‘Crazy’ von Allmen adds golden glow to remarkable story with Downhill World Championship triumph
Feb 09, 2025·Alpine Skiing
Franjo von Allmen (SUI/Head) completed his high-speed ascent to the top of the world with a stunning triumph in the men’s Downhill at the Saalbach 2025 Alpine World Ski Championships on Sunday.
With it the 23-year-old confirmed his arrival as the sport’s newest superstar, a summit he has reached in double-quick time.
A little over five years ago the new world champion had to launch a crowd-funding campaign to save his burgeoning skiing career, after the sudden death of his father. Thirteen months ago, he had a best ever World Cup finish of ninth. And on Sunday morning he powered out of the startgate in his first World Championships as the only one of the top contenders without a major Downhill win to his name.
All of that faded into the background as von Allmen – described by teammate after teammate as a “crazy” skier – produced a typically wild display down the famous Zwölferkogel, surviving multiple heart-in-the-mouth moments to register a time of one minute 40.68 seconds.
It was too good for rest.
Backed by the unrelenting cheers of 15,000-plus compatriots, Vincent Kriechmayr (AUT/Head) came closest to matching the man 10 years his younger. Austria’s favourite son finished 0.24 seconds behind the new champion, completing his personal world championship Downhill medal collection in the process.
Alexis Monney (SUI/Stöckli) rounded off yet another great day for the Swiss men’s speed team by claiming bronze, his first global medal. It is the fifth time this season that two Swiss men have finished on a Downhill podium, as von Allmen was happy to reflect on in the finish area.
“One day it’s Odermatt, one day it’s another athlete and with Monney on the podium today it’s pretty amazing and I think it’s going to be a big party tonight,” von Allmen said.
For Marco Odermatt (SUI/Stöckli), the fact he could only finish fifth, 0.66 seconds back, simply highlighted just how good his compatriots are. “Yeah, my young teammates did an incredible job, if I don't win, they do, so that's good,” the 2023 Downhill world champion said.
Another former world championship Downhill medallist, Domink Paris (ITA/Nordica) split the Swiss, ending fourth and lamenting a key mid-section error. While Norway’s Adrian Smiseth Sejersted (Atomic) ended a dream few days with sixth place, comfortably the best Downhill performance of the season for the Super G world championship bronze medallist.
'He always just goes full speed'
But all of them could only look up at the new boy wonder.
Monney, eighth out of the start gate, was the first to lay down a significant marker. Motoring smoothly throughout, the 25-year-old barely put a foot wrong, building his advantage throughout the run. Following him Kriechmayr responded to the noise, staying ahead of Monney throughout with a typically tight effort.
The challenge was intense but von Allmen, in bib No.11, skied like he was back racing in his junior days.
“Yeah, he’s a crazy guy, he doesn’t think much, he always just goes full speed,” Odermatt said of his teammate who at one stage was 0.21 seconds behind Kriechmayr’s time.
But a lightening quick mid-section, including a 48m leap of the iconic Schneekristallsprung, delivered a maiden global gold in his first major championships. It also saw him neatly reverse one of the few results not to have gone his way in recent times: three years ago he missed out on Junior World Championship Downhill gold by 0.24 seconds, the same margin by which he has now claimed the senior crown.
“Yeah, it's changed quickly,” a beaming von Allmen reflected. “And yeah (I’ll) enjoy the moment and we will see what happens next year or for the upcoming races.
“Yeah, of course, I didn't expect it at all, but yeah, at the end, it worked out really well and really happy with it.”
This unflappable nature seems key to von Allmen’s success. He is, after all, a professional athlete who still spends some of his summers working in construction as a trained carpenter.
“For me it’s important to play something different in my head,” von Allmen explained. “Then I can focus again in the winter.”
Swiss youngsters on the charge
For now his focus is on enjoying the gold hanging round his neck and he will have some help from roommate Monney. The pair of them having planned this assault on the sport’s blue ribband event.
“After Super G, we weren't so happy, both of us,” Monney explained, him having failed to finish the Super G and von Allmen ending 12th.
Both Monney and von Allmen have enjoyed breakout seasons on the World Cup circuit, winning their first races (the Downhill in Bormio for Monney and the Wengen Super G for von Allmen). But the older man, who ended 18th in the 2023 World Championship Downhill, was happy to give way on this occasion.
“He’s skiing like a crazy guy,” Monney said of his risk-loving teammate. “But he’s really funny and really cool as well.”
‘Nearly perfect but not perfect’
Kriechmayr has spent all season watching the Swiss dominate the Downhill on the World Cup circuit. Having only returned from injury for these Championships, he knew he needed everything to go his way to get the better of them.
And it so nearly did, with his technically brilliant style in sharp contrast to von Allmen’s seat-of-the-pants ride.
And it so nearly did, with his technically brilliant style in sharp contrast to von Allmen’s seat of the pants ride.
“You know to beat these guys, you have to show a perfect run and (it) was nearly perfect, but not perfect, so not good enough to for the win, but still not that bad,” Kriechmayr said.
“I mean the Swiss team is incredible, over the whole season. I knew I had to show my best skiing, to compare with them, to beat them. And today, just one was better than me. But congratulations to Franjo, well deserved. But I'm still happy with my second best.”
The skier who was Downhill champion in 2021 and bronze medallist in 2019 then turned his attention to the thousands cheering his name.
“Fantastic. I mean, in front of this home crowd, in front of this atmosphere, is incredible. And thanks to everyone who's cheering for us,” he said. “Skiing is a fantastic spot but without these fans, it would be not so good.”
Risks don't quite pay off for Odermatt
Like Paris, Odermatt was left rueing a couple of key mistakes that stopped him joining his young teammates on the podium. The recently crowned Super G world champion knows better than anyone what von Allmen and Monney can do, but even with that knowledge the reigning World Cup Downhill champion could not quite add yet another medal to his collection.
“Boy, it was a tight race, I already knew that (it would be) days before, also at the start, when I heard that Alexis, Vince and Franjo had an incredible run,” Odermatt, 13th out of the gate, said.
“I knew I have to take the risk today (and) I really did," Odermatt added. "I could ski full gas, but I sadly did two, three mistakes and that on a Downhill (course) like here, you cannot win.”
