Katie Hensien was the stand-out athlete for the Stifel U.S. Ski Team on Sunday in the Kranjska Gora slalom, earning her first top 15 in a slalom World Cup, finishing 12th.

Hensien started the day seeded in bib 36 and hung on to a top-30 finish in her first run to give her her first chance of scoring slalom points so far in 2024-25. Having not finished her first runs or not qualified for a second run in every slalom so far this season, Hensien blew her expectations for Sunday out of the water when she skied the fifth fastest run of the day in the second run, got some time in the leader's chair and ended the day with a personal best in the slalom.

Her second run was less than seven-tenths behind the day's winner, Croatia's Zrinka Lutjic, and half a second behind second-place finisher Switzerland's Wendy Holdener. In fact, she beat third-place finisher Anna Swenn-Larsson of Sweden in her second run.

"I've shown some fast skiing this season, and it's nice to put two together finally," said Hensien. "[My result] reassures me that I have been skiing fast all season, and it's nice to have that confidence now after an unlucky streak in the beginning. It shows that my speed has always been there, and I'm excited for what's to come."

Teammate AJ Hurt was the fastest American in the first run, squeezing into 11th wearing bib 27. She came into the second run guns-a-blazing and was leading the field by over a second as she skied into the third split and crossed the tips of her skis, causing her to ski out of the course and clock a DNF.

Paula Moltzan was the only other American to score points on Sunday, finishing 20th overall. Nina O'Brien did not qualify for a second run.

The next on the women's tech schedule is a night slalom in Flachau, Austria, on Jan. 14, 2025. In the meantime, the women's team will head back to the Stifel U.S. Ski Team headquarters in Toblach for training and squeeze in a few days at Kronplatz before the giant slalom there on Jan. 21. The women's speed team races next weekend in St. Anton, Austria.

RESULTS
Women's slalom

The Stifel U.S. Ski Team kicked off 2025 in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia, on Saturday, Jan. 4, with AJ Hurt leading the way in 10th and Nina O'Brien .24 seconds behind her in 11th. 

Sweden's Sara Hector was both victorious and untouchable, throwing down two aggressive runs that put her 1.42 seconds ahead of second-place finisher Lara Colturi of Albania. New Zealand's Alice Robinson finished third, 1.52 seconds off Hector's winning pace.

For Hurt, the result is a step in the right direction. In her return to the World Cup just one week prior in Semmering, Austria, Hurt struggled to find the speed she was looking for in giant slalom and finished 27th. Her form improved in the slalom that followed when she skied to 18th. However, she wasn't fully satisfied. Given her results from last season, she felt like she was leaving a lot on the table.

Saturday's skiing in Kranjska Gora felt more like herself, she said.

"It felt like I could find that feeling and that rhythm that I've been wanting and hoping for, and it feels really good to be back in the mix and not feel the 'injured athlete' coming back," commented Hurt. "Like I was supposed to be happy with my results last week, but I knew I wanted to and could do more, and it's nice to be able to really be a contender again and show myself that I'm more than just my injury."

O'Brien had been leading for the Americans after the first run in the sixth, 1.88 off Hector's pace, but a more attainable of 0.78 seconds behind Colturi in second. O'Brien is still hunting for her first World Cup podium and wanted it badly on Saturday. However, being on the edge on the second run didn't translate into the clean, aggressive skiing she had hoped for.

O'Brien used one word to describe her second run – chaos.

"I was trying to push because I really wanted to go for it, and I definitely did that, but it was a little sloppy," O'Brien chuckled. "I had three moments where I fell over and felt like I was about to ski out, and after the third time, I was finally like, 'Okay, you gotta pull yourself together for the bottom.' So I'm not totally satisfied with the second run, but overall, I had a good attitude and still showed some good skiing today."

Katie Hensien rounded out point-scoring results for the team in 27th.

The three other American competitors, Paula Moltzan, Elisabeth Bocock and Mary Bocock, did not finish their first run. Thankfully, each athlete avoided a crash and skied out of the course safely with no injuries.

Sunday, Jan. 5, Hurt, O'Brien, Hensien, and Moltzan will start for the Stifel U.S. Ski Team in the Kranjska Gora slalom. The first run begins at 4:00 a.m. ET and can be streamed live or on-demand on skiandsnowboard.live.

