Once again this year, a special prize will be awarded to the athlete who collects the most World Cup points across the three speed events on the Saslong: the Val Gardena Südtirol Ski Trophy. After two of the three races, Marco Odermatt has established a clear lead.

Thanks to his victory in the sprint downhill and second place in the super-G, Odermatt has amassed 180 of a possible 200 points. This places the Swiss overall World Cup leader in a commanding first position in the special ranking. Behind Odermatt, super-G winner Jan Zabystran of Czechia and France’s Nils Allègre—one of the most consistent racers of the Val Gardena/Gröden race week so far, with two fourth-place finishes—are tied for second and third place with 100 points each.

In addition to the top three, Italy’s Giovanni Franzoni (92 points) and Odermatt’s compatriot Franjo von Allmen (80 points) also scored heavily in the first two races and can still theoretically challenge for the special prize. All other athletes are already more than 100 points behind Odermatt and therefore no longer able to catch the Swiss skier.

Paris Best-Placed South Tyrolean

Dominik Paris is currently the best-placed South Tyrolean in the standings. The 36-year-old from Ultimo/Ulten has collected 66 points from the first two races and sits in sixth place. Close behind him are Christof Innerhofer (64 points) from Gais and Mattia Casse (60 points), two further speed specialists from the Italian team.

If multiple athletes are tied on points after the three races, the athlete with the better individual placing in one of the competitions will be ranked higher. Should the tie persist, the better result in Saturday’s classic downhill will determine the winner.

Several Additional Prizes Await

The Val Gardena Südtirol Ski Trophy is a prestigious special award introduced in 2016 by the organizers of the Saslong Classic in cooperation with DOLOMITES Val Gardena Marketing. The winner can look forward to a handcrafted 3D wooden bust, additional prize money of €5,000, a short vacation in Val Gardena/Gröden, and a guided ascent of the Sassolungo/Langkofel accompanied by a local expert mountain guide.

Val Gardena Südtirol Ski Trophy – Interim Standings After Two of Three Races:

1. Marco Odermatt (SUI) 180 points
2. Jan Zabystran (CZE) 100
3. Nils Allègre (FRA) 100
4. Giovanni Franzoni (ITA) 92
5. Franjo von Allmen (SUI) 80
6. Dominik Paris (ITA/Ulten) 66
7. Christof Innerhofer (ITA/Gais) 64
8. Mattia Casse (ITA) 60
9. Daniel Hemetsberger (AUT) 51
10. Alexis Monney (SUI) 51