Industry News
The final Giant Slalom of the 2024-25 FIS Alpine Ski World Cup season took place today, March 26, in Sun Valley, Idaho, with Switzerland’s Loic Meillard taking a commanding victory ahead of his teammate Marco Odermatt and Norway’s Henrik Kristoffersen in third. On a technically demanding course that saw many struggle, Meillard delivered a masterclass, securing his third Giant Slalom win of the season and cementing his position as one of the top technical skiers on the circuit. Marco Odermatt was awarded the season’s Giant Slalom crystal globe for winning the most points during the 2024-25 season.
Run 1
Loic Meillard set the standard early, taking the lead on a course that proved to be slower and more technical than many expected. With five or six more gates than the women’s course, some seasoned racers found the rhythm difficult to master. While the women’s fastest time in their race was under 1:05 minutes, the men’s fastest time was nearly six seconds slower.
Among those who adapted well to the conditions were Lucas Braathen and Henrik Kristoffersen, who qualified for Run 2 in second and third, respectively. Marco Odermatt, already crowned the season’s Giant Slalom champion, found the course challenging and finished in sixth place, leaving him with plenty of work to do in Run 2. Likewise, Austrian tech expert Marco Schwarz finished Run 1 almost two seconds behind Meillard, in a far off 14th place. Meanwhile, Andorra’s Joan Verdu had finished Run 1 in fourth place and Stefan Brennsteiner from Austria in fifth.
Run 2
Odermatt, as he has done many times before, showed his ability to adjust. After a subpar first run, he put down the fastest time of Run 2–tied with Austria’s Marco Schwarz—moving into the lead with a blistering run that left Austria’s Marco Schwarz trailing by nearly a full second. Stefan Brennsteiner, holding a slim 0.02-second advantage over Odermatt from the first run, fought hard but was unable to stay ahead of the Swiss skier. Andorra’s Joan Verdu, who had impressed in the first run, saw his podium chances slip away after a costly mistake in the mid-section that caused him to spin out, resulting in a DNF.
Noway’s Kristoffersen, known for his aggressive and precise skiing, made a strong push but could not match Odermatt’s pace, sliding into second place, 0.19 seconds behind. This guaranteed Odermatt a podium, but whether it would be a win or second place depended on the final two racers.
Lucas Braathen, who had been just 0.15 seconds behind Meillard after Run 1, seemed to be out of contention after losing nearly a second in the middle section. However, he managed to recover speed on the lower part of the course, crossing the line 0.38 seconds behind Odermatt.
That left only Meillard at the start gate, carrying a comfortable 0.99-second lead over his teammate. The 28-year-old Swiss skier extended his advantage to 1.04 seconds on the upper section and remained composed through the critical mid-section, where many had lost valuable time. His precision and smooth technique carried him into the finish with a dominant 0.95-second margin over Odermatt, securing his second Giant Slalom victory in three weeks and bumping Braathen off the podium into fourth.
As the final Giant Slalom standings were confirmed, it was clear that Switzerland had dominated the discipline this season. Odermatt, having clinched the Giant Slalom title well before Sun Valley, skied in a special Red Bull helmet to mark the occasion and received his Crystal Globe after today’s race. However, while celebrating, he accidentally dropped it while flipping it in the air, breaking the trophy—a moment that added an unexpected twist to the ceremony.
Meillard’s victory in Sun Valley secured him third place in the overall Giant Slalom standings, surpassing Norway’s Alexander Steen Olsen, who failed to finish the race today. Kristoffersen’s podium finish ensured that he placed second in the Giant Slalom rankings, reinforcing his consistency throughout the season.
With the Giant Slalom season now concluded, the World Cup Finals continue in Sun Valley with the Slalom events, which will mark the end of the 2024-25 season. Meillard, fresh off his Giant Slalom win, will look to challenge Kristoffersen in the final Slalom race, where the Norwegian hopes to secure his fourth career Slalom Crystal Globe. With warm conditions and a challenging course expected, Kristoffersen summed up the task ahead: “Tomorrow is going to be ten times worse. Tomorrow is going to be hell.”
