From Whistler, CAN
(December 9, 2022) – In the 2009/2010 season, a young German named Felix Loch won a World Cup gold medal in Altenberg. Thirteen years later, Loch won his 50th gold medal on the World Cup tour.
Loch broke the track record formerly held by Wolfgang Kindl in the first heat, while Kindl sat second. On the second run Kindl threw down a second strong run, but for the second time had a bumpy finish as he skidded and hit the wall out of the final curve. It was enough for the lead, but left the door wide open for Loch.
Loch’s second run was smooth, and while Kindl had the quicker second run, it was only by .001 and not nearly enough to beat out Loch.
Loch took gold, his 50th in his World Cup career. He trails Armin Zöggeler by just seven wins.
Wolfgang Kindl, the 2018 Whistler winner, won his second straight medal to start the season, a total of .034 behind Loch, while Dominik Fischnaller won bronze for his second straight Whistler World Cup event.
Latvia’s Kristers Aparjods entered the second heat in a tie with Austria’s Jonas Müller. Aparojds had the better second slide of the two and that was enough to move him to forth, while Müller took sixth.
In between Aparjods and Müller, American Tucker West missed out on a start record in the first heat by .008, and that combined with two smooth slides left him in fifth for his first top five of the season.
Pyeongchang silver medalist Chris Mazdzer made his return to action in Whistler as part of a part-time schedule for him this season. He finished the first heat in 11th. Mazdzer’s second run was equally smooth and enough to move him into the top ten in tenth. Teammate Jonny Gustafson had a bumpy start in the first heat that set him back. His second run was significantly better from top to bottom and enough to move him from 15th to 12th.
Australia’s Alex Ferlazzo was edged out of the top ten by Mazdzer and finished 11th.
David Gleirscher entered the second heat in fifth place, but crashed coming through Curve 13 and finished 20th.
Results:
| Pos | Name | Nation | Bib | Start 1 | Start 2 | Run 1 | Run 2 | Total |
| 1 | Felix Loch | GER | 18 | 6.978 | 6.958 | 49.798 | 49.821 | 1:39.619 |
| 2 | Wolfgang Kindl | AUT | 17 | 7.033 | 7.048 | 49.833 | 49.820 | 1:39.653 |
| 3 | Dominik Fischnaller | ITA | 12 | 6.994 | 7.011 | 49.860 | 49.829 | 1:39.689 |
| 4 | Kristers Aparjods | LAT | 20 | 7.003 | 7.031 | 49.997 | 49.870 | 1:39.867 |
| 5 | Tucker West | USA | 11 | 6.938 | 6.966 | 49.927 | 49.987 | 1:39.914 |
| 6 | Jonas Müller | AUT | 19 | 6.990 | 7.016 | 49.997 | 49.950 | 1:39.947 |
| 7 | Nico Gleirscher | AUT | 21 | 7.014 | 7.026 | 50.005 | 50.054 | 1:40.059 |
| 8 | Gints Berzins | LAT | 15 | 7.020 | 7.020 | 50.208 | 50.122 | 1:40.330 |
| 9 | Leon Felderer | ITA | 16 | 7.027 | 7.028 | 50.284 | 50.112 | 1:40.396 |
| 10 | Chris Mazdzer | USA | 10 | 7.081 | 7.094 | 50.221 | 50.260 | 1:40.481 |
| 11 | Alexander Ferlazzo | AUS | 9 | 7.035 | 7.052 | 50.159 | 50.345 | 1:40.504 |
| 12 | Jonathan Gustafson | USA | 13 | 7.104 | 7.056 | 50.493 | 50.141 | 1:40.634 |
| 13 | David Nößler | GER | 8 | 7.028 | 7.038 | 50.255 | 50.467 | 1:40.722 |
| 14 | Jozef Ninis | SVK | 4 | 7.108 | 7.130 | 50.429 | 50.311 | 1:40.740 |
| 15 | Mathis Ertel | GER | 6 | 7.085 | 7.092 | 50.519 | 50.496 | 1:41.015 |
| 16 | Lucas Guffler | ITA | 1 | 7.119 | 7.152 | 50.555 | 50.564 | 1:41.119 |
| 17 | Timon Grancagnolo | GER | 5 | 7.152 | 7.121 | 50.831 | 50.362 | 1:41.193 |
| 18 | Marian Skupek | SVK | 7 | 7.121 | 7.125 | 50.654 | 50.572 | 1:41.226 |
| 19 | Jozef Husla | SVK | 3 | 7.059 | 7.049 | 50.850 | 50.702 | 1:41.552 |
| 20 | David Gleirscher | AUT | 14 | 7.051 | 7.063 | 49.943 | 51.668 | 1:41.611 |
| DNF | Arkadiusz Trojga | POL | 2 | 7.179 | 7.256 | 51.892 | DNF |
