Canada’s Crawford narrowly misses podium, Murisier claims 1st World Cup win by taking men’s downhill | CBC Sports

Justin Murisier of Switzerland claimed his first World Cup victory by beating his stellar teammate Marco Odermatt in the opening men’s downhill race of the World Cup season on Friday.

Murisier beat Odermatt, the defending World Cup overall and downhill champion, by 0.20 seconds. Slovenia’s Miha Hrobat was third, 0.35 behind Murisier, to earn a spot on the World Cup podium for the first time in his career.

WATCH | Switzerland’s Murisier earns 1st World Cup win:

Toronto’s Jack Crawford was 0.51 seconds off the lead in fourth place.

WATCH | Crawford places 4th in men’s downhill at Beaver Creek:

Toronto’s Jack Crawford just misses World Cup podium with 4th place finish in Beaver Creek downhill

Jack Crawford finished in fourth place at the FIS World Cup downhill race, on the Birds of Prey ski course in Beaver Creek, Colo.

Bryce Bennett, who holds two career World Cup wins, was the top American in sixth, 0.88 behind the winner. Teammate Sam DuPratt, the second-to-last skier on the course, took a tough crash and needed to be taken down the Birds of Prey course in a sled.

Murisier finished 50th in his only other downhill event at Beaver Creek in 2022. Odermatt’s first World Cup win came five years ago at the Birds of Prey course when he won the super-G.

WATCH | Jack Crawford and pushing through the fear of alpine skiing:

‘It’s really dangerous’: Jack Crawford and pushing through the fear of alpine skiing

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Norway’s Aleksander Aamodt Kilde, who won the previous four races held at Beaver Creek, is out for the season due to injuries.

The clear, blue skies were a nice change from last year when poor weather caused the cancellation of all three races at the event.

Racing continues on Saturday with the super-G and the giant slalom on Sunday.

WATCH | What drives alpine skier Jack Crawford?:

What drives alpine skier Jack Crawford?

His teammates, parents, and coaches talk about his pursuit of being the best skier in the world.