Sölden, Austria, FIS Ski Alpine World Cup 23/24 Season Opener: Who to Watch How & When

[UPDATED WITH WOMEN’S START LIST]

This weekend will see the season opening of the Audi FIS Ski Alpine World Cup at Sölden, Austria. The Women’s Giant Slalom will be held on Saturday, October 28, 2023, while the Men’s Giant Slalom will be held on Sunday, October 29, 2023. It is the 30th anniversary of the race at the Rettenbach Glacier in Sölden.

HOW TO WATCH

U.S. fans will be able to watch both events live on Peacock:

Saturday, October 28
4:00 a.m. (EDT) Women’s Giant Slalom, Run 1, Soelden, Austria, streaming on Peacock
7:00 a.m. (EDT) Women’s Giant Slalom, Run 2, Soelden, Austria, streaming on Peacock

Sunday, October 29
4:00 a.m. (EDT) Men’s Giant Slalom, Run 1, Soelden, Austria, streaming on Peacock
7:00 a.m. (EDT) Men’s Giant Slalom, Run 2, Soelden, Austria, streaming on Peacock

If you find yourself outside the U.S., events will be broadcast in Europe on Eurosport, Sky Sport and on many free-to-air national TV channels, like ZDF in Germany, SRF in Switzerland and Rete in Italy. Fans Downunder can benefit from free live streaming again this season. The Australian federal winter sports body Snow Australia’s announced this week that they acquired the rights from FIS and will be delivering free live-streaming for Aussie fans during the 2023/24 World Cup season.

WHO TO WATCH

The men’s defending champion from last year in Sölden and favorite for the race this Sunday is Switzerland’s Marco Odermatt. Nipping at his heels is Norway’s Henrik Kristoffersen. The Van Deer athlete finished the season in second place behind Odermatt and is probably his fiercest competitor. Third in the Giant Slalom ranking from last season is Slovenia’s Zan Kranjec, who came second last year in Sölden behind the Swiss skier. Austria’s Marco Schwarz is also determined to challenge “Odi”, as the Swiss call their superstar fondly.

The women’s race was unfortunately canceled last year. In 2021 Mikaela Shiffrin had won the race on the Rettenbach Glacier and the American is hands-down the strongest Giant Slalom skier currently competing in the world. However, the Sölden course has not been her luckiest race course and she has only won once out of five races. Switzerland’s Lara Gut-Behrami, Slovakia’s Petra Vlhova and Italy’s Federica Brignone are probably her strongest competitors for the victory.

Starting for team USA aside from Mikaela Shiffrin will be her teammates Paula Moltzan, AJ Hurt and Stella Johansson, as well as the first sister-duo to jointly have a World Cup debut in 24 years: the Bocock sisters Elisabeth and Mary.

“Doing this together, having the same milestone at the same time, (the emotions) are something that will be hard to replicate again.”
Elisabeth Bocock in an interview with the Associated Press (AP)

On the men’s side, Tommy Ford, Ryan Cochran-Siegle and River Radamus will compete for the Stifel USA Alpine Team on the Austrian glacier.

Please see below the start list for the women’s race today: