James Crawford and Cameron Alexander bring a combination of confidence and hunger to the world alpine ski championship.

The duo recently electrified ski racing when Toronto香蕉视频直播檚 Crawford became the first Canadian in 42 years to win the downhill on Kitzbuehel香蕉视频直播檚 historic and gnarly Streif course in Austria.

Alexander of North Vancouver, B.C., joined his teammate on the podium in third for Canada香蕉视频直播檚 first double podium in a World Cup downhill since 2012.

The biennial world championship starting Tuesday at the Austrian resort in Saalbach-Hinterglemm will be their first races since Kitzbuehel.

Sunday香蕉视频直播檚 downhill in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, was cancelled due to fog.

The world championship is a performance indicator on the Canadians香蕉视频直播� road to the 2026 Olympic Games in Milan-Cortina, Italy.

Crawford, called 香蕉视频直播淛ack香蕉视频直播� more often than 香蕉视频直播淛ames香蕉视频直播�, is the defending world super-G champion. Alexander was a downhill bronze medallist two years ago in Courcheval, France.

香蕉视频直播淪tanding on the super-G podium, that was incredible,香蕉视频直播� Crawford recalled. 香蕉视频直播淭hat was a huge success for my career, being able to claim a world champs medal.

香蕉视频直播淭here香蕉视频直播檚 other things I香蕉视频直播檇 like to be able to accomplish at the world championships like a downhill. It would also be very cool to be able to contend again to defend my super-G title. I don香蕉视频直播檛 know how many times in a career you get that opportunity.

香蕉视频直播淔or me, going into the world championship, it香蕉视频直播檚 just about staying hungry and really trying to find every little thing I can do to be faster.香蕉视频直播�

The championship opens Tuesday with team parallel slalom followed by women香蕉视频直播檚 and men香蕉视频直播檚 super-G on Thursday and Friday respectively. The women香蕉视频直播檚 and men香蕉视频直播檚 downhills go Saturday and Sunday respectively.

Crawford香蕉视频直播檚 super-G crown two years ago in Courcheval inspired Alexander for the downhill race there.

香蕉视频直播淲inning would be really special. It was very cool to see Jack do that last time. It gave me a little bit of boost for the downhill,香蕉视频直播� Alexander said. 香蕉视频直播淚 give him a little bit of credit there. I look forward to laying it all out there. These one-shot races are a unique opportunity where you just have to give it everything you香蕉视频直播檝e got. If you mess up, you mess up.

香蕉视频直播淵ou always take confidence from big results, but you need to continue to always be looking to go super hard because everybody is going to be really hard and pushing all the time and that香蕉视频直播檚 what it takes every race. I can香蕉视频直播檛 expect because I did well in one spot that I香蕉视频直播檓 going to be good at the other.香蕉视频直播�

Reigning women香蕉视频直播檚 slalom champion Laurence St-Germain of Saint-Ferr茅ol-les-Neiges, Que., is another Canadian to watch Feb. 15 as she attempts a repeat.

Valerie Grenier of St-Isidore, Ont., is a two-time World Cup winner in giant slalom. The women香蕉视频直播檚 GS is Feb. 13 in Saalbach.

Alexander and Crawford, both 27, rank sixth and seventh in the world in downhill, with Alexander holding the No. 7 spot in super-G.

The latter discipline is the strength of the Canadian men香蕉视频直播檚. While they were held off the podium, five finished in the top-30 in Kitzbuehel香蕉视频直播檚 super-G.

香蕉视频直播淭here香蕉视频直播檚 a lot of hyper-fixation right now on this result in Kitzbuehel, which was awesome and a great achievement,香蕉视频直播� said men香蕉视频直播檚 downhill coach John Kucera, who was the men香蕉视频直播檚 world downhill champion in 2009 in Val-d香蕉视频直播橧sere, France.

香蕉视频直播淣obody in this room is surprised. We香蕉视频直播檝e been at this level for a while. It香蕉视频直播檚 cool that it came together in Kitz because it香蕉视频直播檚 such a famed venue, but for us, it香蕉视频直播檚 important that we don香蕉视频直播檛 want to get over-comfortable or overly confident.香蕉视频直播�

Saalbach香蕉视频直播檚 season-ending men香蕉视频直播檚 downhill was cancelled last year due to bad weather, although the men got a super-G in that weekend.

香蕉视频直播淪aalbach is a course we have a decent amount of experience on,香蕉视频直播� Alexander said. 香蕉视频直播淭here香蕉视频直播檚 flat and it香蕉视频直播檚 technical. We can excel in any of those. Hopefully it香蕉视频直播檚 a spot that, if we put it together, it香蕉视频直播檒l be a good day.香蕉视频直播�

World championships mimic the performance-on-demand environment of an Olympic Games, so Saalbach offers a mindset dress rehearsal for Bormio香蕉视频直播檚 Olympic course in just over a year.

香蕉视频直播淥lympic Games and world championships are special because you only get so many in your career to compete in and they香蕉视频直播檙e races that aren香蕉视频直播檛 every year,香蕉视频直播� said Crawford, who was the alpine combined Olympic bronze medallist in 2022.

香蕉视频直播淏eing able to show up to those races through a career and be able to claim medals is super special.香蕉视频直播