BEAVER CREEK, CO (Dec. 16, 2024) – CNBC, TOGETHXR and the Stifel U.S. Ski Team partnered to celebrate a historic moment in women's skiing: the inaugural women’s Stifel Birds of Prey race, Dec. 13-15. The event marked the first time women competed on the iconic Birds of Prey downhill, traditionally a men’s World Cup circuit race for the past 27 years.

This groundbreaking occasion brought together the Stifel U.S. Ski Team’s HERoic program, media company TOGETHXR and CNBC’s Senior Media & Technology Correspondent and author of “When Women Lead,” Julia Boorstin, who leads the CNBC Changemakers list. CNBC Changemakers recognizes female leaders who are impacting society, challenging established business practices and driving industry-wide change. TOGETHXR is the fastest growing and most comprehensive platform devoted to women’s sports. The HERoic program, spearheaded by U.S. Ski & Snowboard, is a movement aimed at empowering women in skiing and snowboarding by fostering leadership, inclusivity and opportunity within the sport.

The weekend’s events explored the intersection of women’s leadership in business and sport. CNBC’s Julia Boorstin moderated the event, joined by Olympic champion alpine skier Picabo Street and Olympic champion freestyle skier Hannah Kearney, alongside a distinguished group of top media, music, sports, tech and finance executives from the Lioness Network, a curated community of women executives brought together by LionTree. These leaders engaged in meaningful discussions about advancing opportunities for women and breaking barriers in traditionally male-dominated spaces. The discussions aligned with the mission of CNBC Changemakers, TOGETHXR and the HERoic initiative: to inspire the next generation of women leaders and athletes.

"The inaugural women’s Stifel Birds of Prey is a historic moment for our sport, and we’re thrilled to have CNBC, TOGETHXR and LionTree as partners in celebrating this milestone,” said Sophie Goldschmidt, President and CEO of U.S. Ski & Snowboard. “Collectively, we’re breaking barriers and creating more opportunities for women in sports and in business, inspiring the next generation to chase their dreams."

“We’re excited to partner with U.S. Ski & Snowboard and LionTree for such a significant weekend for women ski racers,” said KC Sullivan, President of CNBC. “As part of our focus at CNBC, we look to share accomplishments of women who lead in business and in sports. This weekend and this partnership perfectly showcased these efforts.” 

"The goal for all of women's sports on and off the field of play has to be to continue to expand the scope of awareness and investment, and the only way to do that is to proactively tell the stories and the opportunity to a larger audience who is looking to both invest and understand the global opportunities," said Betsy Morgan, operating partner and investor of TOGETHXR. "This weekend was the next logical step in expanding the funnel of opportunity through sharing information, and presenting a solid road ahead. Thanks to all who helped bring this together and we are looking forward to more positive growth and engagement going into 2025 and beyond."

“At Cloudflare, we believe that breaking barriers, whether in technology, business, or sport, drives progress,” said Stephanie Cohen, Chief Strategy Officer at Cloudflare, who attended the event. “The inaugural women’s Stifel Birds of Prey race is a groundbreaking moment that showcases the power of excellence. We are proud to stand alongside such incredible athletes and leaders, championing a future where women are empowered to lead and succeed in every arena.”

This collaboration underscores the shared commitment of CNBC, TOGETHXR, the Stifel U.S. Ski Team and LionTree to advancing women’s leadership and visibility in both business and sports, setting the stage for continued innovation and progress in the years to come.

On the final day of the back-to-back Stifel Birds of Prey weekend races, Stifel U.S. Ski Team athlete Lauren Macuga again led the way with a top 15, finishing in 12th in the super-G. Teammates Keely Cashman and Breezy Johnson also scored 21st and 28th. 

“It was really good skiing, but I kept getting late so I was not sure how fast it would be when I came down, so I was excited to see that it was a pretty decent run,” said Macuga. 

The weather finally changed from the non-stop Colorado sunshine to overcast skies, wind and some light snowfall. Regardless, the best women speed skiers in the world were ready to bring it for the super-G. Macuga ran first for the U.S. squad in bib three. Coming off her career-best result in Saturday's downhill, she sent it down the course. Despite getting low and late in a few spots, she took the lead and sat smiling in the leaderboard chair for about five racers. 

