Switzerland’s national ski team delivered a stunning performance at the FIS Alpine World Cup opening event in Zermatt-Cervinia, securing three podium finishes and signalling their intent to challenge for the overall title this season. The dramatic backdrop of the Matterhorn provided a fitting stage for what Swiss-Ski head coach Tom Stauffer called “one of our finest days on the circuit.”
Odermatt Leads the Charge
Marco Odermatt, the reigning overall World Cup champion, captured first place in the men’s giant slalom with a combined time of 2:14.37, finishing 0.82 seconds ahead of Norway’s Henrik Kristoffersen. It was Odermatt’s 40th career World Cup victory, cementing his status as the dominant force in alpine skiing.
“Racing in front of a home crowd, beneath the Matterhorn — there is no better feeling in skiing. The team energy today was incredible.” — Marco Odermatt, Swiss alpine skier
A Strong Women’s Team Performance
On the women’s side, Lara Gut-Behrami finished second in the super-G behind Italy’s Sofia Goggia, while teammate Corinne Suter claimed third. The result marks an encouraging start for the Swiss women’s speed team, which has undergone a coaching restructure during the off-season under new technical director Beat Tschuor.
Young talent Priska Ming-Nufer, making her first top-level World Cup appearance at age 22, finished an impressive seventh, raising expectations for the season ahead. The Swiss federation has invested heavily in its development pipeline, and the results in Zermatt suggest those investments are beginning to pay dividends.
Zermatt as a World Cup Venue
The Zermatt-Cervinia cross-border course, inaugurated just two seasons ago, has quickly become one of the most spectacular venues on the World Cup calendar. The high-altitude course, which straddles the Swiss-Italian border, offers challenging terrain and guaranteed early-season snow conditions. Organisers reported over 25,000 spectators across the two-day event, with the Swiss tourism industry hailing the races as a major boost for the Valais region.
The World Cup circuit moves next to Beaver Creek, Colorado, but the Swiss team will carry significant momentum into the North American legs. With both individual and nations’ cup standings favouring Switzerland after the opening weekend, the season promises to be a compelling one for Swiss skiing.
