Braathen Stuns the Favourites to Win Season-Opening Sölden Giant Slalom

Lucas Pinheiro Braathen made a sensational start to the 2026-27 FIS Alpine Ski World Cup season, claiming victory in Sunday's men's giant slalom on the Rettenbach Glacier in Sölden and defeating the sport's established stars in one of the most intriguing World Cup openers in recent years.

The race was held in difficult conditions. Strong wind forced organizers to shorten the course. That left the first run at about 53 seconds, with flat light and the finish banner taken down over wind concerns.

Representing Brazil, Braathen laid the foundations for victory with the fastest first run and then held his nerve in the afternoon leg to finish in a combined time of 1:44.72. Switzerland's Loïc Meillard finished second, 0.48 seconds behind, while defending overall World Cup champion Marco Odermatt produced the quickest second run but fell just short, ending only 0.49 seconds off the lead in third. 

Braathen's triumph sends a clear message that the Brazilian racer remains one of the most dangerous technical skiers in the world. After leading the morning run by 0.24 seconds from Meillard, he resisted heavy pressure from a charging Odermatt, who clawed back significant time with a blistering second descent.

Surprise Packages Shake Up the Leaderboard

While Braathen's victory grabbed the headlines, several unexpected names stole the spotlight behind the podium.

American River Radamus produced one of the runs of the day. Starting the second leg from 15th position after the first run, he set the fastest time of all early starters and vaulted into fourth place, finishing just 0.82 seconds behind Braathen.

Austria's Raphael Haaser delivered a similarly impressive comeback, climbing from 20th after the opening run to finish fifth on home snow.

Another eye-catching performance came from Britain's Freddy Carrick-Smith. The 19-year-old qualified for the second run in 21st place and then stormed into 12th overall, collecting valuable World Cup points and further underlining his status as one of the sport's rising talents.

Germany also enjoyed a strong day, with Fabian Gratz finishing sixth after sitting sixth at halfway, while Anton Grammel climbed from 30th after the first run to 15th overall.

Disappointments for Established Names

Not everyone enjoyed the season opener. Norway's Henrik Kristoffersen, normally among the favourites in giant slalom, slid from seventh after the first run to 22nd at the finish.

Atle Lie McGrath, fifth at halfway, failed to finish the second run, while Italy's Giovanni Borsotti and Giovanni Franzoni also crashed out during the decisive afternoon leg.

Austrian hopes of a home podium ultimately faded as first-run third-place skier Stefan Brennsteiner dropped to 11th after a less convincing second run.

Top 10 Results

1. Lucas Pinheiro Braathen (Brazil) - 1:44.72

2. Loïc Meillard (Switzerland) +0.48

3. Marco Odermatt (Switzerland) +0.49

4. River Radamus (USA) +0.82

5. Raphael Haaser (Austria) +0.86

6. Fabian Gratz (Germany) +0.95

7. Alex Vinatzer (Italy) +1.08

8. Eirik Hystad Solberg (Norway) +1.09

9. Leo Anguenot (France) +1.10

10. Patrick Feurstein (Austria) +1.11

The surprises

Austria’s day went the wrong way. Home favorite Marco Schwarz made a mistake early in the first run and was out. Stefan Brennsteiner, who was on a podium course at the halfway mark, dropped to 11th. The consolation was Raphael Haaser. He finished fifth as the best Austrian. He gained 15 places and posted the fastest second run.

McGrath and the Italians crashed out. Atle Lie McGrath, who started the second run in fifth place, failed to reach the finish, as did fellow Norwegian Oscar Andreas Sandvik and Italians Giovanni Franzoni and Giovanni Borsotti. Borsotti and Franzoni had been among the morning’s stories. Borsotti charged into eighth from bib 29, and Franzoni had the fastest final sector of the first run.

A big American jump. River Radamus was tied for 15th after the first run, 1.15 behind Braathen, but a French outlet’s final classification puts him fourth, which would be a strong start for the U.S. team. I only found that in one source, so check it against the official FIS results.

High bibs broke through. Seven racers starting bib 31 or higher made the second run, including 19-year-old Briton Freddy Carrick-Smith, who gained 25 places from bib 46, a rare second run for Britain. I couldn’t find his final placing.

Some Swiss missed out. Four Swiss, including Gino Caviezel and Luca Aerni, failed to qualify for the second run. Thomas Tumler finished 23rd and Lenz Hächler 25th.

The result gives Braathen the first 100 World Cup points of the new season and throws an early challenge down to Odermatt, whose quest for another overall title has begun with a podium but not the victory many expected. After one race, the battle for the giant slalom crystal globe already looks far more open than in recent years.