Having breezed through qualification in the Italian town yesterday, Chapuis proceeded nearly unchallenged through his three heats and often appeared as though he was skiing in a different league to his competitors.

In the final, he was pitted against Canada’s Brady Leman, Austria’s Johannes Rohweck and France’s Bastien Midol after the latter two competitors made big passes on Slovenia’s Filip Flisar in the semi-final.

Leman similarly made a strong move on team-mate Chris Delbosco to follow Chapuis through to the showdown. 

Although tight out of the start, Chapuis eventually pulled ahead and opened up a lead with Leman trailing hot on his tails.

For a few moments it looked like Leman might have an answer for Chapuis, twice setting himself up for passes that never materialised as the Frenchman kept finding higher gears.

Chapuis opened up a gap through the super-G section, close to the course's end, and slid over the line for his second win in a row.

He was followed by Leman with his third podium of the season and Rohrweck with his first podium in almost a year.

"I had a good feeling on my skis today," said Chapuis.

"I felt like I could make a lot of speed in the turns.

"Everything was almost perfect.

"I could have maybe been a little bit better on the start, but it was okay.

"I felt him (Leman) behind me on the first turn, but after that I just focused on my race and on not making a mistake."

Meanwhile, in the women’s event, Germany’s Heidi Zacher triumphed on a day when it looked like the Swedish duo of Anna Holmlund and Sandra Naeslund were well on their way to their second one-two finish of the season.

The veteran and reigning World Cup champion Holmlund and the 19-year-old rising star Naeslund were both clinical in taking their separate paths to the big final.

Once there, exceptional starts had them out front early.

Holmlund led comfortably through the top section, but as the final progressed, it became clear that Naeslund would not let her mentor get away without a fight, reeling in Holmlund and eventually setting up to enter the final super-G section of the course side-by-side.

Then, as Zacher watched from fourth position, French leader Alizee Baron swept low on the two Swedes in a desperate pass attempt.

Instead of moving into top spot, however, Baron got tangled up in the skis of Holmlund, knocking Naeslund off balance, and crashing into the nets herself.

Zacher was able to pick her way through the mess and cruise unchallenged through the finish line for her second career win and second straight top-four result, followed by Holmlund and Naeslund.

"Two years ago was my last time on the podium, and it was here," said Zacher.

"It's great to be back on the top of the podium.

"I like the course here in Innichen and I like being here.

"I always come back here with a good feeling, and now to get the victory, it's perfect."

With qualification for tomorrow’s race already taken care of yesterday, the same programme is due to take place in Innichen.