Press release -
Lara Gut-Behrami wins Crystal Globe in the Super-G
With her third victory of the season, Lara Gut-Behrami secured the Crystal Globe in the Super-G in a thrilling final in Soldeu on Thursday. This is the fourth time the Swiss athlete takes overall victory in this discipline. Vincent Kriechmayr won his fourth Downhill of the season in Wednesday's final. For Johan Clarey, this was his final race, summing up an impressive 20-year career in the World Cup. Lara Gut-Behrami finished third in the Downhill on Wednesday, Ragnhild Mowinckel was also third in the Super-G on Thursday.
"It's great that it worked out with the Crystal Globe in the Super-G today. You could see that Lara Gut-Behrami really wanted it. She has not had an easy time in Super-G this season, like at the World Championships. This final has been very gratifying for her. If you win the race and win the Globe, that sorts out everything. The whole team put in an awesome performance. In the women's Super-G we have five athletes in the top six," asserts HEAD Racing Director Rainer Salzgeber. "Vincent Kriechmayr has won four races, including the final, and in these conditions. This is very pleasing and a good basis for the future."
"13 brilliant years together"
"Johan Clarey has given us some incredible moments over the past 13 years. It's a shame that it's coming to an end now. But it's also really impressive how he is still competing at the age of 42 and that he finished his career fit and healthy," says Rainer Salzgeber. "This is so great and actually goes way beyond being a ski athlete. They were 13 brilliant years together. He was our first athlete when we joined the French squad. At that time he was already 30 years old. We never dreamed that such a long and successful career would follow. Overall we have had a very successful season in the speed disciplines. If you win four races like Vincent, that's usually enough for the Crystal Globe. It was similar in the Super-G, we podiumed there as well. In the women's events we have first and third place in the Super-G and third place - thanks to Corinne Suter - in the Downhill. We are well positioned in the speed disciplines and it was a super season. But we will still try to take another step forward."
Fourth Crystal Globe in the Super-G for Lara Gut-Behrami
With victory in the Super-G in Soldeu, Lara Gut-Behrami can now take home the Crystal Globe in this discipline for the fourth time, following on from 2014, 2016 and 2021. The Swiss athlete skied an impressive race to notch up her 37th victory. World Cup winner, her 19th victory in the Super-G and the second win in the Super-G this season. The 31-year-old won Gold in this discipline at both the 2022 Olympic Games in Beijing and the 2021 World Championships in Cortina. "I found the moves again over the last few days, which I have often lacked this winter," said a delighted Lara Gut-Behrami. "Today I went as fast as I could. I thought it was either going to be a wipe-out or a really fast run. This slope and the way the course was set is just right for me. I like it when it's fast and you have to dare yourself to push the speed. It is very cool and I enjoy it. I'm going to take this feeling with me into next season."
Five HEAD athletes in the top six in the Super-G
Third place in the race and also in the Super-G discipline standings went to Ragnhild Mowinckel from Norway. Fourth on Thursday was Corinne Suter from Switzerland, sixth Cornelia Hütter from Austria, ninth Kajsa Vickhoff Lie from Norway, tenth Elena Curtoni from Italy and eleventh Laura Gauché from France. The strong team performance of the HEAD Worldcup Rebels in the Super-G overall ranking really stands out: In addition to Lara Gut-Behrami and Ragnhild Mowinckel, a total of five HEAD athletes finished among the top six with Elena Curtoni in fourth place, Cornelia Hütter fifth and Corinne Suter sixth.
Vincent Kriechmayr second in the Downhill World Cup
Vincent Kriechmayr also had a successful finish to the season. The Austrian athlete once again stood on top of the podium in the final Downhill event. It was the fourth win of the season for the 31-year-old in this discipline following victories in the Downhill classics in Val Gardena, Bormio and Kitzbühel. In the overall ranking for the Downhill, Vincent Kriechmayr takes second place behind Aleksander Aamodt Kilde. "It was a good race. I picked up a lot of speed, especially at the bottom of the run. It worked out well for me," is how Vincent Kriechmayr analysed his performance at the finish. "It has been a very good Downhill season. I won four races. That's not something you can take for granted. Every single win is a great privilege."
Johan Clarey says goodbye after 20 years in the World Cup
Johan Clarey competed in the 240th and final race of his impressive 20-year World Cup career on Wednesday. The French athlete crossed the finish line in twelfth place in the Downhill, securing fourth place in the discipline ranking. "I'm very happy about how I skied today because it was really emotional for me. So many skiers and coaches had nice things to say to me and thanked me for everything. Now I am going to do nothing for once, and enjoy myself. But I want to stay in touch with ski racing," says the 42-year-old, who can look back on a highly successful career. Johan Clarey won Silver in the Downhill at the Beijing 2022 Olympics and Silver in the Super-G at the 2019 World Championships in Aare. He stood on the podium in the World Cup eleven times. Johan Clarey set several age records: He won the Silver in Beijing at the age of 41. This makes him the oldest alpine ski athlete to win a medal. At the age of 42, he finished second on the podium in the Downhill in Kitzbühel this season - there has never been an older athlete to manage that.
Another podium for Lara Gut-Behrami in the Downhill
There was another podium for Lara Gut-Behrami in the women's Downhill event - the Swiss athlete finished third in Soldeu. Eighth place went to Kajsa Vickhoff Lie, ninth to Laura Gauché, eleventh to Ragnhild Mowinckel and 13th to Corinne Suter, who finished third in the Downhill World Cup overall. Elena Curtoni finished one place behind her in the discipline ranking.
Ryan Cochran-Siegle just missed a podium finish
In the men's Super-G on Thursday, Ryan Cochran-Siegle just missed the podium. The USA athlete finished fourth, missing third place by just 15 hundredths of a second. Justin Murisier from Switzerland finished in tenth place, Alexis Pinturault from France was eleventh and Guglielmo Bosca from Italy was twelfth. Vincent Kriechmayr was third in the Super-G overall ranking.
Topics
ABOUT HEAD
HEAD is a leading global provider of premium, high-performance equipment and apparel for athletes and players, at all levels.
We have five divisions: Winter Sports, Racquet Sports, Water Sports, Sportswear and Licensing.
We sell products under the brands:
HEAD (alpine skis, ski bindings, ski boots, snowboard and protection products, tennis, racquetball, paddle, squash and pickleball racquets, tennis balls and tennis footwear, sportswear and swimming products)
PENN (tennis balls and racquetball balls)
TYROLIA (ski bindings)
MARES, SSI and rEvo (diving)
LiveAboard (diving holidays, dive tours)
ZOGGS (goggles, swimwear and equipment)
INDIGO (skis, ski helmets, ski goggles, ski accessories, snowboards and other ski gear)
Since our launch in 1950, we’ve achieved a reputation for cutting-edge design, engineering excellence and a passion for championing all sport, everywhere. World-class performance demands the very best equipment and that’s why, at HEAD, our purpose is to give athletes and players at every level, exactly what they need to win.