RESULTS
Women's giant slalom

HOW TO WATCH
4:30 a.m. ET - women's slalom, run 1, Kranjska Gora, SLO - live/on-demand on skiandsnowboard.live
7:00 a.m. ET - women's slalom, run 2, Kranjska Gora, SLO - live/on-demand on skiandsnowboard.live

On Sunday's super-G in Bormio, Italy three Stifel U.S. Ski Team men found their way into the top 30. The team was led by Kyle Negomir in 21st, Ryan Cochran-Siegle in 22nd and Jared Goldberg in 29th. 

“Bormio is tough because it's always a fight,” said Negomir. 

It was the end of a relatively heavy week and weekend at the future Olympic site. A week riddled with injuries. Most notably French ski star Cyprien Sarrazin had a bad crash on the second training run day that left him with a head injury. Over the course of the weekend three more large crashes would follow. 

The conditions were what the athletes describe as classic Bormio: “icy, dark and bumpy.” On Saturday’s downhill Stifel U.S. Ski Team athlete Ryan Cochran-Siegle was one to make it out of the weekend in one piece after he had a scary crash. Cochran-Siegle was leading the downhill run, poised to claim a podium spot until he caught an edge and tumbled over a gate. Luckily he would walk away with no injuries. 

On Sunday it was still dark and bumpy for the men yet they had to fight through the mental challenge and put their best foot forward. Negomir looked poised under pressure as he skied solidly to land just outside the top 20 and ahead of his teammate Cochran-Siegle. Regardless of scoring points, the men know they are capable of much more and look forward to finding that next gear in January. 

“It will be nice to go home and have a mental reset. I think some time at home will be good and then a little training block will get us some confidence and have us ready to push into the heavy month of January,” said Negomir.

RESULTS
men's super-G

AJ Hurt's first weekend back on the World Cup circuit was a success. On Sunday in the Semmering slalom, she was the only American athlete to put down two runs, finishing the day in 18th.

Believe it or not, Hurt's result in Semmering is only the fourth time she's ever finished two runs of a slalom World Cup.

Hurt, who considers herself to be more of a giant slalom specialist, surprised herself in the Kranjska Gora slalom in early January last season when she earned a career-first podium and a career-best slalom, finishing third, and hasn't scored points in the discipline since.

Known for her gutsy skiing and carefree attitude, Hurt isn't one to hold back on a slalom course to make it down to the finish. In both of her runs on Sunday, Hurt made up for lost time on the last pitch, skiing the sixth fastest second run overall to move her up the ranks nine positions.

"The first run, I was definitely just trying to get back into it," reflected Hurt. "The second run felt much more like my type of skiing, where I could ski fast, so I'm happy with it. I only finished two slaloms last year, so it feels good to be already halfway on track to besting my season last year, and I'm going to keep trying my best to keep pushing and get back to where I was."

Unfortunately, teammates Paula Moltzan, Katie Hensien and Nina O'Brien did not get a second run. However, all three athletes stuck around to support Hurt in her World Cup slalom return before heading off to Toblach for a brief training block in preparation for World Cups in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia, next weekend. Moltzan was pushing hard at the beginning of her first run but straddled and did not finish.

Croatia's Zrinka Ljutic led Sunday's podium. She won her first World Cup by 1.75 seconds, followed by Germany's Lena Duerr in second and Austria's Katharina Leinsberger in third. Ljutic was the first Croatian woman to win a World Cup in over 18 years.

In Kranjska Gora, the women open 2025 with a giant slalom on Saturday and a slalom on Sunday.

RESULTS
Women's slalom

HOW TO WATCH

Jan. 4, 2024
3:30 a.m. ET - women's giant slalom, run 1, Kranjska Gora, SLO - live and on-demand on skiandsnowboard.live
6:45 a.m. ET - women's giant slalom, run 2, Kranjska Gora, SLO - live and on-demand on skiandsnowboard.live

Jan. 5, 2024 
4:00 a.m. ET - women's slalom, run 1, Kranjska Gora, SLO - live and on-demand on skiandsnowboard.live
7:00 a.m. ET - women's slalom, run 2, Kranjska Gora, SLO - live and on-demand on skiandsnowboard.live

Paula Moltzan skied to match her career best on Saturday, Dec. 28, in Semmering, Austria, finishing fifth in the giant slalom.

