Unheralded French skier Paco Rassat secured his debut World Cup victory on Saturday in Gurgl, Austria, by dominating the second slalom of the Olympic season with a remarkable second run. This triumph followed his recent career-best performance of sixth place in the season opener in Levi, Finland, only six days prior.
Expressing his disbelief, Rassat shared with Austrian TV, “I never imagined this was possible.” With less than three months until the Milan Cortina Winter Games, Rassat’s timing for this breakthrough victory couldn’t have been better. “For sure, I want to be at the Olympics,” he stated. “My goal now is to excel in the World Cup and secure my spot in the Olympics.”
Competing in chilly but sunny conditions in the Austrian Alps, Rassat was in 14th place after the initial run. However, he delivered a stunning second run, finishing 0.07 seconds ahead of Armand Marchant, who achieved Belgium’s first-ever podium finish in Alpine skiing’s World Cup. Norway’s Atle Lie McGrath, the leader after the first run, slipped to third place, trailing Rassat by 0.09 seconds.
Overjoyed by his victory, Rassat exclaimed, “This is insane. My dream just came true today, so this is amazing.” A son of a ski instructor, Rassat started skiing at a young age and specializes in the slalom discipline. Making his World Cup debut in January 2022, he earned his first top-10 result three years later in Wengen, Switzerland.
Rassat emphasized the significance of his parents’ presence at the race, saying, “My dad was my first coach, and my mother also worked at the club, so this is a big day for us, and I’m so, so happy to share it with them.” Celebrating his 27th birthday last week, his victory propelled him to the top of both the slalom and overall standings after three events.
While four-time overall champion Marco Odermatt claimed victory in the season-opening giant slalom in Austria, he does not compete in slaloms. Finnish talent Eduard Hallberg, who shared second place after the initial run, lost his balance and fell just before the finish, missing out on a podium spot. Lucas Pinheiro Braathen of Brazil, who recently secured Brazil’s first Alpine skiing World Cup win, finished 10th.
The women’s slalom event on the same hill is set for Sunday, with the men’s World Cup continuing with the first speed race of the season, a super-G in Copper Mountain, Colorado, scheduled for Thursday.