‘I felt like it was my duty’: Tearful McGrath tops first ever Norwegian 1-2-3 in Wengen Slalom
Jan 19, 2025·Alpine Skiing
Atle Lie McGrath (NOR/Head) admitted “all the emotions” came flooding out after he finally turned a healthy run one lead into World Cup Slalom victory in Wengen. The fact he led a never-been-done-before Norwegian clean sweep only increased the volume of tears flowing down the 24-year-old’s face on Sunday afternoon.
One year ago, McGrath let a healthy three-tenths of a second lead slip in the very final stages of Wengen’s iconic race. While one week ago he failed to convert a 0.62-second first run advantage into victory in Madonna Di Campiglio.
But this time, well aware that he had the opportunity to secure a first Norwegian one-two-three in the 58 years of men’s World Cup Slalom racing in Wengen, McGrath wrote his name into the history books.
Close friend Timon Haugan (NOR/Van Deer) took second after a storming second run effort, while Henrik Kristoffersen (NOR/Van Deer) continued his personal love affair with Wengen by grabbing yet another podium.
Behind the ‘Smiling Vikings’ it was a case of so near yet so far for the home team and their passionate support.
Rising star Tanguy Nef (SUI/Atomic) shone once more to grab a best ever World Cup finish of fourth, while big hope Loic Meillard (SUI/Rossignol) made up for a disastrous first run with a quite brilliant afternoon effort. Quickest in the field by a vast 0.32 seconds, Meillard climbed 19 places on the leaderboard to grab fifth. While Daniel Yule (SUI/Fischer) continued a recent return to somewhere near his best with sixth on what he calls the “best Slalom hill on the World Cup”.
Fourth-sixth place was not quite what Switzerland wanted and means the wait for a home Slalom winner will stretch to at least 39 years. This season’s three-time winner Clement Noël (FRA/Dynastar) and Lucas Pinheiro Braathen (BRA/Atomic) will also be happy to move on, after ending 11th and 12th respectively.
'Consistency and excellence'
No such problems for Norway, who now boast five wins and six podiums in the nine Wengen races since 2015.
The fact that McGrath, last a World Cup winner in March 2022, will now forever be hailed as a Wengen champion is music to the man’s ears.
“Relief,” McGrath replied, when asked for emotions as he finally crossed the line as a winner. “In Wengen you hear everything at the start and I knew it was already double Norwegian so I felt like it was my duty to make it triple Norwegian in the Slalom in Wengen.
“This was the second time in a row, in a week, where I had over (half) a second lead and today I decided I was going to ski smart and if it was enough, it was enough. When it was, I just couldn’t believe it. All the emotions bottled up over the last years and last weeks came out at once.”
When challenged as to what had changed in him since throwing his lead away last year, the now three-time World Cup winner had no hesitation.
“Consistency and experience. It’s just trusting myself more and knowing that I had to attack the bottom of the race. Last year I had a three-tenths lead at the last split and I lost it and I wasn’t going to do it this time,” he said.
That, and some timely advice from former double Wengen slalom winner Felix Neureuther (GER).
“He told me, ‘You know Atle I would kill to be in your position. Being in the lead at a legendary race, you never feel that the rest of your life when you are done skiing. ‘Trust me’ he said, ‘enjoy it now because some day you are not going to be skiing any more’. He put a lot of things in perspective for me.”
Attacking Vikings rule once more
Remarkably, it is not the first time Norway have swept a men’s World Cup podium this season. They did it in the Giant Slalom season opener in Sölden, Austria. Something that had been bothering Haugan.
“It’s incredible, I said to the guys in Sölden please can you give me a triple in Slalom this year,” Haugan – 12th in that GS in Sölden – said with a laugh. “And now we have got it, already.”
Despite a win in Alta Badia in December, Haugan had been struggling to find consistency on his Slalom skis this season. And even when he entered the packed finish area on Sunday, the 28-year-old was far from convinced he had secured just his second podium place of the season.
“I didn’t have a good feeling when I crossed the line. I was a bit surprised when I saw the time, I made some mistakes,” the Norwegian said. “The rollers are extremely difficult so I am really happy to have a great result here.”
The result moves him up a place to fifth in the Slalom Crystal Globe standings. There is just one man they are all looking up to and he feels what is already a great season, could soon get a whole lot better.
“Not 100% (sure) the margins (are) on my side the last four or five races,” said Kristoffersen, who has finished fourth-fifth-third-third since winning the Val d’Isere Slalom in December.
The Norwegian knows where he can improve too.
“Maybe (I am) a little bit hot in the head," Kristoffersen added. "I maybe want it a little bit too much, I maybe go in a little bit early at times and then I hit the tracks a little bit wrong. Maybe I want it a little bit too much instead of just calming down and hitting the tracks. But that’s how it is.”
It is quite a place to be for Kristoffersen. Even with these issues, the 30-year-old sits comfortably clear at the top of the Slalom rankings and is behind only Marco Odermatt (SUI/Stöckli) in the GS and Overall standings. Perhaps if he gets those “margins” onside, he can even challenge the Swiss star.
Last season’s Slalom Crystal Globe winner, Manuel Feller (AUT/Atomic) would surely love to have Kristoffersen’s ‘problems’ to fix. After four DNFs this season, the Austrian did make it to the finish, grabbing a respectable eighth place. But he still remains well off the form that delivered four Slalom wins last season, including in Wengen.
His compatriot Marco Schwarz (AUT/Atomic) was a whole lot happier with his seventh place. After a difficult return to racing following long-term injury, the 2021 Alpine Combined world champion is starting to find his form. With next week’s Kitzbühel Slalom and February’s home World Championships in Saalbach looming, it is good timing.
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