Louis Muhlen-Schulte launched his 2025/26 FIS Alpine Skiing World Cup campaign with an encouraging 35th place performance in the giant slalom on the Rettenbach Glacier in Sölden, Austria, his highest place finish in the traditional Alpine season opener.
Competing under snowy skies with limited visibility on a deteriorating race course against a world-class field of 75 skiers, the 2022 Olympian posted a time of 1:01.17 in the first run, narrowly missing qualification for the top-30 second run by just 0.55 seconds.
Swiss superstar Marco Odermatt claimed victory, with Austria’s Marco Schwarz and Norway’s Atle Lie McGrath rounding out the podium.
Reflecting on his performance, the 27-year-old from Melbourne said after the race:
“Not a bad start to the race season. Definitely would have loved to be on the right side of the top-30, but I was happy with the skiing and considering my shortened preparation I'll take the close race.
“Not only has my skiing progressed a lot since the last Olympic cycle but also me personally as an athlete. How I overcome obstacles and generally deal with the struggles of a racer I think I have a much more calm balanced approach now.
“The next stop for me will be the slalom World Cup opener in Levi. I think now I have a bit more time to prep so the plan is to keep building strength back in my ankle then build up the slalom skiing so I can head into that race feeling a little more prepared and ready to race. But otherwise the mental approach remains the same. I want to be fighting in the second run that's where I know I can be.”
The first slalom World Cup event of the season will take place on November 15 and 16 in Levi, Finland.
Competing under snowy skies with limited visibility on a deteriorating race course against a world-class field of 75 skiers, the 2022 Olympian posted a time of 1:01.17 in the first run, narrowly missing qualification for the top-30 second run by just 0.55 seconds.
Swiss superstar Marco Odermatt claimed victory, with Austria’s Marco Schwarz and Norway’s Atle Lie McGrath rounding out the podium.
Reflecting on his performance, the 27-year-old from Melbourne said after the race:
“Not a bad start to the race season. Definitely would have loved to be on the right side of the top-30, but I was happy with the skiing and considering my shortened preparation I'll take the close race.
“Not only has my skiing progressed a lot since the last Olympic cycle but also me personally as an athlete. How I overcome obstacles and generally deal with the struggles of a racer I think I have a much more calm balanced approach now.
“The next stop for me will be the slalom World Cup opener in Levi. I think now I have a bit more time to prep so the plan is to keep building strength back in my ankle then build up the slalom skiing so I can head into that race feeling a little more prepared and ready to race. But otherwise the mental approach remains the same. I want to be fighting in the second run that's where I know I can be.”
The first slalom World Cup event of the season will take place on November 15 and 16 in Levi, Finland.
IMAGE by Marcus Hartmann
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