The classic sprint was on the program for the second of three races Les Rousses, France and today's race provided an electric day, highlighted by JC Schoonmaker in fifth place and Ben Ogden in ninth. The atmosphere was electric as the course buzzed with cheers and cowbells, even chainsaws, as the French crowd came out for the second day of racing. 

The qualifier round started the day, with the top 30 times advancing to the sprint heats. Ogden delivered a masterclass in sprint racing, asserting his dominance from qualification to the semifinals. Starting strong, Ogden clinched the top qualification spot in only the way he could - this is his second sprint of the season, where he won the qualifying race. In his first quarterfinal heat, he controlled the pace from start to finish, finding his rhythm early and skiing with purpose.

The semifinal heat showcased Ogden’s tacticality. Setting a blistering pace from the start, he drafted on the downhills and surged on the climbs. In the challenging horseshoe turn leading into the finish lane, Ogden won his quarterfinal heat, securing a spot in the semis.

Then, it was Schoonmaker’s turn. In the semifinals heat, Schoonmaker was similar to Ogden in that he had an agenda for the day: to make it to the sprint finals. 

“It felt great to be back in the final and race on that stage again,” said Schoonmaker. “A bit of nerves and excitement but I felt like I belonged."

“I’m super proud of some of the moves I made on the downhills today. My goal was to race with instinct and Mario kart those downhills so I’m proud to have executed that!”

Facing tough competition in the fourth heat, which included France’s favorite, Lucas Chanavat, Schoonmaker’s double-pole power shone on the final stretch. Finishing third in his heat, Schoonmaker’s fast time earned him a coveted lucky loser spot in the next round. 

It was all Schoonmaker into the final, with Ogden not advancing into the finals. With him surrounded by the Norwegians, Schoonmaker put together a strong race and ultimately finished fifth on the day - his season-best performance. Ogden was ninth. Other Americans included Zak Ketterson, who finished the day in 21st, a solid performance for the Minnesota native. Luke Jager was 39th, Murphy Kimball, an up-and-coming star on the team skiing in his first international World Cup, was 42nd, and Jack Young was 45th. The ultimate podium of the day was Edvin Anger of Sweden, who clinched his career-first podium, Ansgar Evensen of Norway, and Erik Valnes of Norway. 

For the women, Jessie Diggins, Rosie Brennan and Alayna Sonnesyn represented the stars and stripes. Brennan was the sole American to advance through to the rounds. Brennan was 26th on the day, not advancing out of the quarterfinal rounds. Sonnesyn was 38th and Diggins 40th. The podium went to Kristine Staves Skirted of Norway, Maja Dahlqvist of Sweden and Jonna Sundling of Sweden. 

Tomorrow is the final day of racing in Les Rousses, with the 20k classic mass start. 

On Saturday’s downhill in Wengen on the classic Lauberhornrennen, Bryce Bennett led the way for the Stifel U.S. Ski Team men with a sixth-place finish. Ryan Cochran-Siegle was not far behind in 11th, with Sam Morse in 15th and Jared Goldberg in 16th. 

“Sixth is good,” said Bennett. “At this point in my career, I want to win this downhill so badly and I thought today was a good position but it's tough because you make one little mistake in the ‘s’ turn and it’s hard to get it back.”

The men were firing today after an unusual start to the day. The inspection was pushed back to a mere 30-minute window as winds caused massive delays at the top of what ended up being a very long day of men’s downhill. Despite the weather, the race was able to start from the top, making it the longest men’s downhill of the season. 

Ryan Cochran-Siegle ran a few bibs before Bennett and was looking to capture the speed he found in training run two. Despite his best effort, Cochran-Siegle fell short in a few sections, settling for another 11th place. Bennett ran bib 14 just after Swiss phenom Marco Odermatt skied to what would be his winning run. 

However, Bennett gave him something to worry about. On the top half of the course, Bennett was in the green up until the middle but made one little mistake that would end up costing him more. In the end, he skied to sixth place - a strong result for the veteran. 

“Overall there are a lot of good things and good skiing in there moving forward," said Bennett. "I have not really been racing my best yet so I'm finding that rhythm still. I am building more and more confidence. There were a few times where I was not anticipating the speed to be that high but I managed it alright I thought." 

Sam Morse also had a great day and landed in 15th place. Jared Goldberg showed his speed coming up from bib 34 to 16th place as well. The U.S. men showed their speed, making a statement before they head to the famed Hahnenkammrennen in Kitzbuhel next weekend. They're hungry for so much more. 

