Norwegian skier Atle Lie McGrath won the FIS Alpine Ski World Cup men's slalom in Wengen, Switzerland, for the second consecutive year on January 18, 2026. He finished 0.47 seconds ahead of close friend Lucas Pinheiro Braathen of Brazil and 0.81 seconds ahead of teammate Henrik Kristoffersen, who claimed his 100th World Cup podium. The victory solidifies McGrath's position as a favorite for the upcoming Milan Cortina Olympics.
Atle Lie McGrath, born in the United States but racing for Norway, led after the first run of the Wengen slalom and maintained his advantage in the second run, clocking a total time of 1:45.99. Starting the day as the defending champion, McGrath was careful on the opening gates before accelerating down the steep Männlichen course. His error-free performance under pressure edged out Pinheiro Braathen, who had taken the lead temporarily in the second run but finished second.
Pinheiro Braathen, a Norwegian-born skier now competing for Brazil, delivered an impressive second run but could not hold off his former teammate. The duo, both 25 and born just two days apart, shared an embrace at the finish, highlighting their longstanding friendship. Kristoffersen secured third place despite battling illness since his podium in Adelboden the previous week, marking a historic milestone as the fourth man to reach 100 World Cup podiums.
"I can't believe it, I felt so nervous today," McGrath said. "I'm skiing a hundred risks and today I got one of them. That was one of the best second runs of my career." He credited pushing hard, inspired by memories of skiing with Braathen as youths.
Braathen reflected, "I'm immensely proud, and what an honour it is to share the podium with my good friend Atle again." Kristoffersen, despite low energy, noted, "In the end it's a big achievement for me. I'm very satisfied with the day overall."
This win, McGrath's fifth career victory and second of the season after Alta Badia, propels him to the top of the slalom standings with 372 points. Braathen follows at 351, while France's Paco Rassat dropped to fourth after a DNF. Two slaloms remain before the Olympics begin on February 6 in Milan Cortina, where McGrath's family legacy—his father Felix competed for the U.S. in 1988—adds further context to his rising stardom.
McGrath's back-to-back Wengen triumphs make him the first since Clement Noel in 2019-2020. Last year's Norwegian sweep was broken by Braathen's switch to Brazil, preventing another all-Norwegian podium.
