Odermatt opens Downhill defense in Beaver Creek with 48th World Cup victory
Dec 04, 2025·Alpine Skiing)
Marco Odermatt (SUI/Stoeckli) added a 48th victory to his World Cup record on Thursday by winning the first Men's Downhill race of the Audi FIS World Cup season in Beaver Creek.
The two-time Downhill Crystal Globe winner was the 11th athlete to attack the Birds of Prey course on Thursday and overtook race leader Ryan Cochran-Siegle (USA/Head) with a winning time of 1:29.84.
Wearing bib number 4, Cochran-Siegle was in pole position with a time of 1:30.14 with minimal errors before 28-year-old Odermatt overcame a side wind to glide through the sections and finish 0.30 of a second faster.
Adrian Smiseth Sejersted (NOR/Atomic) finished third behind Cochran-Siegle with 1:30.53.
Cochran-Siegle’s second place on Thursday is the first time in more than 10 years that a U.S. skier has stepped onto the podium in Beaver Creek since Steven Nyman finished third here in 2014.
“I’ve had a lot of years trying to do this,” said Cochran-Siegle.
“It’s funny, I feel like when you’re trying less hard, it actually kind of comes your way. Still learning, 33 years old and I’m still learning every day.”
Sejersted’s result on Thursday is his first Downhill World Cup podium and the third top-three finish of his career from 114 World Cup starts.
“I knew I had a good chance today, and I made a good run. I just hoped it was fast (enough),” said the Norwegian.
“I’m very satisfied. Beautiful day."
Thursday’s race was originally scheduled for Friday but organizers brought the race forward by one day due to forecasted inclement weather.
Odermatt admitted that training for the race was difficult due to low visibility in the days beforehand, which influenced his race plan.
Odermatt’s victory in Beaver Creek on Thursday comes after he won the Super G season-opener in Copper Mountain last week.
The Swiss speed skier also won the Giant Slalom season-opener in Sölden in October, making Thursday’s victory his third season-opening win.
The 28-year-old said his latest victory gives him confidence for the rest of the season.
Odermatt’s Beaver Creek win is his fifth World Cup win in the Downhill discipline after the racer secured his first Downhill victory on home snow in Wengen in 2024.
On top of his double Downhill World Cup Globe honors, Odermatt has also won the GS Globe four consecutive times and the men’s Giant Slalom at the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games.
Fellow Swiss skier and 2025 Downhill World Champion Franjo von Allmen (SUI/Head) finished fourth on Thursday, while Vincent Kriechmayr (AUT/Head) rounded up the top five.
Last year’s Beaver Creek winner Justin Murisier (SUI/Head) finished in 21st position, one spot behind Niels Hintermann (SUI/Atomic) whose race on Thursday marked his first since the 30-year-old was diagnosed with lymph node cancer in October 2024. Hintermann was the first skier from a field of 64 to attack the Birds of Prey course on Thursday, posting a time of 1:31.63.
Famed for its difficulty and speed – especially its Golden Eagle high speed jump – the Birds of Prey course first hosted a Downhill World Cup in 1997. Thursday’s race marked the 25th edition of the Beaver Creek race. Odermatt was runner-up in Beaver Creek in 2024 and 2022.
The next Downhill World Cup will take place in St Moritz between 10 and 14 December.
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