‘Fantastic to watch’: Odermatt wins record fourth Wengen Downhill
Jan 17, 2026·Alpine Skiing
Marco Odermatt (SUI/Stöckli) became the most successful Wengen World Cup Downhiller of all time in supreme style on Saturday, winning one of Alpine skiing’s most revered races by a remarkable margin of 0.79 seconds.
The roar in the finish area from both Odermatt and the 30,000 delirious Swiss fans said it all.
Out the gate straight after two-time winner Vincent Kriechmayr (AUT/Head) Odermatt seemed to have it all to do, with the Austrian laying down an aggressive, accurate run.
But right from the start, the Swiss maestro was on fire. Quickest through the top three sectors of a course reduced in length by high winds, Odermatt flew through each of the Lauberhorn’s famed challenges. All Kriechmayr could do in the finish area was shake his head and smile as his rival took in the adulation of a nation.
A fourth win in succession sees Odermatt overtake compatriot Beat Feuz (SUI) and the great Austrian Franz Klammer as the King of the Lauberhorn.
For a long time, it looked like Franjo von Allmen (SUI/Head) would complete another superb day for the Swiss speed team but from bib No.28 Giovanni Franzoni (ITA/Rossignol) had other ideas.
Twenty-four hours after claiming the first Audi FIS World Cup win of his career in the Wengen Super G, the 24-year-old Italian underlined he is a talent to be feared as he burst on to the podium, finishing just 0.11 seconds behind Kriechmayr.
Von Allmen and the third of the Swiss fliers Alexis Monney (SUI/Stöckli) ended fourth and fifth respectively, while veteran Dominik Paris (ITA/Nordica) finished sixth, just two weeks before his home Olympic Games down Bormio’s Stelvio, a track on which he has seven World Cup wins.
'Wengen suits me'
Many observers predicted a tight race after those high winds cut almost a minute cut off the typical Lauberhorn Downhill time, with skiers starting at the top of the iconic Hundschopf jump.
And it was, without Odermatt.
Just 0.17 seconds separated Kriechmayr in second and Paris in sixth. And yet, the undisputed men’s world No.1 skier was almost eight-tenths of a second clear at the top.
That is undoubtedly true.
“My very first race here was the Super G four years ago and I could win it straight and from there on I could have great memories here," he said. "Every year was a big highlight and the highlight goes on.”
Four wins, two second places and a fourth in Odermatt’s seven World Cup Downhills in Wengen is record-setting stuff. Add on a win and a third place in Super G and surely a statue somewhere on the Lauberhorn is coming.
A day after a small error on the entry into the Kernen-S, the Lauberhorn’s impossibly tight passage that whips under the train that takes racers to the top, cost Odermatt a Super G podium, the 28-year-old put it right.
“Where I lost race yesterday I won it today,” said Odermatt, who hit 149.65 kmph by the time he reached the Haneggschuss.
“That’s racing, if you don’t take the risk, you cannot win races at this level.”
‘Impressive to watch him’
Kriechmayr, a Downhill world champion in 2021, and a winner in Wengen in 2019 and 2022, was resigned to applauding his rival.
“My run was really good, maybe I will find two or three tenths, but I mean his run was impressive. Fantastic to watch him you know,” Kriechmayr said. “It’s impressive to watch him but sometimes it could be a better if he could be a little bit slower.”
The margin of victory down the shortened course was not lost on the Austrian either.
But second place was still a season highlight in the Downhill for Kriechmayr. Carrying the quickest speed of all out the Kernen-S, and on point throughout, it all suggests good things might be round the corner with the season’s second Downhill classic looming.
“For sure in Downhill the best run (of the season so far.),” Kriechmayr said. “Kitzbühel is coming (24 January), a big race for an Austrian, we will see what happens there.
“Kitzbühel after the Olympics is the highlight for us Austrians. I am happy to go to Kitzbühel, we will see what happens over there but for sure this guy on my left (Odermatt) will be the favourite too, but I will try my best.”
‘Super excited’
Despite having only raced twice down Kitzbühel’s legendary Strief, Franzoni will also head into next week full of confidence. Especially having backed up his Super G win in such style.
“Yesterday after the victory was difficult, I woke up at 3am and until 6am I was awake,” Franzoni said with a laugh. “Today I was happy the Downhill was shorter and not longer, better for my legs. But you know, it’s always hard because a lot of pressure after the training runs (Franzoni was quickest in both) and the victory yesterday.
“But when I was at the start, I saw all the crowd on the mountain and I was really, really excited for the race. And I just I just thought to have fun and to push.
“Having a weekend like this in Wengen is unbelievable. As I said yesterday, (it’s) the ‘home of legends’.”
The Italian is well aware he is hitting peak form at just the right moment.
“I am looking forward to Kitzbühel because last year was my first in Kitzbühel and I finished 10th in Super G and 14th in Downhill. So, I think it’s actually my favourite slope. And for the Olympics I think it’s qualification (secured) for the Super G and the Downhill too. I am super excited.”
So are we.
Check out the full results from the men’s Downhill in Wengen here, with the latest season standings in the race for the Downhill Crystal Globe here.
Also, do please head to Reuters Connect and Actionpress.de to view and purchase a wide selection of photographs from this race and from all FIS events.
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