“It’s nice because I know I had good skiing. I just wasn't on the line so I know if I had executed better I would have been right in there,” said Macuga. “I knew it was not a podium-contending run but I know what I have to do to get there.” 

The top group of super-G skiers put down high-speed runs with each skier outdoing the other. Ultimately, Italian skier Sofia Goggia claimed the victory, knifing her run to take the win by almost a half-second. Goggia celebrated in style with a short samba dance, reminiscent of the same dance performed by Brazilian skier Lucas Pinheiro Braathen the week before. Swiss skier Lara Gut-Behrami claimed second place with Austrian Ariane Raedler in the third spot. 

The next group of U.S. racers ran after bib 35. Each skier did their best to fight the wind and changing weather conditions to claim some World Cup points. Cashman was one skier who broke through the tough conditions with a stellar run moving from bib 44 to 21st. The fans were brought to their feet as Cashman not only started her season with a bang, but also took home a pretty penny, winning the $5,000 Stifel Bibbo Award.  

“I got pretty lucky with the light. The sun was coming in and out for me and standing in the start for a little while sort of helped me calm down and gave me time to gather my thoughts,” said Cashman. “Some sections felt good and others did not feel great, but super-G can be tricky sometimes where you need to be right on the edge to be super fast.”

Johnson also had a solid performance on Sunday, claiming 28th place. It was her first race back on the circuit in a year, and she was pleased to start off with two World Cup points-scoring results in Beaver Creek. Tricia Mangan, Jackie Wiles, Bella Wright and independent athlete Haley Cutler also raced, placing 37th, 38th, 40th and 42nd, respectively. 

The speed women will now head back to Europe to prepare for a pair of super-G races in St. Moritz, Switzerland where teammate and Olympic champion Lindsey Vonn is poised to make her official World Cup race comeback. 

RESULTS
Women's super-G

Jett Seymour threw down his first point-earning performance in Val d'Isere, France on Sunday, Dec. 15, moving up through the ranks after barely squeaking into the top 30 in the second run, to finish the day in 21st. 

The weather took a turn from Saturday's snowy, dark giant slalom, clearing up for the men's third slalom World Cup of the season. Seymour, who had yet to finish in 24/25,  took full advantage of his opportunity to push out of the start gate in first position second run, and despite making a few mistakes, held it together to glide through the finish in point-scoring position for the first time in Val d'Isere in his career. 

Seven of the top 30 athletes were unable to finish their second run, which played to Seymours advantage, and proved even further how difficult it is to execute and compete on the infamously steep La Face de Bellevedre track. Fourteen athletes were not able to finish their first run, and 14 other athletes did not qualify.

His teammate, River Radamus, who finished 17th in the giant slalom the day before, did not finish his first slalom run. Benjamin (Ben) Ritchie also struggled on his first run and DNF'd. Luke Winters was able to hang on to the finish but did not qualify for a second run.

RESULTS

Men's slalom

The final race of the opening period of the FIS Cross Country World Cup was a true test of endurance, capping off a whirlwind stretch that spanned three countries and three venues. After starting in Ruka, Finland, and continuing through Lillehammer, Norway, the athletes landed in Davos, Switzerland, for one last weekend of racing before a well-earned holiday break. Today, Jessie Diggins and Rosie Brennan put the pieces together to land two top-10 results with a seventh and eighth, respectively, while Gus Schumacher and Zanden McMullen broke the top 30 in 21st and 28th. 

Sunday’s race in Davos was a 20k classic individual start on a newly designed course, widely regarded as one of the most challenging on the circuit. With two consecutive days of racing already in their legs, the athletes faced a grueling final test on a high-altitude course stretching 21k by the end.

The men’s field featured 85 athletes, with six U.S. skiers on the start list: Michael Earnhart, Zak Ketterson, Zanden McMullen, Ben Ogden, Hunter Wonders, and Gus Schumacher.

