Downhill in Kitzbühel

Men’s downhill in Kitzbühel – 11.30 am LIVE

Crawford triumphed sensationally in Kitzbühel, Hemetsberger finished fourth.

(Bild: Pail Sepp/Sepp Pail, GEPA Pictures)

Sensational victory for James Crawford in Kitzbühel! The Canadian, who started the race with bib number 20, stunned everyone with his best time and triumphed in the legendary Hahnenkamm race. The best Austrian was Daniel Hemetsberger, who only just missed out on the podium in fourth place.

The Swiss dominance in downhill racing has been broken. In a high-class and exciting race in Kitzbühel, Canadian James Crawford with bib number 20 snatched his first World Cup victory, relegating Swiss Alexis Monney (+0.08), who started four early, and his compatriot Alexander Cameron (+0.22) to the other places. Daniel Hemetsberger missed out on the podium in fourth place (+0.43), while super-G winner Marco Odermatt finished sixth (+0.55).

After double victories in all four downhill races this winter, this time the Swiss also had to line up for congratulations. And Odermatt still has to wait to achieve his "last big goal" and win the Streif classic. He wouldn't do much differently, said a thoughtful Odermatt at the finish in an ORF interview. "I felt very relaxed at the start, but somehow I already noticed there that the tension was a little different. I didn't want to force anything at all, I wanted to ski what the skis and the piste gave me. I succeeded to a large extent," explained the industry leader, who made "two small mistakes".

Friday had left its mark on Odermatt, and not just on his victory, as could be heard. "A lot always happens, yesterday was a very special day for me, I was really happy about the win. When you see all those crashes again, it really gets into your head. You know you're in a good mood, there are lots of cool races, the season goes on, your career goes on. You can't ride 110 percent every day."

Here are the overall results in detail:

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Fotos

Hemetsberger: "Going home with Gams would have been a good fit"
 Austria's ban on podium places in the top speed discipline continued, since February 17, 2024 in Kvitfjell (runner-up Vincent Kriechmayr) they have been waiting to be part of the podium ceremony for the top three. Overall, however, there was an upward trend. "It hurts a bit, we're in Kitzbühel, and to go home with a chamois after this season so far would have been a good fit," said Hemetsberger, who had been very doubtful after 28th place in Wengen. "It was a very good run, just under four tenths behind, which proves that the training sessions were no fluke. I am very satisfied."

Daniel Hemetsberger

(Bild: Pail Sepp/Sepp Pail)

Fourth was the "first loser, or rather the third loser", because everyone wanted the golden chamois. A place on the podium would have been nice. "I know again, I have the speed, now we still have Garmisch, then the World Championships." With fourth, eleventh and twelfth place this winter, the 33-year-old is guaranteed a ticket.

Next coup for Crawford after World Championship title
Eighth-placed Stefan Babinsky, who had previously finished no better than 15th this season, was in desperate need of a good result. "I'm absolutely satisfied and a bit proud. I put everything into it today. It was a mega ride. I was able to ride with a joy and had the willingness to take risks."

The next best Austrian was Otmar Striedinger in 13th place (+0.81). "The ribs from yesterday made themselves felt during the night. I was able to block it out with the adrenaline. It wasn't a bad race from me, it's pretty close. Coming 13th by eight tenths in Kitzbühel is of course very bitter, last year you would have come second." The skiing was very good for the most part. Christopher Neumayer came 21st, Vincent Wieser 30th.

James Crawford

(Bild: AFP/APA/Joe Klamar)

James Crawford

(Bild: APA/EXPA/JOHANN GRODER)

"Dream come true"
 For the 27-year-old Crawford, world champion in the super-G two years ago, it was his first World Cup victory after four podium finishes. He had already impressed in the training sessions in seventh and eighth place and finished eighth in the super-G on Friday. "Yes, it's certainly a dream come true. I don't have words to describe my emotions," he said in an initial interview. He had recently felt that his speed had returned.

The crashes of the Austrian Andreas Ploier and the Swiss Arnaud Boisset ended without injury.