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A glance at Michael Huber’s personal balance sheet reveals the special significance of the 85th Hahnenkamm Races from 20th – 26th January 2025: “In my 35 years at its helm, this is only the ninth time a Hahnenkamm Week has gone so smoothly, without encountering start time or programme changes,” said the Organising Committee Chief, in an interview with “Kitzbüheler Anzeiger.” This is undoubtedly due to the excellent synergy that exists between experience, professionalism, passion and ideal weather conditions that prevailed over a period of several weeks.

It may have snowed frequently in Kitzbühel this winter, but the excellent conditions on the Streif and Ganslern slopes this year were also the result of a sophisticated snow-making system that was installed in summer 2024 - a collaborative project between Bergbahn Kitzbühel Cable Car Co. and Kitzbühel Ski Club. Thanks to a new cooling tower system and an increase in pumping capacity, it is now possible to create snow on the Streif twice as quickly as before. This also created a positive knock-on effect for Ganslern Slope, which saw more snow than ever before. As a result, the traditional Juniors Race on Wednesday, 22nd January received its own race corridor for the first time on the traditional Slalom slope. By the time the juniors were celebrating at the finish line (Team Tirol won, ahead of the USA and Germany), two Downhill training sessions had already taken place on the Streif on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Excitement levels were already running high on Friday morning, 24th January, when the Super-G made its comeback after a four-year hiatus, granting the long-held wish of many athletes. Fans were also in a state of eager anticipation, with 18,000 turning up to witness the expected winner, Marco Odermatt, clinch his first victory on Mount Hahnenkamm (ahead of Austria’s Raphael Haaser and Swiss skier, Stefan Rogentin). For many, it was just the prologue to the Swiss athlete’s expected triumph on Saturday. But, as we all know now, things turned out very differently.

Against all odds and in front of 45,000 jubilant spectators, the Downhill was won by Canada’s James Crawford, delivering one of the greatest skiing successes in recent history for his sports-mad homeland. The 27-year-old also provided Canada’s last triumphant moment after he (unexpectedly) took gold in the Super-G at the 2023 World Championships. James Crawford had to wait, however, until 25th January 2025 for his first World Cup victory. Alexis Monney of Switzerland was delighted with second place, with James Crawford's teammate Cameron Alexander finishing third. Top favourite Marco Odermatt had to ultimately settle for sixth place. Incidentally, the last Canadian victory in the Downhill in Kitzbühel was back in 1983, when Todd Brooker took the honours.

After an emotionally charged award ceremony on Saturday evening in front of tens of thousands of fans at the Finish Area, the weather gods’ benevolence came to an abrupt end and rain swept in on Sunday for the Slalom. 18,000 spectators nonetheless donned rain gear to brave inclement weather conditions on the racecourse sidelines, as 72 athletes battled for victory. Not only did the weather prove to be a challenge, but Ganslern racecourse too, as rain compacted snow coverage to such an extent, 21 racers failed to make it through the first run. Clement Noel found the best race line and secured his second Slalom victory in Kitzbühel, following his success in 2019. Alex Vinatzer finished second with start number 24, followed by Lucas Pinheiro Braathen, who was delighted to take third place.

Marco Odermatt is going to have to wait a little longer before he can attempt to clinch his first Downhill victory in Kitzbühel. After winning the Super-G, however, he has made one dream come true: to receive his very own Hahnenkamm Cable Car gondola. The presentation ceremony is expected to take place in late June. The date for James Crawford’s “Gondola-Gala” is yet to be finalised.