A little over a month shy of turning 33, Justin Murisier of Switzerland on Friday achieved something he’s spent the better part of his life seeking — a FIS World Cup victory.
While all eyes were focused on his stellar teammate, Marco Odermatt, Murisier laid down the best time of the day at 1:40.04 to win the Stiefel Birds of Prey men’s downhill. Odermatt was second, .20 seconds back, in the opening downhill of the 2024-25 season. Third was Slovenia’s Miha Hrobat, .35 seconds off the pace.
“I’ve been waiting for years for such a moment to happen,” said Murisier, who turns 33 on January 8, following his victory. “I had a lot of surgeries, a lot of injuries. But I was fighting and still dreaming.” On Friday, Murisier said he focused on staying low in his tuck, “and go as straight as possible. Everything worked out well, and I’m quite happy.”
The top American was Bryce Bennett of Truckee, Calif., in sixth, .88 behind the winner. He credits making changes to his equipment setup prior to the start of the season behind a new-found success on the Birds of Prey course, where he previously struggled to get into the top 10. Bennett, who holds two career World Cup wins, both in Val Gardena, Italy, and his wife are also expecting their first child in March 2025.
“One of the most difficult Beaver Creek races I’ve ever skied,” said Bennett, who indicated the course was faster than in training runs held Tuesday and Thursday.
Odermatt, 27, the defending World Cup overall and downhill champion — as well as the reigning world champion — appeared to be on his way to victory, with a delicate .19-second lead as he approached the last third of the course. But he lost time in the final stretches despite his prodigious talents, and came across the line a blink of an eye behind his teammate for one-two Swiss finish.
“It was a solid run, but I did two mistakes,” said Odermatt, who has been the dominant force in Alpine racing in recent years, and has 37 career wins. “I just didn’t feel good off the start; I was not that fast in the flat part. I did well in the middle part, and was a little bit ahead, but then in the second to last jump I went a little too far and not in a good direction. So, I think I lost the victory there.”
Odermatt’s first-ever World Cup win came five years ago to the day at this venue when he won the Super-G. “It’s always great to come back here. We love to race here,” he said. “For me, it’s the best downhill we have on the tour; everything is in (the course), the snow is always good, the weather most of the time as well.”
Murisier’s previous best finish in a World Cup downhill was fourth in Bormio nearly a year ago. In his only other downhill at this venue, in 2022, he was well out of the points in 50th place. Murisier has spent the bulk of his career focusing on technical races — giant slalom and slalom. “I decided to switch two years ago, and I’m lucky to have a teammate like Marco,” he said. “I always have him to compare in training, and he helped me a lot. So I want to thank him for that.”
Norway’s Alexsander Aamodt Kilde, who won the previous four races held at Beaver Creek, a combination of downhill and super-G events, was on site, though he is out for the season due to complications related to injuries he suffered in January at Wengen, Switzerland. Kilde was on the course earlier in the day, talking with Odermatt and other Swiss racers, who greeted him with warm hugs.
Vermont’s Ryan Cochran-Siegle was 12th after a late scare when he landed oddly off the Golden Eagle jump. “I was focused on skiing the pitch better today,” said Ryan Cochran-Siegle. “I got a little twisted in the air, and didn’t have a two-footed landing off the Golden Eagle jump. I thought I was out for the race. But I’m definitely feeling hungry after this race.”
Other American finishers: 21. Sam Morse; 34. Erik Arvidsson; 39. Jared Goldberg; 45. Kyle Negomir; 52. Wiley Maple. Sam Dupratt did not finish.
Canada’s Brodie Seger won the $5,000 Stiefel Bibbo prize, a cash award for the biggest gain between start number and finish position. Seger started with bib 49 and finished 10th on the day.
Friday’s race was held under clear, blue skies — a welcome change after high winds, heavy snow and poor visibility caused the cancellation of all three Birds of Prey races in 2023, a first in the history of the event.
Racing resumes Saturday with the Stiefel Birds of Prey Super-G at 10:30 a.m. All races are free to spectate at the John and Karen Arnold Red Tail Stadium, including the all-new Public Perch, which offers a spectacular vantage point above the race area.
Free race shuttles depart from the Covered Bridge in Beaver Creek Village often throughout race days. From the race-finish drop-off area, there is a five-minute on-snow walk uphill to Red Tail Stadium. Please allow one hour of travel time from the base of Beaver Creek Resort to Red Tail Stadium to avoid missing any of the action!
RESULTS
Men’s Downhill
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