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Canadian skiers have done it again! For the first time since 1983, two Canadian skiers have stood together on the Hahnenkamm-Rennen Kitzbühel podium. James Crawford soared to a historic gold, while Cameron Alexander claimed a brilliant bronze, echoing the legendary performances of Todd Brooker and Ken Read over four decades ago!
Crawford’s Historic Victory
The 27-year-old Crawford delivered an electrifying run down the infamous Streif course, mastering its 85% gradients, 80m jumps, and blistering speeds of 140km/h to clock an incredible 1:53.64. His performance cements his status among Canada’s greatest alpine racers. Displaying sheer grit and masterful technique, Crawford tackled Kitzbühel’s infamous 85% gradients, 80m jumps, and hair-raising speeds of 140km/h, cementing his place as Canada’s latest alpine hero.
Fellow Canadian Cameron Alexander added to the magic, finishing just 0.14 seconds off second place, securing a stunning bronze medal and completing a monumental day for Team Canada.
The Significance of Kitzbühel
Kitzbühel is the holy grail of ski racing, often compared to winning Wimbledon or the Monaco Grand Prix. Its icy labyrinth of twists, rolls, and stomach-dropping plunges makes it the most iconic and dangerous race on the World Cup circuit.
The podium in Kitzbühel is a career-defining moment, and Crawford and Alexander have now etched their names in history alongside skiing legends.
Canadian Ski Racing’s New Era
This unforgettable double podium builds on Crawford’s world super-G gold in 2023 and Olympic combined bronze in Beijing, further proving that Canada is a force to be reckoned with in alpine racing. The €100,000 prize money is a well-earned reward for a performance that will be talked about for years.
Meanwhile, overall World Cup leader Marco Odermatt, winner of Friday’s super-G, struggled to match the Canadian charge, finishing sixth in a race where just 0.80 seconds separated the top 13 racers—a testament to the sheer competitiveness of the event.
A Race for the Ages
Unlike Friday’s dramatic super-G, which saw multiple helicopter evacuations due to severe crashes, Saturday’s downhill was a clean but fiercely contested battle, with 90,000 passionate fans lining the course, airhorns blaring, flares lighting up the mountain, and the red and white of Canada flying high.
With the FIS Alpine World Championships in Saalbach just around the corner (Feb 4-16), Crawford and Alexander’s incredible performances send a clear message—Canada is back on top!
SkiTheWorld!
Source: CBC Sports
