Loic Meillard claimed the gold medal at the Slalom in Saalbach 2025, becoming the first Swiss skier to win a world championship Slalom event since Georges Schneider's victory in Aspen in 1950. Since then, the Swiss have only won three medals at world championships in Slalom: Jacques Lüthy bronze in Lake Placid in1980, Mike von Grünigen bronze in Sierra Nevada in1996, and Silvan Zurbriggen silver in St. Moritz in 2003.
Atle Lie McGrath finished in second place 0.26 seconds behind Meillard. Linus Strasser rounded up the podium in third place 0.52 seconds off the pace.
This marks Meillard's third medal at the Alpine World Ski Championships, having previously secured gold in the Team Combined with Downhill world champion Franjo von Allmen, and bronze in the Giant Slalom. Meillard showed in Saalbach that he is in enviable form. His brilliant technique and impressive consistency make him one of the most brilliant skiers on the alpine ski circuit. The Valais skier crowned himself as the most successful athlete in Saalbach. Pirmin Zurbriggen is the only Swiss skier to have won more medals than Meillard at a Ski World Championships: two golds and two silvers in Crans Montana in 1987.
The 28-year-old has a brilliant record in Saalbach. In December 2018, he claimed his first World Cup podiums in both the Giant Slalom and Slalom, finishing 2nd in both races. Then in last season’s World Cup Finals, he won the Giant Slalom and came 2nd in the Super-G. In his six World Cup races in Saalbach, he has a win, three 2nd places, a 4th, and a DNF.
Meillard has achieved only one career Slalom World Cup win in Aspen in March 2024. This season he finished 2nd twice and 3rd twice in the Slalom in the Alpine Ski World Cup.
"Three medals at the World Championships is just brilliant. After Schladming, I had a few days of training, which helped me at Saalbach. It's brilliant to be part of this Swiss team, you can only enjoy it," Meillard said.
Switzerland tops the Medal Table at the Saalbach 2025 World Ski Championships, boasting 13 medals, including five golds, five silvers, and three bronzes. Switzerland has only been more successful at a Ski World Championship once: in 1987 in Crans-Montana with eight out of ten possible victories.
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