Marco Odermatt, a 26-year-old Swiss skier, had been on a roll in the World Cup GS races, winning 12 consecutive victories. However, his quest for history came to an end on Saturday during the World Cup Finals in Saalbach, Austria. Odermatt veered off course early in his second run and was disqualified.
Despite this setback, Odermatt still has the opportunity to make history in his final two races of the season, which include a super-G and downhill event at the World Cup Finals next weekend. Currently tied with retired legends Ingemar Stenmark, Hermann Maier, and Marcel Hirscher for the men’s single-season wins record of 13 across all disciplines, Odermatt remains determined to add to his impressive season.
At just 26 years old, Odermatt had already secured the season’s World Cup overall title and had previously won every World Cup GS race dating back to last March. He was also aiming to become the first Alpine skier since Vreni Schneider in 1988-1989 to win every race in a primary discipline (GS, slalom, downhill, super-G) in a single season. The all-time record for consecutive victories in a single discipline stands at 14, achieved by Swedish skier Ingemar Stenmark in the GS from 1978-1980.
However, it is worth noting that American skier Mikaela Shiffrin holds the record for the most single-season victories for men or women with a total of 17 wins across all disciplines during the 2018-2019 season. Despite this setback, Odermatt remains focused on making history and finishing his season strong.