“It’s good but it's not enough, especially with this talent right now. I am excited to move forward to the next races,” said Bennett. 

Odermatt took the win, while second place went to Swiss youngster Franjo Von Allmen with Slovenian Miha Rhobat in third. 

RESULTS
Men's downhill

On Saturday’s Cortina World Cup downhill, Stifel U.S. Ski Team athlete Jackie Wiles showed her talent on the hill again placing seventh - a season high for the downhiller.

It was another sunny and gorgeous day in the Italian Dolomites, and the women’s downhill field came in ready to compete. The surface could not have been more perfect with not even a dent in the snow after two training runs.

The track is famed for its steep sections, rollers and terrain elements, making it a true test of speed and technicality. Wiles ran with bib one and had a solid game plan to execute her day. She pushed hard over the terrain and every jump to find herself in the top 10. 

“It felt like a solid run. I really needed a solid result this season so I am really happy with the run that I put down,” said Wiles. “It is typical amazing Cortina with the surface great and a lot of terrain that flows super well. This is such a classic track we love it here and it is so nice to be here before the Olympics.” 

Numerous Stifel U.S. Ski Team women also landed in the points. St. Anton’s super-G winner Lauren Macuga had a solid day in 16th. Lindsey Vonn was skiing well but had a mistake at the end of her run and landed in 20th. Breezy Johnson was also skiing extremely fast but unfortunately got low in a few places and ended up 22nd. Finally Keely Cashman landed 28th place. She also claimed the Stifel Bibbo Award for her jump from bib 44. 

“It was really fun. It is so nice to be back here and it is probably the most fun downhill,” said Vonn. “I am a little bit disappointed with my mistake today. I think I was poised for another top five result but you know that’s what happens in ski racing. I don't have a ton of time in downhill gates and there has been a lot going on so I am trying to get into a good rhythm.” 

The Italian fans sure had something to cheer about as Sofia Goggia dominated the field, taking the win in Cortina by 0.42 seconds. She was joined by fellow Italian racehorse Federica Brignone in third place. Second place was snagged by Norwegian Kajsa Lie. 

The women will now set their sights on super-G. It is going to be an exciting race as the weather and surface are expected to once again be in top tier condition. 

RESULTS
Women's downhill
 

HOW TO WATCH 
5:00 a.m. ET - women's super-G, Cortina, ITA - skiandsnowboard.live

Jessie Diggins and Ben Ogden put on quite the show today in the first of three races in Les Rousses, France with Ogden in third and Diggins taking home her 25th career World Cup victory. 

Les Rousses, France is always a fun stop on the World Cup tour. The French fans come out in droves, the course is challenging and most importantly, the athletes are rested after a week off. 

Today’s 10k skate challenged all. A course with transitional downhills, steep poppy uphills and little rest, it was all gas from start to finish. With the interval start format, it was athlete against the clock. 

The men kicked things off with 57 men on the start list. The U.S. crew was led by Ogden, Kevin Bolger, Hunter Wonders and JC Schoonmaker. 

For Ogden, it was all gas, no brakes - his specialty. Some would say it’s difficult to find the balance of distance and sprint skiing - many athletes are specialists in one, yet Ogden is joining the ranks of skiers who can do both. Just last season, he clinched his first-ever World Cup podium in the skate sprint during the beginning stages of the Tour de Ski. Plagued by illness that took him out of the rest of the season, Ogden entered this season with high expectations and a “master plan” he looked to follow. After the Tour, Ogden graded the first half of his season. 

“It was a B+,” said Ogden. “I am happy with many performances but still was hoping to be a little stronger in certain ones.” 

Today, he was stronger. 

In the first splits of the race, Ogden was the one to beat — some would say he had near-perfect pacing. 

“I am really psyched with today, that was incredible. Really fired up to get on the podium and really excited to round out the sprint and distance third places - now I just need to get some classic results in there!”

Alongside Ogden was Bolger, who returned to the World Cup with a 28th place result, a solid distance result for the veteran. Schoonmaker was just outside of the top 30 in 31st and Wonders was 48th. The ultimate winner of the day went to Iver Tildheim Andersen of Norway and Paal Goldberg in second. 

