Double delight for Norway as McGrath takes Slalom globe while Haugan wins in Hafjell

From the darkness of the woods in Cortina d'Ampezzo to the sparkle of a Crystal Globe on home snow in Norway, it's been quite a ride for Atle Lie McGrath (NOR/Head).

Just over a month after his grandfather passed away and then he threw away a potential Olympic gold medal before wandering off into the forest in search of peace and quiet, McGrath revelled in the cheers of his home fans in Hafjell on Wednesday as he won the 2025/26 Slalom title for his first Crystal Globe.

It wasn't a perfect race from McGrath, who finished eighth, but when his closest challenger for the globe, Lucas Pinheiro Braathen (BRA/Atomic), straddled on the fourth gate of the second run, McGrath's title was confirmed.

The two close friends shared an emotional embrace in the finish area, having claimed the two technical globes between them after former Norwegian racer Pinheiro Braathen won the Giant Slalom title on Tuesday.

"I'm just so relieved," McGrath said while fighting back tears in his first post-race interview.

"The past months after the Olympics have been some of the toughest but also some of the most rewarding I've had in my life. I really miss my grandfather today. I wish he was here with me but I know he's watching.

"Even though you go through your toughest period in life, you can still come out the other end and see the smiles, and see the sun."

Understandably, the 25-year-old seemed nervous in his two tentative runs on course in Hafjell with the globe in the balance, and he admitted more than as much afterwards.

"To win the globe, and win my first one, is so tough," said McGrath, who won three races and recorded three other podiums in Slalom this season.

"I've been going the past two weeks not sleeping, struggling to eat, because I knew this day was coming and to actually have it (the globe) is insane.

"I can't even describe it."

McGrath's friend Pinheiro Braathen missed out on winning a second globe in two days, mirroring his Olympic experience of Slalom disappointment after Giant Slalom glory, but could barely find it in himself to be upset even as he fell to third in the standings behind McGrath and Clement Noel (FRA/Dynastar).

"Even though it stings when you've worked so hard to have something to fight for to the very end and I could have really, really challenged Atle for it today, I find it hard to be even disappointed about it right now," the Brazilian said.

"I think part of it is my happiness for Atle, and I think secondly it's everything else that's gone so well."

The Olympic Giant Slalom gold medallist's biggest emotions on the day were reserved for McGrath.

"It's very emotional to see someone that you've shared so much of the journey (with) succeed," Pinheiro Braathen said. "Especially with how this year's gone down with his Olympic experience and the other tough thing that's happened in his life.

"And it was the first thing I told him: all of these things, they happen for a reason. They're payments for rewards that come in the future and he's living that right now."

The Norwegian celebrations didn't end with McGrath, as Timon Haugan (NOR/Van Deer) won the race to become the first Norwegian man or woman to win a Slalom on home snow in the history of the World Cup.

First-run leader Loic Meillard (SUI/Rossignol, +0.44s) finished second, while Eduard Hallberg (FIN/Fischer, +1.03s) moved up from eighth after the first run to come third.

Haugan sat in third place after the first run, but his second run was easily the best among the top contenders and delivered his second victory of a season that has seen him finish fourth or fifth eight times across both technical disciplines.

"Crazy, unbelievable," Haugan said. "It's been a rollercoaster of a season, many fourth places."

While a first podium since December would have been a fine result for Haugan, that's not what he was aiming for in the final race of the season.

"Today I just really wanted to finish with a victory," the 29-year-old said. "Podium would be nice, but my main goal today was to win and just finish with a bang.

"I wasn't too scared about skiing out, I just wanted to give it all I have and see how it ends up."

It ended up with Haugan on top of the podium. Meillard, who led the Norwegian by 0.79 seconds after the first run, made mistakes early in his second run and lost time all the way down, but still managed to finish second.

"I struggled from top to bottom and had to fight all the way, so it was not very fun," he said.

The Olympic slalom champion ended up sixth in the Slalom standings after a poor start to the season saw him fall out of contention early on.

"A bit too many ups and downs, too many DNFs to be able to fight for the globe," he lamented.

Another skier who had an up-and-down season was Hallberg, who started the year brilliantly with a podium on home snow in Levi and four other top-10 results before recording three DNFs in his last four starts prior to Wednesday.

"After Kitzbuehel I had a little dip, I haven't made it to the finish really, and then I just thought that sooner or later, that's going to stop and I'm going to have a good finish," he said.

After finishing 36th in the Slalom standings a year ago, the 22-year-old enjoyed a breakthrough season this year with three podiums and eighth place in the globe race.

"It was over my expectations, really," he admitted. "I had to believe that something like this is possible if I ski good, but in the end when it really happens, you get on the podium, you always get surprised, and it's an amazing feeling."

Frenchman Noel finished fifth on the day, enough to see him overtake Pinheiro Braathen and finish 64 points behind McGrath in second place in the discipline standings, a year after he won four races but struggled for consistency and finished fourth overall.

"I think I prefer to win four races and finish fourth than this year, I won just one race but finished second," Noel said. "I'm happy with my season, (but) it's not as good as I would like.

"This year I was consistent which is good because it was not my main strength in the past, but I need to be a bit more confident, ski with a bit more commitment, and try to get the wins."

If the 2022 Olympic Slalom champion can fuse his last two seasons and pair his new-found consistency with his usual victory strike-rate, he will be a big chance of finally winning the Slalom title next season after finishing second four times.

As for now, that title belongs to Atle Lie McGrath, and he doesn't have to dream about the globe anymore — he can just look at it whenever he wants.

"It's going on my nightstand so I can wake up and look at it every morning and remember how much it means and that I want to go and get more of them as well," he said.

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