Odermatt misses 45-year-old record as Meillard wins World Cup giant slalom finale

Marco Odermatt failed to complete a perfect giant slalom season Saturday at the World Cup finals in Saalbach, Austria, where the Swiss star skied out in the second run while holding a commanding lead over eventual winner Loic Meillard.

Odermatt had won each of the previous 12 giant slaloms since February 2023, including nine this season. With another victory, he would have matched the record set by Swedish great Ingemar Stenmark, who won all 10 giant slaloms in the 1978-79 season.

"A little disappointed about this result, about this perfect season which isn't perfect now," Odermatt said.

After dominating the first run, he initially extended his lead over Meillard to 0.67 seconds but then lost balance on his inside ski after 20 seconds and failed to make the next gate.

WATCH | Odermatt falls short of record:

Showing his Crystal Globe — the traditional prize in alpine skiing — to spectators in the finish area, Odermatt smiled and kissed the trophy, but looked disappointed.

"Of course, there are a lot of negative emotions now. We are all athletes who want to win. If you want to win, you have to take risks and then mistakes can happen," said Odermatt, who is the Olympic and world champion in giant slalom and locked up the GS season title and his third straight overall championship weeks ago.

Odermatt called it "an unnecessary mistake" which "can happen after 30 races."

The course was affected by overnight rain and organizers attempted to harden the surface by sprinkling salt on it just before the race.

"It was difficult conditions, also for the organizers," Odermatt said.

Getting his second win of the season and fourth overall, Meillard finished 0.71 seconds ahead of Joan Verdu of Andorra, who earned his second career