Henrik Kristoffersen Ends Victory Drought with Emotional Schladming Triumph
Norwegian alpine skier Henrik Kristoffersen ended his nearly 11-month wait for a World Cup victory on Wednesday, securing a dramatic win in the final slalom event before the upcoming Milan Cortina Winter Olympics. Racing under the floodlights in Schladming, Austria, Kristoffersen delivered an all-attacking final run to claim the top spot on the podium.
A Hard-Fought Victory on Home Turf
Kristoffersen, who lives in Salzburg just an hour's drive from Schladming, outpaced his Norwegian teammate and first-run leader Atle Lie McGrath by 0.34 seconds. This victory marked his 34th career World Cup win and came at a particularly meaningful venue where he earned his first career victory back in January 2014.
In an emotional course-side interview, Kristoffersen expressed his joy, stating, "It's a little bit of an emotional rollercoaster. I don't cry a lot, and I never cry for pain or sadness, but today I cry for joy." His previous triumph had been in early March last year when he won back-to-back races in Slovenia over one weekend.
Record-Breaking Achievement in Night Racing
The victory represented Kristoffersen's record-breaking fifth win in the traditional Schladming night race, moving him past Austrian standout Benjamin Raich, who had won the event four times between 1999 and 2007. Raich is a two-time gold medalist from the 2006 Olympics.
Kristoffersen humorously remarked about his dominance at the venue, saying, "Fifth time Schladming, I guess this is my house." This win also brings him within two victories of Norwegian record holder Aksel Lund Svindal, who retired in 2019 with 36 career World Cup wins.
Competitive Field and Season Standings Shake-Up
Defending Olympic champion Clément Noël of France posted the fastest second-run time, improving from eighth to third position, though he trailed Kristoffersen by 0.54 seconds. The rest of the field, led by Lucas Pinheiro Braathen in fourth place, finished more than 1.5 seconds behind the winner.
The race saw some notable shifts in the season standings. Pinheiro Braathen, who had won a giant slalom on the same hill just the day before, lost his lead in the slalom season standings. He now trails McGrath by a single point, with McGrath accumulating 452 points to Braathen's 451.
Kristoffersen became the seventh different winner in nine slalom races this season, climbing to fifth place in the standings with 373 points. The event also saw Loic Meillard, Tuesday's giant slalom winner, ski out during the second run of the slalom.
Looking Ahead to Olympics and Beyond
With this victory, Kristoffersen has built significant momentum heading into the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics. The last men's World Cup race before the Olympics will be a downhill event in Crans-Montana on Sunday. Additionally, two more slalom races are scheduled for March, providing further opportunities for skiers to fine-tune their form before the Olympic competition.
This emotional victory in Schladming not only ended Kristoffersen's victory drought but also solidified his status as one of the most successful skiers in World Cup history, particularly in night racing events.
