Odermatt remains winless in Gardena after 3rd-place result in men's World Cup super-G
Cameron Alexander 5th; Fellow Canadian Kurt Oatway 2nd in Para super-G
Marco Odermatt still can't win a race in Val Gardena.
The three-time overall World Cup champion finished third in a super-G on the 2.1-kilometre Saslong course in Italy on Friday, a distant 0.43 seconds behind Italian winner Mattia Casse, who earned his first career victory.
Cameron Alexander, from North Vancouver, B.C., was top Canadian, tying for fifth place, 0.57 seconds behind Casse for a career-best showing in Val Gardena. He sat in the leader's chair for a few racers.
"This hill suits me and how I ski and felt really good about my skiing and how I executed today," Alexander told Alpine Canada following his sixth career top-five performance and second straight super-G top 10 in Val Gardena. "I thought that it could be an opportunity starting early today … It's always a good feeling to come down and see the green light and be in the leader's chair, but people can jump up from anywhere here.
"Feels great to get a [personal best] here and to be back in the super-G top 10 [season standings], especially after a tough couple of races in Beaver Creek [Colorado last week]. Feel like I'm in a great spot heading into tomorrow's downhill."
This is Alexander's sixth career top five, his second consecutive SG top 10 in Val Gardena and a career best in Val Gardena..
WATCH | Alexander ties for 5th at Val Gardena:
It was Odermatt's fourth podium finish at the resort in the Italian Dolomites but he's never been better than second.
The Swiss standout said the course-set wasn't challenging enough for his characteristics.
"For me, coming from a giant slalom background, it's not easy without any turns," Odermatt said.
On an overcast day featuring intermittent snowfall and changing conditions, American skier Jared Goldberg finished a mere 1-100th of a second behind in second place for his first career podium result in his 168th World Cup race.
WATCH | Casse takes the win at Val Gardena:
"I was mobbing, I felt fast and skied the way I wanted," Goldberg said. "The key to Gardena is that it is flat with a lot of steep to flats and very close to freeskiing. I grew up free skiing in Utah at Snowbird and I think that background helps here."
Fredrik Moeller of Norway finished fourth to match his result in a super-G in Beaver Creek, Colorado, two weeks ago.
French contender Cyprien Sarrazin went off course early in his run and Daniel Danklmaier of Austria straddled a gate midway down and tumbled over.
The 34-year-old Casse's previous best result was third, three times, including in the Val Gardena downhill two years ago.
Toronto's Jack Crawford was 13th for his sixth career top 15 in Val Gardena, while North Vancouver's Brodie Seger rounded out the Canadians securing points, finishing 26th.
The downhill is scheduled for Saturday on the Saslong before the circuit moves to nearby Alta Badia.
Meanwhile, Lindsey Vonn is slated to make her comeback from retirement in the women's races in St. Moritz, Switzerland, this weekend.
Career first for Oatway in France
Kurt Oatway placed second Friday in a Para World Cup giant slalom in Courchevel, France, the first time he has reached the podium in five consecutive races.
Third after the first run, the Calgarian delivered the fastest second run to claim second place, 21-100ths shy of victory.
"First run went pretty well today, and it was so close that I knew anything was possible in the second run," he said. "I really focused on inspection before the second run to see where I could make up some time. It wasn't perfect but skied the bottom half really well and feels great to take second.
"I'm looking forward to the rest of the season after a little break for Christmas at home with the family."
With files from CBC Sports
