Following his amazing 2023/24 season marked by his 13 victories on the World Cup tour and four more crystal globes, matching Hermann Maier in 2001 and Pirmin Zurbriggen in 1987, it’s not a great surprise that Switzerland’s Marco Odermatt was again elected “Skieur d’Or” AIJS - Serge Lang Trophy by the majority of the members of the 72-year-old association.
The 27-year-old champion also won the award in 2022 after achieving his first major world class performances in clinching gold in giant slalom at the Olympics and capturing the first of three overall World Cup standings. Last winter was also similarly impressive with his maiden World Cup triumphs in downhill at Wengen and his fantastic series of successes in giant slalom. Odermatt won nine of them in a row before unfortunately skiing out at the Finals in Saalbach while fighting to equal the record of ten consecutive season-wins in the specialty!
With his 37 victories on the World Cup circuit since December 2019, Marco is only three wins away from the Swiss record of 40 first places from his role model, Pirmin Zurbriggen. This record is one of his main goals this winter along with a first victory on the “Streif” at Kitzbuehel. It’s quite possible to imagine that his determination and his class will help Marco Odermatt to amass many more triumphs in the next decade if he remains healthy.
The champion from Buochs, near Lucerne, is not only popular because his outmost aggressive style on the racing slopes, but also for his kindness with his fans and his keen availability for the representatives of the international media. His supporters and the racing community greatly appreciate his enthusiastic team-spirit which animates him when he watches one of his teammates cruising down the difficult racing courses – as it was for instance the case at Bormio in December 2023. Marco also built-up friendly ties with some of his main rivals such as Aleksander Aamodt Kilde or Cyprien Sarrazin as spectators could see after the cancelled downhill at the Finals in Saalbach!
A dozen other top champions including Lara Gut Behrami, Mikaela Shiffrin, Cornelia Huetter, Federica Brignone, Cyprien Sarrazin and Loic Meillard also received votes from members of the AIJS! The Joska Trophy will be awarded on Friday afternoon during the FIS Presentation at Soelden.
AIJS Skieur d’Or 2014-2024 – Anna Veith (2014/15), Marcel Hirscher (2015,16/18), Mikaela Shiffrin (2017,19/23), Federica Brignone (2020), Alexis Pinturault (2021), Marco Odermatt (2022/24).