Thomas Dressen Is Kitzbuehel Downhill Winner, Svindal Wins Unique Kitzbuehel Super-G

The scenario of the downhill in Kitzbuehel couldn't get much more thrilling, as Thomas Dressen took a first career win and writes German skiing history.

The Streif in Kitzbuehel is indubitably one of the most tough and challenging course on the World Cup Tour and usually, experienced athletes top this spectacular race: Dominik Paris, Peter Fill, Kjetil Jansrud, Hannes Reichelt, Didier Cuche and Didier Defago are the athletes who could put their name on the winning list in the past years. But today, one of the younger guys on the start list made it to the top of the podium.

Thomas Dressen, 24 years old, from Germany. The younggun was in the spotlight earlier this season, as he reached his first World Cup podium in the downhill in Beaver Creek. Lacking experience on the Streif, Dressen watched the runs of the athletes who raced before him and was quickly able to analyse it and adapt his own race line. On his only third season on the World Cup Tour, he even made it to the current third place in the downhill standings, directly behind Aksel Lund Svindal and Beat Feuz, and one point ahead of Kjetil Jansrud.

The “Kugelblitz” from Switzerland had a bad experience in Kitzbuehel last year, as he crashed into the nets on Hausberg with the fastest split times and maybe the winning run under his skis. But his comeback on the toughest downhill on Tour was definitely a successful one, as Beat Feuz finishes second of the 2018 edition, as in 2016. After winning the downhills in Lake Louise and Wengen, the Swiss athlete, who started with bib 7, was hoping for the legendary double “Wengen-Kitzbuehel” and was sitting in the leaderbox for quite a while before Thomas Dressen came down. But in the end, the joy of being on the podium in Kitzbuehel, for the 4th time in his career (also 3rd in the super-g in 2017 and 2nd in the combined in 2012) is one of the best rewards you can get in alpine skiing.

Hannes Reichelt already had the honor of winning Kitzbuehel in front of his home crowd. It was in 2014, he had to undergo surgery on his back in the following days. The 37 years old Austrian found his pace in downhill since his 5th place in Bormio, followed by a 4th place in Wengen and he can finally claim his first podium of the season in his home country; also celebrating his 44 career podium.

What a challenging day on the Streif for the super g. Hundreds of helpers were in action overnight on the race course to clear the wet snow that kept falling until late into the morning.

Quite early, the organisers made the decision to postpone the program and reschedule today's Super-g at 13:00. They also offeredr a unique version of the Hahnenkamm Super-g with the start moved up to Mausefalle and the finish line moved up to the Europa Cup start on Oberhausberg, like yesterday in the training run for the downhill.

After the logistical challenges were figured out, everyone went into the day with an open mind and the interesting course proved to be spectacular and the athletes put on their best performances until the higher-up finish line before changing skis and freeskiing down to the original finish area.

In this unusual Super-g day, Norwegian Aksel Lund Svindal laid down the fastest time with 1:30:72. Despite two wins and three additional podiums in downhill, it's his first Top three finish in the Super-g this season. After 2016 and 2013, Svindal will collect his third "Goldene Gams" for as many wins on the Streif in Kitzbuehel.

Kjetil Jansrud, who already celebrated a win in Lake Louise and a second place in Beaver Creek in the Super-g this season, finished +0.50 behind his teammate. With this, he added to his lead in the discipline standings.

Downhill Olympic champion Matthias Mayer was not far behind, ranking third with +0.56. On year after his win in the Super-g in Kitzbuehel, he claimed his fourth podium at this race and his fourth podium this season.