Only one shines brighter than Odermatt's special accessory

The giant slalom season is over! The final race took place on Wednesday in Sun Valley, USA. At the end, two Swiss athletes were beaming as brightly as the sun.

March 26, 2025

From: det

Eight wins, six second places, and three third places: That's Marco Odermatt's record for the 2024/25 World Cup season. With a whopping 17 podium finishes, the Swiss skier said goodbye to his summer break on Wednesday. The four-time overall World Cup winner also climbed onto the podium again in his final race of the season, the giant slalom in Sun Valley.

After a difficult first run, which he finished in sixth place, Odermatt pulled off a magical run in the deciding round, taking second place. The 6-year-old was only beaten by fellow countryman Loic Meillard, who impressively underlined his fantastic form and cruised to victory by about a second.

Marco Odermatt was out and about with a special accessory. © APA/afp / PATRICK T. FALLON

Meillard's helmet shone even brighter than Marco Odermatt's special accessory. "Odi" competed in the giant slalom wearing a helmet decorated with gold. Part of it was made of real gold leaf. His main sponsor, Red Bull, had sent him this custom-made helmet. It also features four crystal globes. This is a tribute, a thank you for Odermatt's yet another fantastic season, winning the overall World Cup as well as three disciplines (downhill, super-G, and giant slalom).

Criticism after the first round

Third place on Wednesday went to Henrik Kristoffersen, while Luca De Aliprandini finished ninth as the best Italian. No South Tyroleans were present. The only eligible starter, Alex Vinatzer, had to withdraw due to injury. The first run in Sun Valley caused a stir. after there was some criticism from the ski stars.

This means the ski season is almost over. The women's and men's slaloms are scheduled for Thursday in Sun Valley, and then it's over. Both races promise to be exciting, as the battle for the globe is still open.