Moltzan, who has been itching for her first World Cup giant slalom podium, finished fourth first run, just 0.56 seconds off of leader Federica Brignone after making a huge save at the last gate to save her from a potential DNF. In the end, she missed the podium by just two hundredths. Italy's Brignone clung to her lead and finished the day in first, followed by Sweden's Sara Hector in second and New Zealand's Alice Robinson in third. 

Moltzan's result is even more impressive, considering the dislocated shoulder contracted after a hard crash in the Killington slalom. The pain has not entirely ceased, but she is pushing forward despite it all. 

"I'm proud to have put down two clean, consistent runs, both times I pushed out of the start," commented Moltzan. "I'm very happy with my result overall and look forward to carrying the momentum into tomorrow on another great surface."

Nina O'Brien also fought her way out of a tenuous position, headed into the final gate of the second run, but held on to some speed and moved up the ranks from the first to second run from 17th to 15th.

AJ Hurt earned her first World Cup points of the season after taking a break from competition to tend to shoulder issues. She finished 27th, a step up from her last performance in Semmering in 2018 when she claimed she didn't even ski past the first split. Hurt's return to the World Cup was a success despite a few frustrating mistakes. She earned her first points of the season and positively impacted the overall team energy. 

"It was really nice for the team to have AJ back," said O'Brien. "We really missed her, and I'm proud of her for getting into the points her first race back; I know she has a lot more in her."

Katie Hensien also ended the day in the points, finishing 28th overall and hanging on to a strong position in the giant slalom standings. Thus far, Hensien ranks 11th in the giant slalom season standings. Moltzan ranks sixth, and O'Brien ninth.

Sisters Elisabeth and Mary Bocock also competed in Saturday's giant slalom in Semmering, both for the first time in their careers. Unfortunately, neither made the second run, but they were excited to get more World Cup start experience. 

Moltzan, O'Brien, Hurt and Hensien will compete in the fourth World Cup slalom of the season on Sunday, Dec. 29.

RESULTS
Women's giant slalom

HOW TO WATCH
4:30 a.m. ET - women's giant slalom, run 1, Semmering, Austria - live/on-demand on Peacock TV
7:30 a.m. ET - women's giant slalom, run 2, Semmering, Austria - live/on-demand on Peacock TV

On Monday’s Alta Badia slalom Stifel U.S. Ski Team athlete Jett Seymour closed out the 2024 year with a 13th place finish, his second best slalom result to date. 

“It was a battle but it was fun and a good fight and yeah that is what ski racing is all about,” said Seymour. 

It was a sunny yet frigid day in Alta Badia for the slalom skiers. The hill injected once again overnight to create a slick course. The conditions allowed skiers out of the top 30 to get in the mix of the race. 

Seymour running bib 32 took full advantage of this and skied strong to land the 13th first run. An outstanding jump compared to those around him on the start list. Fellow teammates Ben Ritchie and River Radamus also showed their slalom prowess. At first Ritchie seemed to be within reach of a second run but he skied a touch too conservative and landed in 31st. Radamus, historically a giant slalom and super-G skier, skied aggressively to find himself in 25th after run one. 

“I expected a lot from myself from the first two races and was very disappointed with those so it was nice to build some momentum in Val d’Isere and see it through to Alta Badia,” said Seymour. “I’m looking forward to the rest of the slalom year, especially January and to keep building on these performances.” 

On the second run the hill was somehow even icier than first run - a great opportunity to move up in the rankings. Seymour ran 17th on run two and was able to maintain his skiing from run one to stay in position for a top 15, ultimately landing in 13th overall. 

The Norwegian men once again proved their depth and talent as they claimed first and third with Timon Haugan on top and Atle Lie Mcgrath in third. Second place went to Swiss skier Loic Meillard. Radamus ended up in 27th position. 

The next men’s slalom race is in Madonna di Campiglio for a night race on Jan. 8. Meanwhile the men’s team is going to stay in Europe over the holidays with teammates, friends and family as they prepare for a packed January. 

RESULTS
men's slalom 

On Sunday’s giant slalom race in Alta Badia, Italy River Radamus landed in a solid 15th place position. 

“This is the most special track on the circuit. I always hold this one in high regard,” said Radamus. “I always try to put down a performance I can be proud of.”

