Switzerland 11, Austria 0: Rival powerhouses enter ski worlds with contrasting win rates

VIENNA (AP) — Switzerland 11, Austria 0.

The contrast between the two rival powerhouses of ski racing could hardly be bigger heading into the Alpine world championships in Saalbach-Hinterglemm, which start Tuesday.

The men’s team of host nation Austria has failed to win any of the 25 races so far this World Cup season.

The Swiss men, though, have celebrated 11 victories and added 14 more podium results.

Of course, they have serial winner Marco Odermatt. The Olympic giant slalom champion has raised his career tally of World Cup victories to 44 by racking up seven this season – just as many as the entire Austrian men’s team has podium results.

Odermatt, the dominator of men’s ski racing for over three seasons now, arrives at the worlds as the downhill and GS titleholder from 2023 and is in the prime of his career at 27.

But the Swiss team is so much more than just Odermatt.

It saw four other racers climb onto the top of a World Cup podium this season, and all were first-time winners: Justin Murisier and Alexis Monney in downhill, Franjo von Allmen in super-G, and Thomas Tumler in giant slalom.

So, Switzerland has a fresh generation of youngsters coming through after Odermatt?

Not quite. While that holds true for the 25-year-old Monney and 23-year-old von Allmen, Murisier at 32 and Tumler at 35 are well into their thirties.

And don’t forget Loic Meillard, the runner-up to Odermatt in the overall standings last season. The all-event skier is yet to win a race this campaign but had five podium results.

When Saalbach-Hinterglemm hosted the World Cup finals last March, Meillard won the GS and placed second in the super-G, which was won by his Swiss teammate Stefan Rogentin.

They all blossom in a tightly knit team of friends, on and off the slopes.

“To live and share all these emotions with good friends is so much more (fun),” Odermatt wrote on Instagram last week, posting a video and photos from celebrations with his teammates after he won the super-G in Kitzbuehel.

“We certainly have a super team with a lot of talent, and a training staff which always goes all in,” Odermatt said. “Each success pushes the others on the team. In the end, we all want to be the fastest of the Swiss team. Those dynamics are great.”

Leading the downhill, super-G and GS standings again, after winning those titles last season, Odermatt is the Swiss men’s main gold medal hope at the worlds.

It’s hard to single out a racer carrying similar expectations within the Austrian team, which lacks a standout performer.

Marco Schwarz had that role when he went past Odermatt to briefly top the overall standings two months into the 2023-24 season. But a severe knee injury following a downhill crash in Bormio on the course to be used at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics ended the Austrian’s campaign prematurely.

Schwarz returned a year later, in December 2024, and has been gradually working his way back, with a sixth place the best result in his 10 starts prior to the worlds.

The closest to a victory for the Austrian team this season came when Vincent Kriechmayr finished runner-up in the super-G races in Bormio and Wengen. However, he hasn’t raced since hurting his right knee in the Jan. 18 Lauberhorn downhill.

Kriechmayr won gold in both downhill and super-G at the 2021 worlds in Italy and bronze and silver, respectively, two years earlier in Sweden.

Patrick Feurstein also had a second-place finish in a giant slalom, but Austrian has no top-three result in downhill so far.

The same applied to slalom as well until Manuel Feller, last year’s discipline champion, and Fabio Gstrein finally made the podium in Schladming last week in the ninth and final race before the worlds.

“We are highly motivated, we will finally show what we can do,” said two-time Olympic champion and slalom silver medalist Johannes Strolz. “The entire team has been undervalued this season. We will do everything we can to have a say at the world championships.”

Regardless of the results at the upcoming worlds, Austria will remain ahead of Switzerland at least in the all-time medal count.

The Austrian men have won 56 gold medals and 165 in total since the worlds were first held in 1931. With 35 golds and 113 overall, eternal rival Switzerland faces a gap that even Odermatt and company cannot close anytime soon.

AP skiing: https://apnews.com/hub/alpine-skiing

Eric Willemsen on X: https://x.com/eWilmedia

Austria's Marco Schwarz speeds down the course during a men's World Cup giant slalom, in Schladming, Austria, Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Marco Trovati)

Austria's Marco Schwarz competes in the men's World Cup giant slalom in Schladming, Austria, Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Giovanni Auletta)

Austria's Manuel Feller speeds down the course during an alpine ski, men's World Cup slalom, in Kitzbühel, Austria, Sunday, Jan. 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Marco Trovati)

Switzerland's Marco Odermatt, top left, winner of an alpine ski, men's World Cup Super-G, and third-placed Switzerland's Stefan Rogentin, top right, celebrate with the team, in Kitzbuehel, Austria, Friday, Jan. 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Marco Trovati)

Switzerland's Franjo von Allmen speeds down the course during an alpine ski, men's World Cup Super-G, in Kitzbuehel, Austria, Friday, Jan. 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Giovanni Auletta)

Austria's Manuel Feller celebrates at the finish area of an alpine ski, men's World Cup slalom, in Schladming, Austria, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Giovanni Auletta)

SYDNEY (AP) — Belinda Bencic rallied from a set down to stun No. 2-ranked Iga Świątek 3-6, 6-0, 6-3 to give Switzerland a surprise lead over Poland in the final of the United Cup on Sunday.

Swiss veteran Stan Wawrinka, who will retire at the end of this season, played Hubert Hurkacz later Sunday, with the Polish player needing to win to keep his country in the tie.

Bencic, who had won all four of her singles and four mixed doubles matches this week, came into her match against Świątek having lost her last five matches against the former No. 1-ranked player.

It looked as if that trend was going to continue as Świątek started strongly and claimed the opening set 6-3 at Ken Rosewall Arena.

But the No.11-ranked Bencic shifted the momentum by winning nine consecutive points to open the second, evening the match in a swift 33-minute set.

The decisive third set hinged on a crucial break at 2-1, where Bencic capitalized on a powerful forehand to seize control. While Swiatek fought to save two match points with consecutive aces, her effort was hampered by an uncharacteristic 36 unforced errors, compared to just 10 from Bencic.

Bencic sealed the win with a sublime backhand winner into the open court on her third match point.

“To be honest, I felt I was in the match from the very first point,” Bencic said. “I thought I was going great and I was 0-3 down. I was ‘OK, what do I have to do.’ I think I just tried to keep the level and just wait for some chances.”

“I think the difference today was I played very freely, I was really enjoying myself out on the court and I was just really going for it.”

AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis

Iga Swiatek of Poland hits a forehand to Belinda Bencic of Switzerland during their final match at the United Cup tennis tournament in Sydney, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)

Belinda Bencic of Switzerland, right, and Iga Swiatek of Poland meet at the net after Bencic won their final match at the United Cup tennis tournament in Sydney, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)

Iga Swiatek of Poland Belinda reacts after missing a shot to Belinda Bencic of Switzerland during their final match at the United Cup tennis tournament in Sydney, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)

Belinda Bencic of Switzerland celebrates defeting Iga Swiatek of Poland in their final match at the United Cup tennis tournament in Sydney, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)

Belinda Bencic of Switzerland, left, celebrates with teammate Stan Wawrinka after defeting Iga Swiatek of Poland in their final match at the United Cup tennis tournament in Sydney, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)