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 TorontoB次元官网网址檚 Crawford became the first Canadian in 42 years to win the downhill on KitzbuehelB次元官网网址檚 historic and gnarly Streif course in Austria.

Alexander of North Vancouver, B.C., joined his teammate on the podium in third for CanadaB次元官网网址檚 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.

SundayB次元官网网址檚 downhill in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, was cancelled due to fog.

The world championship is a performance indicator on the CanadiansB次元官网网址� road to the 2026 Olympic Games in Milan-Cortina, Italy.

Crawford, called B次元官网网址淛ackB次元官网网址� more often than B次元官网网址淛amesB次元官网网址�, is the defending world super-G champion. Alexander was a downhill bronze medallist two years ago in Courcheval, France.

B次元官网网址淪tanding on the super-G podium, that was incredible,B次元官网网址� Crawford recalled. B次元官网网址淭hat was a huge success for my career, being able to claim a world champs medal.

B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 other things IB次元官网网址檇 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 donB次元官网网址檛 know how many times in a career you get that opportunity.

B次元官网网址淔or me, going into the world championship, itB次元官网网址檚 just about staying hungry and really trying to find every little thing I can do to be faster.B次元官网网址�

The championship opens Tuesday with team parallel slalom followed by womenB次元官网网址檚 and menB次元官网网址檚 super-G on Thursday and Friday respectively. The womenB次元官网网址檚 and menB次元官网网址檚 downhills go Saturday and Sunday respectively.

CrawfordB次元官网网址檚 super-G crown two years ago in Courcheval inspired Alexander for the downhill race there.

B次元官网网址淲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,B次元官网网址� Alexander said. B次元官网网址淚 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 youB次元官网网址檝e got. If you mess up, you mess up.

B次元官网网址淵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 thatB次元官网网址檚 what it takes every race. I canB次元官网网址檛 expect because I did well in one spot that IB次元官网网址檓 going to be good at the other.B次元官网网址�

Reigning womenB次元官网网址檚 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 womenB次元官网网址檚 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 menB次元官网网址檚. While they were held off the podium, five finished in the top-30 in KitzbuehelB次元官网网址檚 super-G.

B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 a lot of hyper-fixation right now on this result in Kitzbuehel, which was awesome and a great achievement,B次元官网网址� said menB次元官网网址檚 downhill coach John Kucera, who was the menB次元官网网址檚 world downhill champion in 2009 in Val-dB次元官网网址橧sere, France.

B次元官网网址淣obody in this room is surprised. WeB次元官网网址檝e been at this level for a while. ItB次元官网网址檚 cool that it came together in Kitz because itB次元官网网址檚 such a famed venue, but for us, itB次元官网网址檚 important that we donB次元官网网址檛 want to get over-comfortable or overly confident.B次元官网网址�

SaalbachB次元官网网址檚 season-ending menB次元官网网址檚 downhill was cancelled last year due to bad weather, although the men got a super-G in that weekend.

B次元官网网址淪aalbach is a course we have a decent amount of experience on,B次元官网网址� Alexander said. B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 flat and itB次元官网网址檚 technical. We can excel in any of those. Hopefully itB次元官网网址檚 a spot that, if we put it together, itB次元官网网址檒l be a good day.B次元官网网址�

World championships mimic the performance-on-demand environment of an Olympic Games, so Saalbach offers a mindset dress rehearsal for BormioB次元官网网址檚 Olympic course in just over a year.

B次元官网网址淥lympic Games and world championships are special because you only get so many in your career to compete in and theyB次元官网网址檙e races that arenB次元官网网址檛 every year,B次元官网网址� said Crawford, who was the alpine combined Olympic bronze medallist in 2022.

B次元官网网址淏eing able to show up to those races through a career and be able to claim medals is super special.B次元官网网址