Odermatt's Hahnenkamm Triumph: A Narrow Victory and Olympic Prelude

Marco Odermatt clinched a narrow victory in the World Cup super-G at the Hahnenkamm, setting the stage for the Olympics. He won by 0.03 seconds, beating Franjo von Allmen, highlighting another successful season. The race was eventful, with Stefan Babinsky initially leading and Adrian Smiseth Sejersted overcoming a dramatic mishap.

In an exhilarating start to the Hahnenkamm weekend, Switzerland's Marco Odermatt secured a razor-thin victory in Friday's World Cup super-G, setting the pace ahead of the Olympics. Despite an imperfect run, Odermatt's formidable 142kph speed was unmatched, edging out compatriot Franjo von Allmen by just 0.03 seconds.

The scene at the finish line was dramatic as Odermatt crossed to claim his eighth victory of the season, propelling him closer to a fifth consecutive World Cup title. The 28-year-old's win marked his second career triumph at Kitzbuehel, and he aims to conquer the downhill race on Saturday.

Amidst the Austrian crowd, Stefan Babinsky's early lead was met with cheers, but he finished third behind his teammate, Raphael Haaser. Meanwhile, Norway's Adrian Smiseth Sejersted survived a spectacular near-crash, astonishingly maintaining his balance to secure the fifth-fastest time of the day.

(With inputs from agencies.)