SAALBACH, Austria (Reuters) – Switzerland’s Marco Odermatt remained on course for a quartet of men’s Alpine skiing World Cup crystal globes after securing the super-G title on Friday.
The overall and giant slalom champion finished fifth in the final super-G of the season in the Austrian resort of Saalbach, with his Swiss team mates led by first time winner Stefan Rogentin sweeping the podium.
Loic Meillard was second in the race with Arnaud Boisset third for his first podium.
“I watched them at the start, they skied amazing,” said Odermatt of his compatriots.
“I knew it would be very tough to ski as fast as they did but today I didn’t need to so I’m very happy with my result and the next globe.”
Odermatt had needed only to finish ahead of Vincent Kriechmayr to secure the title, his second in a row in the discipline, and the Austrian could manage only sixth and 0.12 slower.
The Swiss ended the season 86 points clear of the Austrian and still has a chance to break his own record for most points overall.
“I think for sure last season my super-G… was nearly perfect, it was the first speed globe so it was probably even a little bit more special but today I still had to fight for it,” said Odermatt.
“It was the first time I had to fight for the globe in the last race, you never know what happens…I still was a little bit nervous and I had to bring it home.”
The Swiss now has 1,947 points with his record of 2,042 set last season, meaning he needs to win Sunday’s final downhill to beat that score.
He can also take the title in that discipline, which would make him the first male skier since Austrian Hermann Maier in 2001 to win four globes in a single season.
Odermatt is 42 points clear of French sole rival Cyprien Sarrazin in the downhill standings with 100 points to the winner.
(Reporting by Alan Baldwin in London, editing by Toby Davis)
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