The two downhill protagonists deliver in Soldeu

What a thrilling day at the Audi FIS Ski World Cup Finals in Soldeu El Tarter, where the downhill events took place today, with Beat Feuz clinching the globe and Dominik Paris winning the race.

Only two athletes had a shot at the globe before today’s race. Switzerland’s Beat Feuz was in the lead, 80 points ahead of Italy’s Dominik Paris. The two men have been battling all season long and delivered their best performances day after day. Beat Feuz podiumed in 6 out of 8 downhills and won one of them in Beaver Creek. He’s been extremely constant and pushed his limits to earn his second straight World Cup Champion title, despite finishing “only” at the 6th place of today’s race.

It’s a fourth win this season, and the third in a row for Dominik Paris. The South Tyrolean climbed on the highest spot of the podium in Bormio, Kitzubehel, Kvitfjell and now here in Grandvalira Soldeu - El Tarter. With these performances, he now has 12 downhill World Cup wins under his belt and became the most successful Italian downhill racer, tied with Kristian Ghedina. Paris will have a chance to grab his first globe in career tomorrow in the super-g, where he is in the lead of the standings, 44 points ahead of Vincent Kriechmayr.

The Austrian Kriechmayr, who won in Wengen this season, is the one who completed the Downhill season ranking’s podium. Another Austrian managed to podium today, as Otmar Striedinger finished in third place of today’s downhill. After a surprising third place in the downhill in Kitzbuehel, Striedinger confirms that he’s back in his best shape and scored his best season ranking in downhill, finishing 11th. Also downhill World Champion Kjetil Jansrud can look back at a successful day, as he claimed his first podium of the season in that discipline on the World Cup. He has been struggling in that discipline so far but is finding his pace again since the World Championships in Are.

Tomorrow is super-g day. The cup standings are wide open, with not less than six athletes who could still grab the globe. Among them, today’s race winner Dominik Paris, Austria’s Vincent Kriechmayr, 2016 globe winner Aleksander Aamodt Kilde, 2015, 2017 & 2018 globe winner Kjetil Jansrud, Olympic Champion Matthias Mayer and Switzerland’s Mauro Caviezel.

Results are available here: Soldeu DH

Quotes from the winners are available here: Soundcloud