Bend’s Tommy Ford placed ninth in a World Cup giant slalom ski race Sunday in Alta Badia, Italy. It marked the first top-10 finish of the season for the veteran World Cup skier, 34.

It was a clear and sunny day for the race in the Italian Dolomites and the world’s top giant slalom skiers were ready for the fan-favorite course, according to a news release from U.S. Ski and Snowboard. Swiss skier Marco Odermatt once again dominated the hill, taking the first run lead with Croatia’s Filip Zubcic in second and Austrian Marco Schwarz in third.

Ford had bib No. 25 and arced clean turns down the pitch to secure 15th position after the first run. He was one of the last skiers with a higher bib than No. 15 to punch a run into the top-15 group.

On the second run, the racers fought to make up time down the pitch and onto the flats. Ford ran in the middle of the field and had a solid run from top to bottom with a few minor mistakes. He punched the line into first and moved up six spots to claim ninth place.

“I love being here with great conditions and could not ask for a better day,” Ford said in the news release. “I was just letting it go, not overthinking it and it was good.”

Ford, a 10-time national champion and three-time Olympian, grew up in Bend skiing with the Mt. Bachelor Sports Education Foundation, and still lives in Bend when he is not racing on the World Cup circuit.

The winner Sunday was Odermatt with Zubcic close behind. Slovenia’s Zan Kranjec took third.

Odermatt also won Monday’s giant slalom on the same course to extend his winning streak in giant slalom World Cups to six races. Schwarz was second and Kranjec was third.

Ford was on pace for another strong day after his ninth place on Sunday, but made a huge mistake forcing him to stop midway down his run. He did not qualify for a second run. River Radamus was the top U.S. skier on Monday, placing 14th.