Fog show in Adelboden: Noel cheers, Braathen dances

It was great skiing in the most difficult conditions: in front of 25.000 fans and in thick fog, the slalom aces put on a real show in Adelboden on Saturday. At the end, there were two celebrated heroes.

11 January 2025

From: fop

Victory on the legendary Chuenisbärgli went to Clement Noel. The Frenchman won ahead of the Brazilian Lucas Pinheiro Braathen and the Norwegian Henrik Kristoffersen.

In the absence of the Swiss candidates for victory, the loudest cheers on the packed finish slope came from returning skier Braathen. With the slope getting worse and the fog hanging around, he drove two consistent runs and improved from fifth to second place in the final.

"I had a Superman feeling" Lucas Pinheiro Braathen

It is Braathen's first slalom podium in almost two years, the first ever for Brazil. The former Norway star celebrated his samba dance in the finish area with great enthusiasm. "I had a Superman feeling, I live for moments like that," said Braathen in the subsequent TV interview, "I thank everyone who made this possible - my family, my team, the many fans."

Halftime leader Feller is eliminated

Only one person was faster than Braathen in Adelboden: Clement Noel. The Olympic champion, who had already been successful in Levi and Gurgl, pushed the World Cup returnee off the winner's podium by a razor-thin margin of two hundredths.

Clement Noel was the best at the legendary Chuenisbärgli. © ANSA / ANTHONY ANEX

Many of the supposed candidates for victory did not make it to the finish line - including the confident half-time leader Manuel Feller. The North Tyrolean did not make it to the finish line again. To the chagrin of many fans, the Swiss Loic Meillard, who came to Adelboden as the slalom World Cup leader, slipped up in the morning in heavy snowfall. The Norwegian Atle Lie McGrath was eliminated in the first run as the virtual leader shortly before the finish.

Another mistake by Vinatzer

The only Italian to make it into the top 18 was the Fassa veteran Stefano Gross, who finished 20th. Alex Vinatzer, who had already started in Madonna di Campiglio on Tuesday, was pushed to the bottom of the rankings after a serious mistake in the second run. After being in 14th place at the halfway point, the Val Gardena native at least managed to score a few World Cup points in 28th place. Tobias Kastlunger and Simon Maurberger were eliminated in the first round.

The World Cup program in Adelboden will conclude on Sunday with the giant slalom.