Austrian Raphael Haaser went from fifth place to win the World Alpine Skiing Championships giant slalom, the first top-level victory of his career.
Haaser, 27, prevailed by 23 hundredths of a second over Swiss Thomas Tumler combining times from two runs in Saalbach, Austria, on Friday.
The Swiss finished second, third (Loic Meillard) and fourth (defending world champion Marco Odermatt).
Haaser ended the Swiss bid to sweep the men’s golds at worlds after they won the first three events. There is still a slalom on Sunday.
ALPINE SKIING WORLDS: Results | Broadcast Schedule
Haaser was fifth place after the first run, 62 hundredths behind leader Timon Haugan of Norway. Haaser had the fourth-fastest second run, while none of the top four men from the first run finished in the 19 of the second run.
Haaser, who has yet to win on the World Cup circuit, now has a world championships medal of every color (super-G silver last Friday, plus a combined bronze in 2023).
“I was capable to ski in the top 10 permanently, but stepping on top of the podium, didn’t expect that,” he said.
Haaser gave a lift to the men’s program for Austria, the most successful Alpine skiing nation in history. An Austrian man has yet to win in 25 World Cup races this season, while rival Switzerland has won 11 times.
River Radamus was the top American on Friday in 17th.
Worlds continue Saturday with the women’s slalom featuring Mikaela Shiffrin, live at 3:45 and 7:15 a.m. ET on Peacock.
FIS World Alpine Skiing Championships 2025 Results — Men’s Giant Slalom
Gold: Raphael Haaser (AUT) -- 2:39.71
Silver: Thomas Tumler (SUI) -- +.23
Bronze: Loic Meillard (SUI) -- +.51
4. Marco Odermatt (SUI) -- +.58
5. Marco Schwarz (AUT) -- +.78
6. Thibaut Favrot (FRA) -- +.83
7. Timon Haugan (NOR) -- +1.00
8. Henrik Kristoffersen (NOR) -- +1.02
9. Luca de Aliprandini (ITA) -- +1.03
10. Atle Lie McGrath (NOR) -- +1.22
17. River Radamus (USA) -- +1.65
19. Bridger Gile (USA) -- +2.01
32. Patrick Kenney (USA) -- +6.28