In the individual start format, it was every man against the clock. Early time checks showed Schumacher and McMullen leading the charge for the Americans, though Norway, France, and Finland set the pace with the fastest splits. By the halfway mark at 11.3k, Schumacher, fresh off an 11th-place finish in the previous day’s skate sprint, was contending for a top-30 result.

The sun shone brightly as the race wore on, and slick tracks tested the skiers’ legs. When the final times came in, Schumacher finished just outside the top 20 in 21st, with McMullen securing 30th. Ogden, who had placed sixth in Saturday’s sprint, was 40th, followed by Ketterson in 42nd, Wonders in 51st, and Earnhart in 59th.

On the podium, Norway’s Martin Løwstrøm Nyenget continued his impressive season with the victory. Finland’s Livo Niskanen claimed second and France’s Hugo Lapalus achieved his first career World Cup podium (outside the Tour de Ski) in third.

The U.S. women’s team consisted of Jessie Diggins, Rosie Brennan, Sydney Palmer-Leger, Alayna Sonnesyn, and Haley Brewster. Diggins and Brennan, who had podiumed in this race last year, once again led the team.

Diggins and Brennan held firm in the top five to ten through the splits, battling a stacked field on a course that pushed everyone to their limits. Athletes struggled with their skis, often opting to step out of the tracks and use herringbone technique on the steepest climbs.

“This weekend was definitely a step in the right direction,” said Brennan. “I’m feeling good about wrapping things up here, taking a breather and refocus and gain speed for the tour.” 

Davos has long been a stronghold for the Americans, particularly Diggins and Brennan. Diggins, a podium regular at this venue, has only finished outside the top 15 twice since 2015, amassing six individual podiums, including a third-place finish in last year’s classic pursuit race. For Brennan, Davos holds special significance: it was here in 2020 that she earned her first World Cup victory in the skate sprint. Since 2018, she has only finished outside the top 15 once and has claimed four individual podiums, including two victories. Sydney Palmer-Leger also had a strong day, finishing in the top 30 for the first time this season in 28th. Brewster was 25th and Sonnesyn 37th. The victor of the day was Norway's Astrid Oeyre Slind, Finland's Kertu Niskanen, and Norway's Therese Johaug in third. 

Looking Ahead
With the Davos races complete, athletes will take a well-deserved holiday break. Some will stay in Europe to experience a European Christmas, while others, including coaching and technician staff members, will return home.

Next up is the iconic Tour de Ski, a season highlight featuring seven races over nine days. This year’s event takes on a revised format, with two stops in Toblach and Val di Fiemme, Italy—host of the 2026 Winter Olympic Games.

Results
Women
Men

It was a historic day for women’s alpine as they took on the Stifel Birds of Prey for the first time in history - but it was also a huge day for Stifel U.S. Ski Team athlete Lauren Macuga as she posted a career-best finish on home turf in fourth place. 

“I am extremely satisfied that this is my top result in the World Cup and I could not be more happy right now,” said Macuga. 

The venue was flooded with fans from around the world as they awaited the runs of the best downhill women skiers. Chants of “U.S.A.!” could be heard from the top of the course as each American took their turn at the famed course. The hill is historically a men’s downhill and the women had their first crack at the very technical and steep downhill on Saturday. Each racer proved that they can handle the same forces and technicality as the men.

The first American to go was Jacqueline Wiles with bib 20. Wiles pushed hard from top to bottom but held onto her edges just a smidge too long and landed in 29th. Macuga was next. At each split Macuga brought the fans to their feet as she skied within a half second of the winner, so close to a podium finish. She punched her hands through the finish to snag fourth place - a new career best. The crowd's roar was enormous as Macuga had the best finish reaction of the whole field. 

“Last year I thought getting 30th place in the World Cup was crushing it, so to start with a fourth is crazy,” said Macuga. 

The key to success on the women’s downhill was taking notes from each training run. Three training runs occurred throughout the week, giving the women ample time to figure out the brand-new track. This new course leveled the playing field in many ways as no one had been on the track before. 

“The first training run was definitely checking it out, second training run I felt like I was holding back a little and by the third training run I was hammering down,” said Macuga. “Today I got over my skis a little more and it worked out!”

