In his home country of Italy, Dominik Paris showcased exceptional skills by clinching successive victories in the men’s super-G event by the slightest of margins on Saturday.Paris, who was also victorious in the downhill race the day before, narrowly edged out the Olympic champion Matthias Mayer of Austria by a mere 0.01 seconds to claim his fourth win on the challenging Stelvio course, surpassing the achievements of Austrian legends Hermann Maier and Michael Walchhofer.
Reflecting on his remarkable feat, Paris expressed, “These past two days have been truly remarkable. The experience is beyond words.” Norway’s Aleksander Aamodt Kilde secured the third spot, trailing by only 0.46 seconds.
Paris found himself trailing Mayer by 0.33 seconds at the final checkpoint, but his robust lower body strength enabled him to navigate the course’s obstacles adeptly and maintain a steady racing line through the remaining gates.
“To excel on this course, you need to possess a comprehensive skill set—combining technical prowess with strategic acumen,” Paris stated. “It’s crucial to approach each descent with intelligence, instead of merely relying on speed.” This victory marked Paris’ 11th career win, which includes notable triumphs in the revered downhill event held in Kitzbuehel, Austria.
Acknowledging Paris’ achievement, Mayer remarked, “Dominik truly deserves this win. While we are in Italy at the moment, perhaps we can swap positions when we return to Austria.” Unfortunately, Norwegian racer Stian Saugestad suffered a crash mid-race, causing him to tumble onto the snow, hitting his back and neck before colliding with the safety barriers.
Despite the fall, Saugestad managed to regain composure and received medical attention on-site before being airlifted to a local hospital as a precautionary measure. Further details about his condition are awaited. Despite finishing in 17th place, Aksel Lund Svindal retained the lead in the super-G standings, holding a 29-point advantage over Switzerland’s Mauro Caviezel. Although absent from the super-G event, Marcel Hirscher maintained a commanding lead in the overall rankings.
