Today at Saalbach 2025: All the latest from the Norwegian and USA men’s tech stars plus USA women’s tech team

After the Team Combined events finished in Swiss style on Wednesday, all focus at Saalbach 2025 has turned to the individual tech events.

With that in mind, a selection of the Norwegian men’s tech team big hitters, plus the USA men’s and women’s Giant Slalom and Slalom skiers opened up about their hopes for these World Championships.

Here are the highlights:

 Norwegian men's tech team

Henrik Kristoffersen (NOR/Van Deer)

On feeling very relaxed:

“I feel pretty comfortable everywhere, to be honest, in general. (This is) nothing special, to be honest. A little bit too much people, not the fans, but every everything else… a lot of media and everything. But in general, I'm pretty calm.”

On the fact he already has world championship GS and Slalom gold being an advantage:

“Maybe, maybe for sure. I’m not going to save anything that’s for sure. I'm not going to hold anything back in any of the races, because I'm still going to be top seven in both disciplines after this World Champs. I'm still going to lead the Slalom standing after this World Champs. So, what else apart from the three top steps matters? It's nothing else that matters, to be honest.”

On being so proud of his longevity:

“I think the most pleasing thing in my career, to be honest, is being at such a high level for so many years. One thing is to do good for one year two, year three, year four, year five, years, but to do good for 10 years plus, that's a different story.

“It takes its toll on the mind, to keep it up, keep it up every season. To work that hard over such a long period of time. So, I think that's my that's what I'm most pleased with."

On his hopes for the course sets:

“It's not the most interesting because it doesn't have a lot of terrain like Kitzbühel or Wengen or Adelboden, or Schladming is its own thing in general. So, I hope they set the course which is a little bit interesting, to be honest, in both disciplines.

“I think it's a super nice hill to ski. I think it suits me quite well in Slalom, to be honest. In GS, it's only the flat after the first part, which is not that strong for me, but actually, from after the flat and down, it suits me quite well, to be honest.”

On targeting both GS and Slalom but especially defending his Slalom title:

“Both are equally important to me, so it doesn't really matter. I don't know if there’s anyone whose taken the Slalom two years (Championships) in a row – it's not a lot of people, at least. First of all, it's not a lot of people who have gold in both Slalom and in GS in general.”

Alexander Steen Olsen (NOR/Rossignol)

On being inspired by Franjo von Allmen’s (SUI/Head) success:

“I've been watching all the races. It gives me a lot of motivation, especially to see Franjo von Allmen, same age as me, winning the gold(s). That's good motivation.”

On whether he would shave his head like von Allmen if he won two golds:

“If I would get two golds? Yeah for sure, I would do whatever. But I don’t think that’s so likely.”

On having won the last World Cup GS before these World Championships:

“We'll see on Friday, but hope it can give me that extra little confidence, but also it doesn’t affect my mental state too much. I kind of still need to focus on skiing and not too much about expectations, and then I think it can be a good day.”

On his frustrating Slalom season so far:

“I know I'm capable of being in the top three with a good day, but that's not really the focus. I hope just to show my best skiing and to build some confidence, get some good feeling on the slalom skis.”

Sebastian Foss-Solevaag (NOR/Salomon)

On being a former Slalom world champion and Olympic medallist:

“I think I can use it to my advantage. It's not that many people who will start on Sunday who have World Championship gold. It's only me and Henrik. I guess the rest are chasing something we have. So it's not that we can relax, but lwe can focus on the skiing, and then the result will come after it.

“I think I take the opportunities when I have them. I think maybe I can control nerves and stress better than someone else. So, it's more those things, I think. My resilience is pretty good.”

On how he is feeling after a difficult World Cup season so far:

“I'm feeling good and calm. The trainings are good at the moment, and then I lack a little bit of the intensity on the races, and that will come. I just need more races and more training to get more and more comfortable with it. Hopefully it will all turn out good soon.”

On how he rediscovers his best form:

“It's the feeling I get out of the start gate, the first four or five gates. For me, it's so important to get the feedback that I want and then I can build from that.

“If I have a not a good start, then I start to do other things to chase that good feeling. So, or me it's important to have a good first sector. Through my career, I always focus on the first split. If the first bit is good, then it builds momentum. So that's my goal.”

USA women’s tech team skiers

Katie Hensien (USA/Rossignol)

On her return this season after long-term injury:

“It means everything just being back in the start gate and racing again. I'm really happy with my skiing so far this season, and yeah hopefully continuing that.”

On the success the USA women’s team has had this season:

“I feel like just coming into the season after coming back from injury, this team was already at a really high level, and it was just like, I had to match it. And I think it's been really fun to feed off everyone's energy. And being able to train with these girls on the slope and off the slope in the gym in the summer, pushing each other all the time… all in all, we're just girls having fun and working really hard.”

Nina O’Brien (USA/Rossignol)

On her return this season after long-term injury:

“I'm like, loving racing this season, and being back on the team and with the girls, traveling, just like the whole lifestyle. But also, I really appreciate just getting to be here this season. I think you just do it a little differently, and I'm really thankful for that.”

On not seeing these Championships as a dress rehearsal for the 2026 Olympic Games:

“I don't really feel that way. I mean, I can see how one might feel that way. Obviously, they're both really big events that only come around every few years. So yeah, in many ways, it is a good dress rehearsal, but I think of them very independently in my own mind.

“So like, the Olympics is not going to be on my mind tomorrow when we're racing the GS here. It's all about just trying to take whatever emotions and skiing and preparation we've had up until this point and trying to put my best turns out there.”

USA men’s tech team skiers

Benjamin Ritchie (USA/Head)

On finishing fourth in the Team Combined:

“For sure we were the underdogs compared to some of the Swiss and Austrian teams. I was really happy with my Slalom run, thought I skied well in some difficult conditions.

“For sure, this new team event thing is super fun. Kind of brings a new side to sport.

“Usually, race day it's just an individual sport and these team events all of a sudden it’s a team thing. And seeing the reactions in the women's race yesterday, the speeds skiers how excited they are and how much they care when they're their teammates are coming down. It’s bringing something new to the sport and it’s super fun.”

River Radmus (USA/Rossignol)

On his expectations:

“I am super excited to get going for the GS and then couple of days and the Slalom as well. I feel like the season's been unsatisfying. I feel like it’s been up and down and just hasn't quite connected the way that I wanted to.

“But I’m really excited to take on the challenge of the World Champs GS and obviously this is a big event, and I'm gonna leave it all out there and see what happens.

“I think that we got a really exciting tech team coming in here, everybody's skiing well. The young GS boys were kicking my butt today.”

On USA skiers often producing their best when it really matters:

“I certainly think that American ski racers are big event skiers. We always show up at the big ones, and I think we take pride in always being there throughout these big events. So, you know, I feel confident in where we are, and I think that all of us are going to push American wins this week.”

Jett Seymour (USA/Fischer)

On the new Team Combined event, which he finished 15^th in:

“I thought it was a really cool race. It really brought some new life to the whole team experience. Obviously, we know the speed guys very well, but to be able to compete with them and be able to see that Bryce (Bennett) was nervous and really cared and that I was also nervous in the start and like, let's try to go out and do the best that we can as a team, is something cool and very unique."