When Odermatt rhymes with Zermatt

His name has been on everyone’s lips for the past few years. Barely 25 years old, Marco Odermatt is already a Swiss icon. Like many skiers on the Swiss national team, the Nidwalden native knows Zermatt well. As the winner of the last crystal globe, he often trained on the Theodul Glacier early in the season. But his connection to the high-altitude ski resort goes back much further. It was at the base of the Matterhorn that the ski prodigy from Buochs was first noticed, by one of his idols no less: Didier Cuche. “I skied with him in Zermatt when he was 10 years old. Already then, his technique was very solid, which struck me given his age at the time. Today his adaptability is incredible, and he’s so mature in handling his success that I am sure he can only continue to succeed even more,” confided the now-retired Champion from Neuchatel.

Back at the station, the beaming Marco Odermatt welcomed clients at the new Longines pop-up boutique on Bahnhofstrasse. As an Ambassador for the prestigious watch brand, the young skier is already looking forward to showing what he’s capable of next October, on the demanding Gran Becca, the new FIS downhill course that runs between Switzerland and Italy (an event which was unfortunately cancelled in 2022 due to a lack of snow). Just a week earlier, he had already pocketed his first victory of the season in the giant slalom at Sölden (Austria), which marks the official opening of the World Cup.

Is Marco Odermatt phased by the pressure brought on by his many successes? Not in the slightest! “I ski more freely ever since, and I sleep like a baby. I don’t ski to satisfy others and I’ve never felt like I needed some role to play in my life. I prefer to just authentically be who I am,” he told us at the end of last season, with the calm yet strong smile he’s known for. This 1 m 80 athlete is 79 kilos of muscle: solid as a rock. A bit like the unwavering Matterhorn.

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