Return to the Lauberhorn: Odermatt: “I could score every goal to the exact meter”

In January, Marco Odermatt won the Lauberhorn downhill for the first time thanks to an outstanding run. A good six months later, he returned to the scene of his triumph under different conditions.

After eight second and three third places, Marco Odermatt finally managed to score his first downhill victory in the World Cup last January. On the shortened course on the Lauberhorn, the Nidwaldner beat the competition in front of his home crowd – and did it twice two days later on the original course.

A good six months later, the 26-year-old returned to the scene of his triumph with his partner Garaventa. “It’s always rewarding when you reach the finish line, have a good feeling and then look at the time board and see the big lead of over 2.5 seconds,” Odermatt remembers well. “Those are of course extremely nice emotions and I knew straight away that it would be difficult to beat that.”

“I hope it will be whiter again soon”

With the prestigious Lauberhorn victory, Odermatt has fulfilled a dream. “For me, there are three big classics: Adelboden, Wengen and Kitzbühel. The atmosphere is different in these places,” he says, underlining the high importance of the Lauberhorn races. “In Wengen, it is the panorama that stands out. Now in summer, but also in winter when you stand here in the start house. Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau – this panorama cannot be found anywhere else in the world. That is what makes this place so special.”

It is also special for Odermatt to be able to inspect the course in summer temperatures. “Everything looks different in summer, but you know the key points throughout the entire descent by heart. You know every meter,” explains the reigning overall World Cup winner and is certain: “I could set every gate pretty much down to the meter.”

The exceptional athlete doesn’t seem to feel entirely comfortable in summer temperatures. “I hope it will be whiter again soon, even though the mountains look beautiful,” says Odermatt. “But yes, it is a lot quieter and more comfortable today than it will be in winter.”

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