For the women, the sentiment was the same. Diggins was the fastest out of the gate, pushing a pace no one could catch. Through the time check at the middle section of the race, her pace held steady over Norway's Astrid Slind and continued to increase over Sweden's Frida Karlsson and Germany's Victoria Carl.

Sophia Laukli had her own race and put up splits that challenged Diggins and the rest of the World Cup field. Laukli, a specialist in distance skate races, especially those with climbs, was on fire. Across the line, Laukli spent some time in the leader's chair before other races came in and ultimately finished the day in eighth place, a solid result. The rest of the U.S. women had strong races, including Luci Anderson of the U.S. Biathlon Team, who started her first-ever FIS Cross Country World Cup, crossing the line in 21st, with Brennan not far behind in 28th. Sonnesyn was 34th. 

“I'm just so happy,” said Diggins, post race. “I was super inspired by Ben this morning and the rest of the boys, and it got me really fired up to race today. Overall, it was a really good day and I just raced with my whole heart!” 

"Today was definitely a bit of a confidence boost I needed," said Laukli. "I actually felt more like myself racing so that’s all I can ask. Results wise I’m happy but I know I can still be moving up so it was definitely motivating to be back in the mix and close to the podium."

With today’s victory, Diggins continues her lead in the overall World Cup rankings and clinches her 25th World Cup victory of her career and fourth victory of the 2024-25 season. 

Saturday, the team is back at it for the classic sprint. Watch LIVE on skiandsnowboard.live, with heats starting at 8:45 a.m. ET. 

RESULTS
Women
Men

The Laax Open is one of the most anticipated World Cups of the slopestyle season and it's not hard to see why. Laax, Switzerland has a beautiful background in the Swiss Alps, a consistently creative course and always draws a great crowd.

The competition set up in Laax is also innovative, with the men's field having a qualifier, semifinal and final event throughout the week. Six of nine American men made it through qualifications and into the semifinals - Alex Hall, Colby Stevenson, Mac Forehand, Konnor Ralph, Troy Podmilsak and Hunter Henderson.

Four of the six Stifel U.S. Freeski Team members made it through the semifinals and into finals - Hall, Forehand, Stevenson and Podmilsak. Stevenson was the top qualifier, with Hall second and Forehand third.

After run one, Forehand was sitting in the top spot with Hall close behind in second. Norway's Birk Ruud had a beautiful second run, putting him in first, Forehand in second and Hall in third. Forehand and Hall had great second runs but couldn't put something down cleaner than run one. The final results were Ruud in first, Forehand second and Hall third.

Forehand reflected on the competition, saying, "Today was incredible! Showed up this morning and knew instantly that it was going to be a perfect day. Zero wind, tons of sun and not a cloud in the sky. Did some of the best skiing I’ve done over the whole week and felt really good to put down the run I wanted to do and get on the podium."

Stevenson finished the day in ninth with creative and unique runs, just not clean enough to threaten the podium. Podmilsak finished in 12th.

On the women's side, Marin Hamill was the sole American who made it through qualifications. Marin finished sixth in finals, with China's Eileen Gu on top, Canada's Megan Oldham in second and Switzerland's Mathilde Gremaud in third.

Coach Ryan Wyble was proud of the team today, saying, "I'm super hyped for Mac and Alex to end up on the podium. The level of skiing was crazy high with perfect conditions and an epic course, so it was a great show from everyone. Marin had a solid week and laid down a super stylish run for sixth which was great to see from her at her second comp back since the Olympics. The whole team skied well on the challenging course here all week."

Next up for many of the Stifel U.S. Freeski Team is X Games in Aspen, Colorado starting Jan. 23, 2025.

RESULTS
Women
Men

Stifel U.S. Ski Team athlete Ryan Cochran-Siegle showed strong skiing in Friday’s super-G race in Wengen, Switzerland, finishing in 11th place.

Cochran-Siegle was just shy of the top 10, a testament to his consistency and skill in one of the most demanding disciplines on the World Cup circuit. The speed skier was coming off two solid downhill training runs the days before.

"Overall I am happy with my skiing today," said Cochran-Siegle. "It was a little bit hard starting later in the seed with the track as it got pretty bumpy but I liked how I skied and I felt like I was driving in the turn had a good race mentality."

It was a classic sunny and gorgeous afternoon in the Swiss Alps with the speed men all vying to stand atop the podium at one of the classic speed tracks. Cochran-Siegle ran with bib 18 and had ample time to hear the reports on conditions to figure out his ideal line. 

