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 Toronto91裸聊视频檚 Crawford became the first Canadian in 42 years to win the downhill on Kitzbuehel91裸聊视频檚 historic and gnarly Streif course in Austria.

Alexander of North Vancouver, B.C., joined his teammate on the podium in third for Canada91裸聊视频檚 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.

Sunday91裸聊视频檚 downhill in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, was cancelled due to fog.

The world championship is a performance indicator on the Canadians91裸聊视频� road to the 2026 Olympic Games in Milan-Cortina, Italy.

Crawford, called 91裸聊视频淛ack91裸聊视频� more often than 91裸聊视频淛ames91裸聊视频�, is the defending world super-G champion. Alexander was a downhill bronze medallist two years ago in Courcheval, France.

91裸聊视频淪tanding on the super-G podium, that was incredible,91裸聊视频� Crawford recalled. 91裸聊视频淭hat was a huge success for my career, being able to claim a world champs medal.

91裸聊视频淭here91裸聊视频檚 other things I91裸聊视频檇 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 don91裸聊视频檛 know how many times in a career you get that opportunity.

91裸聊视频淔or me, going into the world championship, it91裸聊视频檚 just about staying hungry and really trying to find every little thing I can do to be faster.91裸聊视频�

The championship opens Tuesday with team parallel slalom followed by women91裸聊视频檚 and men91裸聊视频檚 super-G on Thursday and Friday respectively. The women91裸聊视频檚 and men91裸聊视频檚 downhills go Saturday and Sunday respectively.

Crawford91裸聊视频檚 super-G crown two years ago in Courcheval inspired Alexander for the downhill race there.

91裸聊视频淲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,91裸聊视频� Alexander said. 91裸聊视频淚 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 you91裸聊视频檝e got. If you mess up, you mess up.

91裸聊视频淵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 that91裸聊视频檚 what it takes every race. I can91裸聊视频檛 expect because I did well in one spot that I91裸聊视频檓 going to be good at the other.91裸聊视频�

Reigning women91裸聊视频檚 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 women91裸聊视频檚 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 men91裸聊视频檚. While they were held off the podium, five finished in the top-30 in Kitzbuehel91裸聊视频檚 super-G.

91裸聊视频淭here91裸聊视频檚 a lot of hyper-fixation right now on this result in Kitzbuehel, which was awesome and a great achievement,91裸聊视频� said men91裸聊视频檚 downhill coach John Kucera, who was the men91裸聊视频檚 world downhill champion in 2009 in Val-d91裸聊视频橧sere, France.

91裸聊视频淣obody in this room is surprised. We91裸聊视频檝e been at this level for a while. It91裸聊视频檚 cool that it came together in Kitz because it91裸聊视频檚 such a famed venue, but for us, it91裸聊视频檚 important that we don91裸聊视频檛 want to get over-comfortable or overly confident.91裸聊视频�

Saalbach91裸聊视频檚 season-ending men91裸聊视频檚 downhill was cancelled last year due to bad weather, although the men got a super-G in that weekend.

91裸聊视频淪aalbach is a course we have a decent amount of experience on,91裸聊视频� Alexander said. 91裸聊视频淭here91裸聊视频檚 flat and it91裸聊视频檚 technical. We can excel in any of those. Hopefully it91裸聊视频檚 a spot that, if we put it together, it91裸聊视频檒l be a good day.91裸聊视频�

World championships mimic the performance-on-demand environment of an Olympic Games, so Saalbach offers a mindset dress rehearsal for Bormio91裸聊视频檚 Olympic course in just over a year.

91裸聊视频淥lympic Games and world championships are special because you only get so many in your career to compete in and they91裸聊视频檙e races that aren91裸聊视频檛 every year,91裸聊视频� said Crawford, who was the alpine combined Olympic bronze medallist in 2022.

91裸聊视频淏eing able to show up to those races through a career and be able to claim medals is super special.91裸聊视频