Braathen is making skiing history in his old homeland

In Hafjell (NOR), an exciting second run was shaping up at the Giant Slalom World Cup Finals. Overall leader Marco Odermatt had crashed out, and his biggest rival was in the lead at the halfway point. He ended up having double cause for celebration.

March 24, 2026

From: cst

Marco Odermatt did not win the crystal globe in the giant slalom, his former signature discipline, this year. The Swiss skier was eliminated in the first round And thus he missed his chance to win the small crystal globe on his own merit. Teammate Loic Meillard and Lucas Pinheiro Braathen (BRA) had the opportunity to overtake Odermatt – with Braathen holding all the cards. He was leading after the first run in Hafjell.

A perfectly timed penalty for the Brazilian with Norwegian roots. Braathen didn't let the victory slip away in the second run and celebrated not only the win but also secured the small crystal globe for the Giant Slalom World Cup. With this, Braathen made skiing history, as there had never been a Brazilian to win the globe before. With 547 points, Braathen took the overall victory ahead of Odermatt (495) and Meillard (486).

Disappointed: Marco Odermatt let the ball slip away on the final day. © ANSA / JEAN-CHRISTOPHE BOTT

Meillard finished second (+0,63 seconds), while Atle Lie McGrath completed the podium in third place (+0,87). Austrian Stefan Brennsteiner finished fourth (+0,88).

No points for Vinatzer

Alex Vinatzer finishes the giant slalom season without any further points. The skier from Wolkenstein couldn't find his rhythm in the first run and failed to improve his time significantly in the final. Vinatzer's 20th place finish means he won't score any points in Hafjell. The same applies to Giovanni Franzoni (22nd). Only the top 15 skiers receive points at the World Cup Finals.

Keywords Winter sports Alpine skiing Lucas Pinheiro Braathen