"It is a long track but there are only a few sections you really have to nail so taking that experience with me for tomorrow," added Cochran-Siegle. "It is also my best super-G result so far this season and it just shows that you have to ski really solid top to bottom."

Stifel U.S. Ski Team teammates Sam Morse, River Radamus and Bryce Bennett also found themselves in the super-G points in 27th, 29th and 30th, respectively. Jared Goldberg, Kyle Negomir and Wiley Maple also raced and ended up in 36th, 38th and 45th. 

The Swiss continued to show their depth as young Franjo Von Allmen claimed his first World Cup win, with Austrian veteran Vincent Kreichmayr in second and Swiss Stefan Rogentin in third. 

The men will switch gears to downhill on the longest downhill track in the world. The men posted some strong training runs and are sure to push hard on Saturday. 

"For downhill, I have good confidence and know that I can create speed when I am committed. The conditions look great so I am hoping for the best," said Cochran-Siegle. 

The men will be racing at 6:30 a.m. ET. Watch live and demand on skiandsnowboard.live. 

RESULTS
Men's super-G

Park City, UT (Jan. 16, 2025) - In partnership with Steamboat Ski Resort and the International Ski & Snowboard Federation (FIS), U.S. Ski & Snowboard announces that the FIS Para Snowboard World Cup is coming back to the U.S. for the first time since 2017 for a set of snowboard cross races in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, Feb. 25-27. Along with the two World Cup races, the event will feature three NorAm Cup races and the U.S. Para Snowboard Championships. 

"We’re thrilled to welcome the FIS Para Snowboard World Cup back to the United States for the first time in nearly a decade,” said Sophie Goldschmidt, President & CEO of U.S. Ski & Snowboard. “Hosting this event at Steamboat Ski Resort not only highlights the incredible talent of our Para snowboard athletes but also underscores our commitment to growing the sport and creating more opportunities for fans to experience the excitement of World Cup competition on home snow.”

“Steamboat has a long history of supporting world class athletes and competitions, so it’s only fitting to have the Para Snowboard World Cup’s return to the states be in Steamboat,” said Dave Hunter, president and CEO of Steamboat Ski & Resort Corporation. “The way this community rallies around athletes, I know the competitors will feel how magical it is to compete in Steamboat. We can’t wait to celebrate all the athletes, especially the US competitors and Noah Elliott who has long ties with Steamboat.” 

Due to World Cup cancelations earlier in the season in Europe, an additional stop was needed to fill the snowboard cross schedule. This is the first time that many U.S. athletes will have the opportunity to race on the World Cup level in the United States.

“This will be my first time competing in a World Cup on home snow, and I am beyond thrilled. I will be able to have family in attendance who have never had the chance to see me compete,” said two-time Paralympic medalist and 2024 overall Crystal Globe winner Noah Elliott. “Steamboat truly holds a special place in my heart. It was the first place I ever visited in Colorado, my first time laying eyes on mountains, and my first time ever on a snowboard. I see no better fit for a venue to bring the first FIS Para Snowboard World Cup back home since 2017.”

The Para Snowboard World Cup at Steamboat demonstrates U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s commitment to grow the visibility of its athletes and sports through increasing domestic competition opportunities. By showcasing elite World Cup competition on home snow, U.S. Ski & Snowboard hopes to inspire future generations of Para snowboarding athletes.

The Toyota U.S. Para Snowboard Team is the best in the world, winning both Nations Cups last season along with six individual Crystal Globes. The 2024-25 season has already been a success for the U.S., recording four World Cup podiums at the first stop in Landgraaf, Netherlands. The team will take on their first snowboard cross events of the season this weekend in Pyhä, Finland, Feb. 18-19. 

SCHEDULE
Feb. 25 // World Cup, NorAm
Feb. 26 // World Cup, NorAm
Feb. 27 // NorAm, U.S. Championships

###

About U.S. Ski & Snowboard

U.S. Ski & Snowboard is the Olympic and Paralympic National Governing Body of ski and snowboard sports in the USA, based in Park City, Utah. Started in 1905, the organization now represents nearly 240 elite skiers and snowboarders competing on 10 teams: alpine, cross country, freestyle moguls, freestyle aerials, snowboard, freeski, nordic combined, ski jumping, Para alpine and Para snowboard. In addition to the elite teams, U.S. Ski & Snowboard also provides leadership and direction for tens of thousands of young skiers and snowboarders across the USA, encouraging and supporting them in achieving excellence. By empowering national teams, clubs, coaches, parents, officials, volunteers and fans, U.S. Ski & Snowboard is committed to the progression of its sports, athlete success and the value of team. For more information, visit www.usskiandsnowboard.org 

