Debut victory for Justin Murisier on the Birds of Prey run

The HEAD Worldcup Rebels continue their superb run of success in Beaver Creek. In the Downhill event on Friday, Justin Murisier celebrates his first World Cup victory. In the Super-G on Saturday, Lukas Feurstein is delighted to podium for the first time.

"Justin Murisier has a brilliant story to tell. From deciding as a technical discipline specialist to compete in speed events and then winning the Downhill in Beaver Creek, that is cool," said HEAD Racing Director Rainer Salzgeber. "It was interesting that he was very fast on the flatter sections of the run. There are Downhill events coming up where that is a decisive factor. He should now also have the confidence to be up front. Lukas Feurstein put in an excellent performance for his first podium. He has worked hard and can now translate that into results. Stefan Eichberger's results were perfect, and he is all set to achieve great things. Passing the qualification stages is going to do him a lot of good. Seeing Alexis Pinturault return to form was very satisfying. The Super-G was a psychological challenge, and he handled it really well. On the second run of the Giant Slalom, he demonstrated how he can take the lead. That will give him confidence. Atle Lie McGrath finishing in fourth place in the Giant Slalom was also very good. He was ill and, like Joan Verdu, has not done much skiing. Everyone put in a great effort, and we are in a strong position."

"I have always believed in my dream"

In his 186th race, Justin Murisier finally achieved his first World Cup victory in the Downhill on the Birds of Prey run. The 32-year-old Swiss athlete finished two-tenths of a second ahead of his compatriot and friend Marco Odermatt. Previously, Justin Murisier has podiumed once in his career so far when he finished third in the Giant Slalom in Alta Badia in 2020. His best performance in the Downhill in the past was a fourth place in Bormio in December 2023. "I had a really good run. As I crossed the finish line, I thought to myself that it would be difficult to ski any faster than that. I have had many injuries, including a knee operation in June. This was worth fighting for. I have always believed in my dream," said a delighted Justin Murisier at the finish. "I popped my shoulder out during the first training session, which was excruciatingly painful, but it went back in and I was able to continue. I skied with it taped up today, and thanks to the adrenalin, I didn't feel much. People will think I'm mad, but I have always believed in myself, and I think that's the key."

Stefan Eichberger bags points for the first time

A great HEAD team result was secured by James Crawford from Canada in fourth place and Vincent Kriechmayr from Austria in fifth place. Also picking up points were Ryan Cochran-Siegle from the USA in twelfth place, Stefan Babinsky and Stefan Eichberger from Austria in 17th and 20th place, Franjo von Allmen from Switzerland in 28th place, and Nils Alphand from France who finished 29th. 24-year-old Stefan Eichberger, who last season competed in the World Cup for the first time in January in Kitzbühel on the Streif, started the race with bib number 55 and was able to celebrate his first points on his second World Cup run.

"This is great and makes me truly happy"

The Super-G on Saturday saw another first for the HEAD team. Lukas Feurstein finished in third place to podium for the first time. The 23-year-old Austrian athlete's best result so far was sixth place in the Super-G in Cortina in January 2023. "This is great and makes me truly happy. We trained very well leading up to the race. The whole team is really strong. It is a technically demanding course, but my background is in Giant Slalom, so that's why I feel at home when things get tough. That is what it was like today, you had to attack, and I managed that very well," said Lukas Feurstein.

Strong comeback by Alexis Pinturault

Vincent Kriechmayr finished sixth in the Super-G. Alexis Pinturault celebrated a strong comeback in tenth place, only just over a second behind first place. It was the French athlete's first World Cup race since tearing his cruciate ligament in the Super-G in Wengen in January. "The cruciate ligament is doing well, but the meniscus needs more time. I still need to watch out for that," reported Alexis Pinturault. World Cup points were also scored by Ryan Cochran-Siegle in eleventh place, Stefan Eichberger with his best World Cup result in 14th, Justin Murisier 17th, Matthieu Bailet from France 20th, and Nils Alphand 30th.

Atle Lie McGrath fourth in the Giant Slalom

In the Giant Slalom on Sunday, fourth place went to Atle Lie McGrath. The Norwegian athlete, who finished third in the Giant Slalom at the season opening in Sölden, was in third place after the first run. With Alexander Schmid from Germany in twelfth place, Joan Verdu from Andorra 15th, and Alexis Pinturault 16th, three more HEAD Worldcup Rebels finished in the points. Alexis Pinturault once again put in an impressive performance with the fifth-fastest time on the second run.