Teammate Breezy Johnson also made a statement as she skied solid into the 13th position. Johnson had been off the circuit for a year, refocused and psyched to be back with her team.

“I thought there were sections that were really good for me; there were pieces of this course that were in and out for me today. One of those spots was not great so there are things to fix up,” said Johnson. “I feel really good about my skiing right now and I am feeling confident about the upcoming courses this season.”

Not only was it an exciting day for Macuga and Johnson but their newest teammate Lindsey Vonn, returned to the World Cup by way of fore-running. Vonn gave her course reports to the women up top and cheered them on from the sidelines. 

“I am having so much fun; it feels so amazing to be back here,” said Vonn. 

Ultimately the winner of the first downhill of the season was the previous season’s downhill FIS Crystal Globe winner, Cornelia Huetter, second place was Italian force Sofia Goggia who made her return from injury, third place went to Swiss skier Lara Gut-Behrami. 

Stifel U.S. Ski Team athletes Keely Cashman, Bella Wright, Tricia Mangan and independent athlete Haley Cutler also raced landing in 31st, 35th, 39th and 42nd respectively. 

The weekend continues on Sunday with the women's super-G. 

RESULTS
women's downhill

HOW TO WATCH
Sunday, 12/15
1:00 p.m. ET - super-G - LIVE on Outside TV

The excitement of World Cup cross country skiing lit up the Swiss Alps as eight Americans advanced to the sprint heats in a thrilling evening under the lights, with Jessie Diggins and Ben Ogden both skiing to sixth-place results and two career-best performances by Jack Young in 12th and Alayna Sonnesyn in 22nd. Eight Americans clinched a top 30 result. 

On the second day of racing in Davos, Switzerland, eight Americans qualified to the skate sprint heats, including four women and four men. 

For the women, Diggins, Rosie Brennan, Julia Kern and Sonnesyn put their speed on display, all advancing to heats. Brennan, Sonnesyn and Kern were ultimately knocked out of the quarterfinals, but Sonnesyn still nabbed a career-best individual result. For Diggins, she skied a stellar race and finished sixth overall in the day, skiing through to the final heat. With her result today, Diggins retains her lead in the overall World Cup standings. 

"We're powered by sunshine and mountains," said Brennan when asked about what made today so successful. "It was awesome to see the results today and to have some career bests from Alayna and Jack! And, it was a really solid day. I think we are still not quite where we want to be as a team but we're working on gaining some speed and today was a good step in the right direction! The momentum is there."

On the men’s side, Ben Ogden, Gus Schumacher, JC Schoonmaker and Jack Young moved on to the sprint heats. Ogden and Young Schumacher delivered strong performances, advancing to the semifinals, but Schoonmaker did not advance. 

"It's really awesome to have a big crew advance to the heats," said Ogden. "I think we all ski better when our teammates are there as well. We bounce tactic ideas off each other a lot and are able to learn from each other's experiences. Makes ski racing really fun!"
 

Jack Young, a 21-year-old from Colby College, delivered a career-best performance, finishing 12th. In only his fifth World Cup start, Young showcased his potential by qualifying again for the heats and battling to the end alongside his teammates. To wrap up the results, for the men, Schumacher was 11th, Schoonmaker was 16th, and for women, Brennan was 18th and Kern 28th, respectively. 

"This result means so much," Young said. "One of my biggest goals for the year was to make it to a World Cup semi final, and now I have achieved that. More so, this result gives me so much confidence moving forward skiing heats at the highest level. I’m always a little bit scared to take it out hard in sprint heats, but today was a real confidence boost." 

"It was really cool to see so many USA athletes in the heats today," reflected Schmacher. "It's great to see JC back in form and Jack proving to everyone that he's ready to be here and show up. And for Ben - he got us through! As for me, for the second sprint of the season - it's great to be back and nice to know i'm still sprinting well!"

With Diggins leading the overall World Cup standings, two career bests from Young and Sonnesyn and eight athletes advancing to the heats, the U.S. squad continues to make its mark on the international stage and is putting together the momentum each race day. Tomorrow, the team is back at it for the Davos 20k classic. Watch LIVE on skiandsnowboard.live. 