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT
Loryn Duke - Steamboat Ski Resort, Director of Communications, lduke@steamboat.com 
Ryan Odeja - Toyota U.S. Para Snowboard Team Press Officer, ryan.odeja@usskiandsnowboard.org 

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Under the lights at the women’s classic night slalom in Flachau, Austria, Stifel U.S. Ski Team athlete Paula Moltzan led the charge for the team in sixth place. Nina O’Brien also posted her first slalom points of the season in 20th, respectively. 

“I am happy I feel like I found a little piece of me again which has been missing for a few weeks,” said Moltzan. 

It was a perfect night for the slalom, with Austrian crowds in full force lining the sides of the hill. The World Cup athletes gave the fans something to cheer for, met with solid conditions and a long slalom course set. On run one, Austrian Katharina Liensberger blew the field away by almost a second up from the second-place position. Moltzan ran 15 and was on pace with the winning time, setting a strong pace through all sections of the course. Despite a minor bobble, Moltzan kept her time within the top 10. 

Hurt and O’Brien also showed strong skiing in the first run, with O’Brien going up from bib 45 to 21st, with Hurt in 20th. 

The second run course set was nice and smooth for the women. Hurt and O’Brien ran back-to-back, making way for an exciting few minutes of racing. When she finished, O’Brien was just off the pace but still landed nicely into fifth place. Hurt was pushing hard but unfortunately fell and did not finish.

“I am very happy to score my first slalom point of the season,” said O’Brien. “There have definitely been some tough days in slalom so I feel relieved and satisfied.”  

Finally, it was time for Moltzan. With roars from the immense crowd of 20,000, Moltzan skied aggressively over the tricky rollers on the hill with a commanding green light at each split and crossed the finish line in the green. She immediately skied up to her crew of Moltzan family and friends before being welcomed into the finish by her teammates. Moltzan settled for sixth place - a great day for the Minnesota native. 

“It feels really good to do this at night and with my family here," said Moltzan. "I obviously still have a lot to go but we are getting closer to where I want to be. A green light always feels good so to see that green was amazing.”

Ultimately the win went to Swiss Camille Rast and second place to Swiss Wendy Holdener. Third place went to Swedish skier Sara Hector. 

Katie Hensien of the Stifel U.S. Ski Team also raced but did not finish the first run. Independent skier Kendahl Roufa landed in 49th on the first run. The women’s tech team will switch gears to giant slalom next Tuesday, Jan. 21, in Kronplatz, Italy. 

RESULTS
Women's slalom

It was another strong top-10 performance for Stifel U.S. Ski Team athlete River Radamus, landing in 10th place in the classic Adelboden giant slalom race. 

The crowd could not be more loud and electric as the best giant slalom skiers in the world took to the slope on Sunday. It was an atypical schedule this season as the slalom fell on the normal giant slalom Saturday due to poor weather conditions. Nonetheless the crowd was just as animated and electric as if it were a Saturday. 

The U.S. men threw three in the top 30 after run one with a strong run by Tommy Ford, who sat in 13th. Radamus struggled to find the rhythm and ended up in 19th. Independent skier Patrick Kenney also had a good run, moving from bib 41 to 26th place.

The course sets between the two runs could not be more different. The first run was extremely turny and exhausting, while the second run showed more speed -- favoring those who do both giant slalom and super-G. Radamus had a swift second run that ultimately led him to a 10th place position. Kenney landed in 21st overall, while Ford unfortunately did not finish.

“Today I am not completely satisfied, but excited about my second run,” said Radamus. “As always the last pitch was challenging and it was a place to separate time-wise. I was proud of my second run and overall much better performance. I will take that into Wengen. Hoping to soon put down two good runs in a row.”

The Swiss had something to cheer about as Marco Odermatt once again claimed the victory. Second place went to his teammate Loic Meillard and third place was handed to Italian Luca De Aliprandini. 

Next the Stifel U.S. Ski Team men’s giant slalom team will head to Schladming January 28 for a night race, while the speed team and slalom racers will move to Wengen for a downhill, super-G and slalom January 17-19.

RESULTS
Men's giant slalom