Radamus is one of the many athletes who love the Gran Risa track for its technicality, length, views and optimal snow conditions. This year however the snow conditions proved to be a bit more difficult for the racers due to continuous injections on top of new snow. Regardless of the challenge Radamus was able to find the outside ski and put himself within contention on run one in 11th, just 1.13 seconds from first. 

“The conditions were a little tougher than usual with some variable conditions in the course and low visibility made it difficult to execute,” said Radamus. “I liked my approach and intensity and I am trusting the things I am doing in preparation but I did not quite flow with the course the way I wanted to today.” 

On the second run a second challenge was added to the slope - bad light. The sun was nowhere to be seen on Sunday and the light continued to fluctuate as snow lightly started to come down. This again added a new layer of difficulty for some racers. Radamus on run two was not able to link his turns the way he wanted and ultimately moved down to 15th place overall.  

“It’s frustrating to have to wait another year to come back here but I will be thinking about this one as I go through my training this season to next season.” 

The winner of the day was none other than Swiss phenom Marco Odermatt who claimed his 41st World Cup victory, second place went to first time podium winner Leo Anguenot of France and third place was Norwegian Alexander Steen Olsen. Stifel U.S. Ski Team athlete Tommy Ford did not finish the first run and Isaiah Nelson and Bridger Gile did not qualify for a second run. 

Radamus is now switching gears to slalom on Monday, a discipline he says himself and the rest of the slalom team is ready to conquer. 

RESULTS
men's giant slalom

HOW TO WATCH
Monday, 12/23
Run 1 - 4:00 a.m. ET, - slalom - LIVE on skiandsnowboard.live
Run 2 - 7:30 a.m. ET - slalom - LIVE on skiandsnowboard.live

Saturday, Dec. 21, eight women of the Stifel U.S. Alpine Ski Team started in the first European World Cup of the women’s speed circuit in St. Moritz, Switzerland, led by Lauren Macuga, who finished the day in seventh. Lindsey Vonn had her first race back from retirement and finished in 14th. 

Macuga, affectionately known by Cougs by her team, was the first to experience the ever-changing track. Even though the sun was shining on Saturday, heavy snowfall on Thursday and Friday provided more of a challenge than the women’s field anticipated.

"From the point of view run, it looked like it was going to be easy, and I think the whole field agreed; however, it turned out to be very, very busy," reflected Macuga. "It was challenging. I think the [new] snow added another factor in, and the speeds were a little higher than we expected. You really had to be on your toes and always moving."

That was the message Vonn sent back to her teammates in her course report about her first World Cup race after returning from retirement. The snow was getting choppy and active; aggressive skiing was the only way to conquer the course that saw 11 women in the field DNF.

The Swiss crowd welcomed Vonn back with open arms, roaring their approval as she skied to the finish in 14th. To Vonn, retirement in 2019 is a distant memory; it truly feels like she never left.

"[Ski racing] feels very normal," Vonn said with a smile. "It feels like it always has; it's like second nature to me, and I think the most fun part of ski racing is being in the starting gate and feeling like you have to perform at this moment. I love the pressure, and I love that feeling in your stomach and having to focus. Downhill and super-G are two very special disciplines and I'm so happy that I get to race them again."

Of the women running later in the start list, Tricia Mangan and Keely Cashman broke forward into the point-scoring range. Mangan, wearing bib 44, finished 25th overall. Cashman, in bib 50, finished 30th.

On Sunday, Dec. 22, the women have another shot at the track in St. Moritz, although incoming weather forecasts predict much darker, snowier conditions in contrast to Saturday's clear blue skies. Strong winds and visibility challenges are anticipated, and the team has prepared for a much different day of racing and potential course delays.

RESULTS
Women's super-G

HOW TO WATCH
5:00 am ET - women's super G, St. Moritz, Switzerland - live/on-demand: skiandsnowboard.live

On Saturday’s Val Gardena downhill on the classic Saslong slope, Stifel U.S. Ski Team athlete Ryan Cochran-Siegle landed the Americans yet another podium in third place, just 0.01 off second place. Previous two-time Val Gardena World Cup winner Bryce Bennett also had a strong day, landing in eighth place. 

“It feels good. Gardena is a really challenging hill to ski,” said Cochran-Siegle. “You really never know until you cross the finish line so I was just focusing on carrying the speed as much as possible.” 

