Dominik Paris prevented a Swiss sweep of the podium by winning a men’s World Cup downhill race in Kvitfjell, Norway on Friday, but the Italian veteran couldn’t stop Marco Odermatt from closing in on another overall title.
Paris claimed his record-extending fourth World Cup win in Kvitfjell after speeding down the 1994 Olympics slope in one minute, 44.67 seconds, beating Odermatt by 0.32 seconds and Stefan Rogentin by 0.63.
Odermatt’s second-place finish all but seals another overall title for the 27-year-old Swiss star. The three-time defending champion’s 80 race points put him 440 ahead of Henrik Kristoffersen, who does not race downhill or super-G, and 655 clear of Swiss teammate Loic Meillard.
Swiss skiers Franjo von Allmen and Alexis Monney were fourth and fifth, respectively. Their countrymen have dominated downhill races this season with 14 of 21 podium spots so far taken by Swiss skiers.
“It’s nice to be captain of such a great team,” Odermatt said. “The young guns, they are coming, they are pushing me a lot. I try to stay on the top.”
WATCH | Paris races to victory:
Dominik Paris of Italy claimed his twenty-third career World Cup win this time it comes in Kvitfjell, Norway.
Toronto’s James Crawford was the top Canadian, finishing 26th, 2.65 seconds behind Paris. Brodie Seger, of North Vancouver, B.C., finished 28th, Jeffrey Read, of Canmore, Alta., placed 32nd and Raphael Lessard, of Granby, Que., was 46th.
Odermatt can win a second straight Crystal Globe in downhill if he wins Saturday’s race. It would be his first win in Kvitfjell.
“I tried several times before in the downhill and never came better than seventh place. A great step,” said Odermatt, referring to his best finish in Kvitfjell.
WATCH | Canada’s Crawford’s finishes well back:
Toronto’s James Crawford crossed the finish line with a time of 1:47.32 good enough for twenty-sixth place Friday at the men’s downhill in Kvitfjell, Norway.
Swiss skiers’ dominating run started in the Norwegian resort last year with a win by Niels Hintermann. The 29-year-old Hintermann said last month he was declared free of lymph node cancer.
The 35-year-old Paris won World Cup downhill races in Kvitfjell in 2016, 2019 and 2022, and Friday’s victory took his tally altogether to 19, joint-second on the all-time downhill winners list with Peter Muller of Switzerland. Only Austrian skier Franz Klammer won more (25).
“It’s a good hill for me,” Paris said after his first win for 14 months. The Italian had only two top-10 finishes this season.
Friday’s race was initially scheduled to take place in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany on Feb. 2, but that was called off when fog prevented both training runs.
After Saturday’s downhill, a super-G is scheduled for Sunday.