Marco Odermatt has asserted his dominance as the Olympic favorite by claiming a record fourth World Cup downhill victory at Wengen, breaking the all-time tie for wins on the Lauberhorn course
Swiss skiing superstar Marco Odermatt once again affirmed his supremacy on the men’s Alpine World Cup circuit with a historic victory in the downhill at Wengen’s Lauberhorn on Saturday. In a commanding performance — highlighted by speed, precision and racecraft — Odermatt clinched his fourth consecutive downhill win on one of the sport’s most prestigious courses, a feat no other racer has ever achieved.
Facing tricky conditions that forced organizers to shorten the notoriously long Lauberhorn course due to strong winds, the Swiss star took full advantage from the first gate. With a blistering time of 1:33.14, Odermatt finished 0.79 seconds ahead of Austria’s Vincent Kriechmayr, a dominant margin in downhill racing where hundredths of a second usually decide outcomes. Italy’s Giovanni Franzoni completed the podium in third.
With this victory, Odermatt breaks the longstanding tie held by legends Franz Klammer and Beat Feuz, each of whom previously recorded three Lauberhorn downhill victories. Odermatt’s four wins aren’t just historic for Wengen — they underscore how thoroughly he has stamped his authority on the discipline.
But beyond the numbers, the nature of the win speaks volumes. The course was shortened dramatically — starting at the challenging Hundschopf (Dog’s Head) jump — making sections like the narrow and technical Kernen S crucial battlegrounds. Odermatt mastered those segments with consummate skill, maintaining supreme balance and speed where others hesitated.
His reaction at the finish was as emphatic as his run. Screaming with delight and basking in the roar of the home crowd, he acknowledged what many already suspected: he’s not just winning — he’s redefining excellence on the World Cup circuit.
This latest triumph — his seventh World Cup win of the season — also reinforces Odermatt’s all-around capabilities. He leads not only the overall World Cup standings but is also atop the downhill, super-G and giant slalom standings, making him by far the most consistent and versatile competitor this winter.
With the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics now looming, this performance has put the 30-year-old firmly in the spotlight as the favorite for multiple medals, especially in the speed events. Having already won Olympic gold in giant slalom at Beijing 2022, his confidence and form entering the Games could make him one of Switzerland’s most decorated Olympians ever.
Looking ahead, the World Cup circuit moves next to Kitzbühel and Crans-Montana, two iconic venues that will surely offer more drama before athletes transition to Olympic competition. But at Wengen, on one of the sport’s most revered slopes, Marco Odermatt didn’t just win — he made history.
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