RESULTS
Women
Men

River Radamus and Tommy Ford muscled through rapidly deteriorating conditions on Saturday, Dec. 14, at the infamously difficult La Face de Bellavarde track in Val d’Isere, France to finish back to back in 17th and 18th in their return to the European World Cup circuit.

Ford's result is his first top 20 of the season after a DNF in Beaver Creek and finishing 21st in Soelden. A finish in 18th is promising forward motion, especially after skiing the seventh-fastest second run of the day, over a second faster than the day’s winner, Switzerland’s Marco Odermatt. 

Granted, Ford was fortunate to have some of the last good light on the course, running earlier in the start list, given his first run finish in 25th. Nonetheless, he skied on the cleaner side despite the bumpy ride from start to finish and put together enough fast turns to move up seven positions and into 18th. 

“With the sun out, I know I didn’t take enough full advantage of the conditions; I had some strong skiing for sections, and then I would put on the brakes,” explained Ford. “In the end, I lucked out and got a decent result. It got really dark and gnarly there at the end. The snow was much grippier than expected and broke down a fair amount, making it tough for the guys in the back.”

As inclement weather rolled in, visibility began to deteriorate. Snow and dark, flat light eventually prompted the venue to turn on the stadium lights, and the event started to resemble a night race in broad “daylight.” 

Radamus got caught in the middle of the light transition, not far enough back in the start list to be fully thrown to the wolves but running late enough to have a completely different on-course experience than his teammate. Radamus finished his first run in 12th and had hoped to muscle forward to match or best his seventh-place result in the Beaver Creek giant slalom the week before, but could not put down the results he wanted to and ended the day in 17th.

“La Face de Bellevarde is always the most difficult GS track on the circuit, and it really separates good skiing from great skiing, and I didn’t quite have enough today,” reflected Radamus. “It was a bumpy, rattly, icy surface, combined with low visibility, that made it particularly difficult to execute your skiing. I didn’t execute the way I wanted to but I thought I made some pretty good recoveries and was able to scrap out two okay runs despite it all.” 

After Radamus, conditions soon became worse. The rest of the field made their way down the track, and a few of the athletes racing for a top stop came down, shaking their heads and cursing in the finish after being put in dangerous visibility circumstances against a crumbling surface. Whereas others, such as Odermatt, seemed unbothered by the challenge, noting in his interview with FIS that to him, winter is defined by dark, snowy weather, so those tough conditions are where he thrives. In the end, the second and third positions on the podium were swept by Austria’s Patrick Feurstein and Stefan Brennsteiner.

"The conditions were tough for everybody out there," added Radamus. "Certainly, some people got better light than others, and it's [already] a difficult track, especially when you can’t see the surface. The guys who got good visibility took advantage, but that’s ski racing. There are plenty of guys that had bad visibility and were able to muscle through some pretty good runs, too."

Snow is forecasted throughout the rest of the day in Val d’Isere. However, the weather forecast predicts a partly sunny day on Sunday, Dec. 14, when the men’s slalom is set to occur. Starters for the Stifel U.S. Ski Team include Luke Winters, Ben Ritchie, and Jett Seymour.

RESULTS

Men's giant slalom

HOW TO WATCH

4:00 a.m. ET - men's slalom, run 1, Val D'Isere, France - LIVE: skiandsnowboard.live, On Demand: skiandsnowboard.live

Park City, UT - (Dec. 12, 2024) – U.S. Ski & Snowboard, Stifel and NBC Sports formally announce the return of the Stifel Snow Show, premiering on Saturday, Dec. 14, at 2:30 p.m. ET on CNBC. Airing weekly through the end of the 2024-25 World Cup season, the second season of the Stifel Snow Show will take fans deeper into competitive skiing and snowboarding, sharing athlete stories that go far beyond the snow.

This season focuses on the journeys of some of the world’s best winter athletes, offering a “beyond the bib” perspective. Each episode will feature one of the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Team’s top athletes, including Mikaela Shiffrin, two-time Olympic gold medalist and the winningest alpine skier of all time, Olympic gold medalists Alex Hall and Jessie Diggins and some of the sports’ legends, like Picabo Street, Jonny Moseley and more. 

