Courchevel, France – Marco Odermatt cemented his status as a dominant force in alpine skiing, securing his fifth consecutive FIS Alpine Ski World Cup overall title on Friday. The Swiss racer finished third in the downhill race in Courchevel, a result that mathematically confirmed his triumph in the battle for the coveted large crystal globe. Adding to his impressive day, Odermatt likewise clinched the downhill discipline title, marking another milestone in his already stellar career.
The 28-year-old Odermatt now holds an insurmountable lead in both standings with six races remaining – two Super-G events this weekend in Courchevel and then one each of downhill, Super-G, giant slalom, and slalom at the World Cup finals in Lillehammer. He is also the strong favorite to win the Super-G and giant slalom discipline titles.
While the overall title was secured with a third-place finish, the day belonged to Austria’s Vincent Kriechmayr, who took the downhill victory with a time of 1:47.26, edging out Italy’s Giovanni Franzoni by just 0.09 seconds. Odermatt finished third, 0.31 seconds off the pace. Kriechmayr’s win ended a nearly three-year drought for the Austrian ski team in downhill events, a stretch of 23 World Cup races without a victory in the discipline.
Odermatt holds a commanding 632-point lead over his nearest competitor, Lucas Pinheiro Braathen, in the overall standings. Given Braathen’s relative weakness in speed events, Odermatt’s overall victory was all but assured even before Friday’s race in Courchevel.
The downhill competition had briefly offered a glimmer of suspense, with Odermatt’s Swiss teammate, Franjo von Allmen, theoretically capable of challenging for the downhill title. However, von Allmen’s early exit from the race in Courchevel sealed Odermatt’s victory in that discipline before the Swiss star even left the starting gate.
Despite not claiming the downhill win itself, Odermatt secured his seventh podium finish in eight downhill races this winter. According to reports from the race, Odermatt’s run wasn’t optimal, with some wider lines around the 80-second mark, but a strong final sector wasn’t enough to overtake Kriechmayr and Franzoni.
This marks a period of sustained dominance for Odermatt, who has consistently ranked among the world’s best alpine skiers. He previously won the overall World Cup titles in 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025, demonstrating a remarkable level of consistency and skill across multiple disciplines. He also boasts an impressive record of ten discipline titles, including five in giant slalom, three in Super-G, and now two in downhill.
Beyond the World Cup circuit, Odermatt has also achieved success on the international stage, winning a gold medal in giant slalom at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing. He is also slated to compete at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina, where he will be a strong contender in multiple events.
Other notable performances from the Swiss team included a fourth-place finish from Stefan Rogentin, a tenth-place finish from Justin Murisier, and 13th and 16th place finishes from Arnaud Boisset and Alessio Miggiano, respectively. Rogentin nearly snatched a podium spot, but was ultimately overtaken in the final sector by Odermatt.
Looking ahead, Odermatt will focus on the remaining races in Courchevel and Lillehammer, aiming to further solidify his lead in the overall standings and potentially add more discipline titles to his collection. The World Cup finals in Lillehammer promise to be a thrilling conclusion to the season, with Odermatt poised to continue his reign as the king of alpine skiing.
The next scheduled events for Marco Odermatt are the Super-G races in Courchevel this weekend. Fans can follow updates and results on the official FIS Alpine Ski World Cup website: https://www.alpineskiworldcup.com/
