Swiss ski star Odermatt stands 3rd in World Cup GS after 1st run, is close to securing overall title

HAFJELL, Norway (AP) — Overall World Cup leader Marco Odermatt built a big first-run advantage over rival Henrik Kristoffersen in a giant slalom Saturday as the Swiss ski star was on the brink of securing his fourth straight overall title.

Odermatt stood third after the opening run behind Swiss teammates Loic Meillard and Thomas Tumler, and was 1.18 seconds faster than 15th-placed Kristoffersen, who needs to finish the race well ahead of Odermatt to keep his mathematical chance alive.

Odermatt holds a 570-point lead over the Norwegian in the overall standings and would secure the big crystal globe when the difference is still over 500 points after the race, with five events remaining.

Odermatt also leads Kristoffersen in the GS standings, with a minor chance to lock up that title Saturday as well.

“A first run doesn’t say much, it’s not that I’m two seconds ahead. But it was a solid first run,” Odermatt said.

Meillard, the slalom gold medalist from last month’s world championships, led his teammate Tumler by 0.08 seconds, while Odermatt had to make up 0.30 in the afternoon run.

Kristoffersen won the previous GS in Slovenia two weeks ago but was 1.48 seconds off the pace Saturday.

The Norwegian team has won eight tech races this season but struggled in its home race, with only Alexander Steen Olsen finishing within a second off the lead.

Austria’s Stefan Brennsteiner was fourth, and Lucas Pinheiro Braathen, chasing Brazil’s first-ever top-level ski race win since his switch from the Norwegian federation this season, stood fifth.

Hafjell is hosting a men’s World Cup event for the first time since 2003.

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AP skiing: https://apnews.com/alpine-skiing