The downhill stage was set with a chilly breeze and sunny skies as the downhillers descended upon the Saslong. After the Americans started the weekend off with an incredible super-G performance by Jared Goldberg, one could say there was a calming presence in the air as the classic American performance had already been checked off the day prior. Now it was time to block out the noise and ski downhill the way the Americans know best. 

The course was a touch slower than the training run days due to the new snow from two nights before, which enabled the skiers to become a touch more aggressive with lines, the best times going to those with the most risk. 

Bennett was the first of the Americans to go down the track with bib 11. He was a bit safe on the top but nailed the bottom to come through into third. Cochran-Siegle was right behind him in the green all the way down. He crossed the line into second place by a mere hundredth. But the race was far from over. 

“I don’t feel about today,” laughed Bennett. “I think it was good. I honestly over skied a little bit in the middle section and I think there are times where experience hurts you a little when you expect something different but I am just so stoked for our entire team right now. Goldy on the podium yesterday, Ryan today - our whole team is skiing well. It's cool to see it pay off.” 

Swiss skier Marco Odermatt nailed his run to take the win by almost a half-second from the rest of the field; no one else was close to his time. However, the next hour would be excruciating for Cochran-Siegle as the track got faster for the back of the pack. More than a dozen skiers bumped it into the top 15 from bibs far outside the top 30. Finally, Cochran-Siegle could breathe a sigh of relief when bib 64 crossed the finish line. 

“When I ski my best I keep my skiing very basic and simple,” said Cochran-Siegle. “I think we just enjoy skiing the slope here; we trust that what we do here is the right preparation. It is a special place for us.” 

Teammate Erik Arvidsson also had a promising day in 23rd. He was ecstatic to claim some points as he returned from a knee injury that took him out a year ago. 

“I am super happy after the injury last year to be back in the top 30 since the injury so I am ready to keep working on it,” said Arvidsson. 

The men’s speed team takes on the last series before the new year in Bormio, Italy, Dec. 28-29. 

RESULTS
Men's downhill

The Stifel U.S. Ski Team men’s speed crew added to their storied history in Val Gardena on Friday, as Jared Goldberg claimed his first podium in super-G, just 0.01 off the winning time.

“I was mobbing, I felt fast and skied the way I wanted,” said Goldberg. 

It was a snowy start to the day, with upwards of 15 centimeters of new snow on the track. Despite the new snow, the dedicated course workers worked tirelessly overnight to clear the track, making way for the best super-G skiers in the world. Yet, when race day presented itself, it was not the snow that was a factor but the wind. Wind became a factor throughout the day when it was not snowing, causing variable conditions for many racers. 

The first Stifel U.S. Ski Team athlete to go was Olympic silver medalist Ryan Cochran-Siegle (RCS). Cochran-Siegle set the pace for what seemed to be a solid run. However, about five racers in the speed started to show and many racers came in with the new fastest time. 

Approximately 25 racers, a brief course hold and some snow later, it was time for Goldberg. Goldberg came out of the start on fire. Each split in the green. The crowd was on their feet as the Americans could once again upset the field in Val Gardena, which they've done for years past--it's no secret that the American men have found great success on this track.

Back to the races, Goldberg flew down to cross the line a mere 0.01 hundredth from the win. Despite not claiming the official win, Goldberg, his teammates and the stands cheered as if it were gold. Notably, it was his first podium and career-best result. 

“I am fired up, I skied how I wanted to and everything felt really good,” said Goldberg. “I was able to ski hard and not overthink anything, especially after that brief hold. I was holding a tuck whenever I could.”

Goldberg’s podium marks the 13th podium for Americans in Val Gardena. Due to the track's gliding ability and similarity to free skiing back in the U.S., success is often found here. 

“The key to Gardena is that it is flat with a lot of steep to flats and very close to freeskiing,” said Goldberg. “I grew up free skiing in Utah at Snowbird and I think that background helps here.” 

The victory went to first-time World Cup winner Mattia Casse of Italy and third place to Swiss Marco Odermatt. Teammate Ryan Cochran-Siegle ended up 20th, Erik Arvidsson and Sam Morse landed 31st and 32nd, Wiley Maple 43rd, River Radamus 47th and Bryce Bennett 50th. 

Saturday is the main downhill event. The race that current team member Bryce Bennett won dramatically just last season.

RESULTS
men's super-G

HOW TO WATCH 
Saturday, 12/21
5:45 a.m. ET - downhill - LIVE on skiandsnowboard.live