Switzerland wins first World Championship gold in men’s slalom in 75 years

The 2025 World Alpine Skiing Championships in Saalbach, Austria concluded on Sunday with the men’s slalom. We all know about Switzerland’s great history with alpine skiing. The nation has won 76 gold medals in the history of the championships (39 in men’s events and 37 in women’s events). However, one may not know is the fact that Switzerland has struggled in one event in recent memory. That in fact is the men’s slalom. When Loic Meillard of Neuchatel won the gold medal in the men’s slalom on Sunday, it was Switzerland’s first gold medal in men’s slalom at the World Alpine Skiing Championships since 1950. Meillard in fact ended a 75 year drought.

Inside look at Meillard’s gold

Meillard had a winning time of 1:54.02. Atle Lie McGrath of Norway won the silver medal with a time of 1:54.28. Linus Strasser of Germany won the bronze medal with a time of 1:54.54. Meillard reached the podium by 0.79 seconds. Manuel Feller of Austria finished in fourth place with a time of 1:54.81.

This was Meillard’s second career World Alpine Skiing Championship gold medal. His first came in the men’s team combined alongside Franjo von Allmen of Bern on Wednesday. In all, Meillard has won six medals at the World Alpine Skiing Championships in his career. He has won two gold medals, one silver medal and three bronze medals.

Who won the last gold medal for Switzerland in the men’s slalom at the World Championships?

Georges Schneider of Les-Ponts-de-Martel placed first in the men’s slalom at the 1950 World Alpine Skiing Championships in Aspen, Colorado. Since then, skiers from Austria, Norway, France, Italy, Spain, Sweden, Germany, Luxembourg, Finland, Croatia have placed first. In all, four skiers from Switzerland have won gold at the World Alpine Skiing Championships. In addition to Meillard and Schneider, David Zogg placed first at the 1931 World Alpine Skiing Championships in Murren, Switzerland, and Rudolf Rominger placed first at the 1938 World Alpine Skiing Championships in Engelberg, Switzerland, and at the 1939 World Alpine Skiing Championships in Zakopane, Poland.