The Swiss ski star Marco Odermatt did not win for the first time in the third speed race of the Olympic winter.
When the Austrian Vincent Kriechmayr won the Super-G in Beaver Creek, the overall World Cup winner of the past four years had to be content with fifth place. The race was canceled after 31 of 68 starters due to strong gusts of wind; none of the German trio had started at the start.
Because the minimum number of 30 drivers took part in the race, the competition could be counted.
“It was of course extremely bitter and a shame that they stopped the race and insisted that the classification counts. That takes away your chance to gain a foothold again,” said Simon Jocher: “But it doesn’t help, you have to keep looking and attack next time.”
Odermatt was 1.23 seconds behind Kriechmayr at the finish. The 2021 world champion had to be content with second place behind Odermatt in the first Super-G in Copper Mountain, but now he won on the “Raubvogel” slope in 1:06.77 minutes ahead of the Norwegian Fredrik Möller (+0.56 seconds) and Raphael Haaser from Austria (+1.03). Returnee Aleksander Aamodt Kilde from Norway was eliminated.
Jocher, the best German in Copper Mountain last weekend when he finished 20th in the Super-G, would have had his turn with start number 34. The 29-year-old, like veteran Romed Baumann (No. 46) and Maximilian Schwarz (No. 53), waited in vain.
The race originally planned for Saturday was brought forward due to the weather forecast. On Friday, heavy fog initially caused a half-hour delay, but after 14 starters there was a half-hour interruption due to snowfall and strong wind – it wasn’t the only one.
The giant slalom on Sunday (6:00 p.m./9:00 p.m. CET) should take place as planned, Saturday is a rest day.