Switzerland's Odermatt wins men's super-G season opener at Lake Louise
Beats Norway's Kilde, who won Saturday downhill; Jack Crawford top Canadian in 10th
Marco Odermatt is already living up to his billing as the favourite for the overall World Cup title, beating Aleksander Aamodt Kilde to win a super-G on Sunday for his second victory in three races this season.
The Swiss star was third in the other race — Saturday's downhill, won by Kilde in Lake Louise, Alta.
On Sunday, Odermatt finished 0.37 seconds ahead of the Norwegian in one minute 32.53 seconds. Two-time Olympic super-G champion Matthias Mayer of Austria, winner of last year's super-G in Lake Louise, was third in 1:33.31.
The race was interrupted for about 20 minutes following a horrible fall for Swiss skier Mauro Caviezel on his comeback weekend after almost two years out with injury.
WATCH | Marco Odermatt wins Lake Louise super-G World Cup race:
There was an anxious wait after Caviezel tumbled and appeared to briefly lose consciousness after hitting his head. After receiving treatment, the 34-year-old managed to get on his feet before being taken off the slopes on a sled and transported to the hospital by helicopter.
It was Cavaziel's first weekend of racing since suffering a head injury in January 2021 while training in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany. He had then been troubled by problems with his vision.
Toronto's Jack Crawford was the top Canadian in 10th in 1:33.86.
Brodie Seger (13th), Jeffrey Read (21st) and Riley Seger (27th) were the other Canadians to crack the top 30.
Broderick Thompson of Whistler, B.C., placed 42nd while teammate Sam Mulligan was 44th. Kyle Alexander of North Vancouver, B.C., and Calgary's Trevor Philp did not finish the race.
WATCH | Crawford earns top-10 finish in Lake Louise:
The season is already shaping up into another great duel between Odermatt and Kilde.
Kilde won four of last season's seven super-G races, finishing second in another, on his way to claiming the World Cup title in that event. Odermatt, the overall champion, won in super-G twice and finished second on another two occasions.
Vincent Kriechmayr was the only other winner of a super-G when he secured victory in the World Cup Finals in Courchevel, France.
Kilde also won the downhill Crystal Globe and finished second overall. Odermatt topped the giant slalom standings.
The 25-year-old Odermatt won the only other race this season prior to this weekend, a giant slalom in Sölden on Oct. 23.
Two downhill races in Zermatt-Cervinia were called off as was a parallel event in Lech, Austria.
Saturday's downhill had to be rescheduled from Friday because of heavy snow and replaced one of two planned super-G races.
