Cancellations Lead to Hütter Losing Downhill Crystal Globe

The opening downhill races of the Alpine Ski World Cup finals in Sun Valley have been canceled due to adverse weather conditions. Overnight snowfall required significant track preparation, and subsequently rising winds made it impossible to hold the events. As a result, the women's crystal globe was awarded to Italian skier Federica Brignone, with Cornelia Hütter finishing second in the overall standings. In the men's category, Swiss skier Marco Odermatt clinched the crystal globe, outperforming compatriot Franjo von Allmen.

According to competition regulations, races at the finals cannot be rescheduled and are therefore canceled without replacement. This ruling marks a historic moment as Austrian downhill racers complete a season without securing a podium finish for the first time in World Cup history. The top-scoring Austrian, Vincent Kriechmayr, is currently ranked 11th with 178 points accumulated over eight races.

Odermatt triumphed with a total of 605 points, which included two victories and four second-place finishes. This scenario echoes the previous year's events in Saalbach-Hinterglemm, where Odermatt benefited from a similar cancellation. He remarked on the significance of the downhill globe, noting that it holds great value among the various awards. With an 83-point lead over von Allmen, he would have needed only a 14th place finish to secure his title.

For Hütter, the disappointment is palpable. The defending downhill champion had hoped for a thrilling conclusion to the season at Sun Valley. She expressed her frustration, stating that while it is disappointing, it is part of the sport. Hütter attempted to reflect positively on her season, acknowledging that she had potential opportunities that slipped away by mere hundredths of a second.

Despite the setback, Hütter can take pride in her performance this season, having secured two victories in Beaver Creek and Kvitfjell, along with a third-place finish. She expressed satisfaction with her second-place finish in the discipline standings, although it is still a tough pill to swallow at this moment. After six races, Hütter concludes the season with 16 points fewer than Brignone, who now stands as the leading downhill skier and is on track to claim her second overall World Cup title, following her 2020 victory.

Looking ahead, the finals continue on Sunday with two Super-G races scheduled. Brignone will defend a slim five-point lead over Swiss skier Lara Gut-Behrami. Unfortunately for the Austrian men, they have no remaining opportunities to secure a globe in this discipline, with the upcoming races being their penultimate chance to avoid a winless season.