Press release -
Atle Lie McGrath starts new season on the podium
Successful season opening for Atle Lie McGrath. The Giant Slalom in Sölden on Sunday sees the 24-year-old athlete from Norway race to third place. The HEAD Worldcup Rebel was in fifth place after the first run and gained two places with the tenth fastest time on the second run.
This is Atle Lie McGrath's tenth World Cup podium, his third in the Giant Slalom following second place in Alta Badia in 2020 and third place in Aspen in 2024. “It’s incredible to finally ski so well in Sölden, because previously it’s been my least favourite GS race of the whole season. To finally get on the podium here was incredible," said Atle Lie McGrath. “I was very happy with how the skis felt today. We took a bit of a risk with skis I hadn’t been much on, but it totally worked, and we made some good adjustments for the second run as well. So yeah, very happy, and very happy with the skis.”
“Atle Lie McGrath put in two very good runs. This podium was a perfect start of the season for us,” says HEAD Racing Director Rainer Salzgeber. "Joan Verdú, our best Giant Slalom athlete, did not compete today. When he comes back on top form, we will be in good shape for the Giant Slalom. Joan Verdú has a bruised bone in his knee, which is very painful, but he plans to be back in Beaver Creek. Lara Gut-Behrami also has knee problems. She wasn’t well in the days leading up to the race. She didn't want to risk anything, and that was a good decision. Now she is taking time out for therapy, and when she comes back, she’ll really get things going."
Alexander Schmid from Germany also bagged points today finishing in 16th place, Justin Murisier from Switzerland was 17th and Tommy Ford from the USA finished 21st.
In the women's Giant Slalom on Saturday, Lena Dürr from Germany was the fastest HEAD Worldcup Rebel in tenth place. Camille Rast from Switzerland finished twelfth, having clocked the fifth fastest time on the second run, Stephanie Brunner from Austria finished 14th, Sara Hector from Sweden 15th, Estelle Alphand from Sweden 23rd and Wendy Holdener from Switzerland 25th.
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