-Behrami will not be starting in the Audi Fis Ski World Cup in Soelden. Wishing her to feel at her best for the upcoming races in America. Let’s go, Lara! 💪🏻#fisalpine pic.twitter.com/cIXQ7vgJdd
— FIS Alpine (@fisalpine) October 26, 2024
During the weekend, 34,000 spectators were at the Rettenbach glacier: 16,800 on Saturday and 17,200 on Sunday.
Television viewers switched on in huge numbers, with just over a million watching the men’s race on Austria’s main public broadcaster ORF, a market share of 67 percent.
That was another record for the season-opener, which, for reference, compared favourably with a figure of 685,000 (27 percent market share) for the Mexican F1 Grand Prix that same evening, also on ORF1.
The women’s Giant Slalom attracted a TV audience of 622,000, a 47 percent market share.
The 2024/25 World Cup Season Ahead
GB’s Dave Ryding is looking to build on his best-ever season last winter when he came 7th overall in the slalom.
His first race will be in Levi, Finland, on 17th November.
- Shiffrin drops downhill as she aims for 100th World Cup win
- Dave Ryding is 7th best slalom skier in the world
- Hirscher is back and racing for Holland
Dave Ryding in Schladming, Jan 2024. Image © PlanetSKI
One racer missing this season is Mikaela Shiffrin’s fiancée, Aleksander Aamodt Kilde from Norway, who has said he will not be racing this winter as he recovers from injury.
The female Olympic slalom champion, Petra Vlhova from Slovkia, will miss the start of the Alpine skiing World Cup season as she continues to recover from surgery to her right knee.
The weekend though it was all about the Giant Slalom with both the men and the women racing on the Rettenbach glacier above Soelden.
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World Cup Opening Sölden
Friday, 25.10.24
from 17.00 World Cup Party & drawing of Women’s bib numbers – Giggijoch Gondola car park
Saturday, 26.10.24
10.00 – 1st run: Women’s Giant Slalom – Rettenbach Glacier
13.00 – 2nd run: Women’s Giant Slalom – Rettenbach Glacier
followed by presentation of winners & Glacier Party
from 17.00 – World Cup Party, Fan Club Parade, prize giving ceremony and drawing of Men’s bib numbers – Giggijoch Gondola car park
Sunday, 27.10.24
10.00 – 1st run: Men’s Giant Slalom – Rettenbach Glacier
13.00 – 2nd run: Men’s Giant Slalom – Rettenbach Glacier
followed by Men’s award ceremony and prize giving & Glacier Party
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A total of 38 and 37 individual events are scheduled in the men’s and women’s calendar, respectively, with a majority of tech races (slalom, giant slalom – 21 and 20) compared to speed events (super-G, downhill – 17 for both genders).
The World Cup season will take a break from 4th to 16th February 2025 for the World Ski Championships in Saalbach, Austria, where the combined team event will make its senior debut ahead of featuring at Milan-Cortina 2026 one year later.
Image c/o Saalbach World Championships
2024/25 FIS Alpine Ski World Cup calendar – Men
- 27 October 2024
Soelden (Austria): Giant Slalom
- 17 November 2024
Levi (Finland): Slalom
- 24 November 2024
Gurgl (Austria): Slalom
- 6 – 8 December 2024
Beaver Creek (USA): Downhill , Super-G, Giant Slalom
- 14 – 15 December 2024
Val d’Isere (France): Giant Slalom / Slalom
- 20 – 21 December 2024
Val Gardena – Groeden (Italy): Super-G, Downhill
- 22 – 23 December 2024
Alta Badia (Italy): Giant Slalom, Slalom
- 28 – 29 December 2024
Bormio (Italy): Downhill / Super-G
- 8 January 2024
Madonna di Campiglio (Italy): Slalom
- 11 – 12 January 2025
Adelboden (Switzerland): Giant Slalom / Slalom
- 17- 19 January 2025
Wengen (Switzerland): Super-G / Downhill / Slalom
- 24 – 26 January 2025
Kitzbuehel (Austria): Super-G / Downhill / Slalom
- 28 – 29 January 2025
Schladming (Austria) Giant Slalom / Slalom
- 2 February 2025
Garmisch-Partenkirchen (Germany): Downhill
- 22 – 23 February 2025
Crans Montana (Switzerland): Downhill / Super G
- 8 – 9 March 2025
Kvitfjell (Norway): Downhill / Super-G
- 15 – 16 March 2025
Hafjell (Norway): Giant Slalom / Slalom
- 22 -27 March 2024
Sun Valley (United States): Finals (All disciplines)
- Total: 38
- Slalom: 12
- Giant Slalom: 9
- Super-G: 8
- Downhill: 9
2024/25 FIS Alpine Ski World Cup calendar – Women
- 26 October 2024
Soelden (Austria): Giant Slalom
- 16 November 2024
Levi (Finland): Slalom
- 23 November 2024
Gurgl (Austria): Slalom
- 30 November – 1 December 2024
Killington (USA): Giant Slalom / Slalom
- 7 – 8 December 2024
Tremblant (Canada): Giant Slalom (2x)
- 14 – 15 December 2024
Beaver Creek (USA): Downhill , Super-G
- 21 – 22 December 2024
Saint Moritz (Switzerland): Super-G (2x)
- 28 – 29 December 2024
Semmering (Austria): Giant Slalom, Slalom
- 4 – 5 January 2025
Kranjska Gora (Slovenia): Giant Slalom / Slalom
- 11 – 12 January 2025
St. Anton (Austria): Downhill / Super-G
- 14 January 2025
Flachau (Austria): Slalom (Night)
- 18 – 19 January 2025
Cortina d’Ampezzo (Italy): Downhill / Super-G
- 21 January 2025
Kronplatz – Plan de Corones (Italy): Giant Slalom
- 25 – 26 January 2025
Garmisch-Partenkirchen (Germany): Downhill / Super-G
- 30 January 2025
Courchevel (France): Slalom (Night)
- 16 – 18 February 2025
Crans Montana (Switzerland): Downhill (2x) / Super-G
- 22 – 23 February 2025
Sestriere (Italy): Giant Slalom / Slalom
- 28 February – 2 March 2025
Kvitfjell (Norway): Downhill (2x) / Super-G
- 8 – 9 March 2025
Are (Sweden): Giant Slalom / Slalom
- 14-15 March 2025
La Thuile (Italy): Downhill / Super-G
- 22 -27 March 2024
Sun Valley (United States): Finals (All disciplines)
- Total: 37
- Slalom: 10
- Giant Slalom: 10
- Super-G: 9
- Downhill: 8
FIS Alpine World Ski Championships 2025 in Saalbach, Austria – Medal events Schedule
- 4 February: Team Parallel event
- 6 February: Women’s Super-G
- 7 February: Men’s Super-G
- 8 February: Women’s Downhill
- 9 February: Men’s Downhill
- 11 – 12 February: Team combined event (Downhill/Slalom)
- 13 February: Women’s Giant Slalom
- 14 February: Men’s Giant Slalom
- 15 February: Women’s Slalom
- 16 February: Men’s Slalom
Information subject to change. An updated calendar can be found on the FIS Website.
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