The Stifel Snow Show continues to bring fans unparalleled access to every sport on the FIS World Cup circuit, including alpine skiing, snowboarding, freeskiing, cross country and more. Hosted by NBC Sports’ Ahmed Fareed and Cara Banks, the show blends in-depth analysis, recaps of the week’s action and interviews with athletes and experts.

“We are excited to bring season two of the Stifel Snow Show back,” said Sophie Goldschmidt, President and CEO of U.S. Ski & Snowboard. “This season, we’re more focused on further elevating the profile of skiing and snowboarding in the U.S. and showcasing our amazing athlete stories on a bigger scale. We’re grateful to be able to do this with our long-time partners NBC and Stifel, and know that by working together, we’re continuing to elevate our sports and athletes to the masses.”

“With the Milan Cortina Olympics just a little more than a year away, we’re excited to partner with the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Team to present a second season of the Stifel Snow Show,” said Joe Gesue, Senior Vice President, NBC Olympics & Paralympics, Programming & Executive Editor. “Viewers will be able to follow the rich stories and thrilling achievements of these incredible athletes on a weekly basis as they continue their journey toward the Olympic Games.”

The Stifel Snow Show premieres on CNBC on Saturday, Dec. 14, at 2:30 p.m. ET. Episodes will be released weekly on Saturdays through March 29. They will be available across multiple platforms, including Peacock, NBC Sports’ YouTube and U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s YouTube channels. 

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NBC Sports’ Stifel Snow Show 2024-25 Schedule on CNBC

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 

About NBC Sports
NBC Sports connects sports fans to the moments that matter most with premier live events, insightful studio shows, and compelling original programming. As the sports division of NBCUniversal, NBC Sports produces, programs, and promotes premier content across numerous linear and digital platforms, including NBC and Peacock. NBC Sports possesses an unparalleled collection of media rights agreements, partnering and presenting many of the most prestigious sports properties in the world: the International Olympic Committee, International Paralympic Committee, United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee, the NFL, NBA, WNBA, Big Ten Conference, Notre Dame, NASCAR, PGA TOUR, USGA, PGA of America, The R&A, Churchill Downs, Premier League, and many more. It is renowned for making big events bigger and has produced some of the most-watched sporting events in U.S. media history, including Olympic Games, Super Bowls, and Sunday Night Football, primetime television’s No. 1 show for 13 consecutive years.

About Stifel Financial Corp.
Stifel Financial Corp. (NYSE: SF) is a financial services holding company headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, that conducts its banking, securities, and financial services business through several wholly owned subsidiaries. Stifel’s broker-dealer clients are served in the United States through Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated, including its Eaton Partners and Miller Buckfire business divisions; Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, Inc.; and Stifel Independent Advisors, LLC; and in the United Kingdom and Europe through Stifel Nicolaus Europe Limited. The Company’s broker-dealer affiliates provide securities brokerage, investment banking, trading, investment advisory, and related financial services to individual investors, professional money managers, businesses, and municipalities. Stifel Bank and Stifel Bank & Trust offer a full range of consumer and commercial lending solutions. Stifel Trust Company, N.A. and Stifel Trust Company Delaware, N.A. offer trust and related services. To learn more about Stifel, please visit the Company’s website at www.stifel.com.

The stage was set this morning in Steinach am Brenner, Austria for the first Para alpine World Cup of the season, where Andrew Kurka led the way for the Stifel U.S. Para Alpine Ski Tea, finishing fourth in super-G. 

It was a beautiful bluebird day with a perfect compact racing surface to kick off the season in Austria. The women started the action, and Saylor O’Brien put down a consistent run to finish fifth overall in her first World Cup start in over a year. 

On the men’s side, Kurka finished just 0.6 seconds off the podium in fourth place in the men’s sitting class. Matthew Brewer was just behind, finishing eighth. Patrick Halgren shined in the men’s standing classification, earning one of his best World Cup finishes in fifth. 

“It feels like the universe is conspiring to help me achieve my dreams! To start this well is an omen that means there is more to come; Para alpine is such a commitment-based sport, so anything that boosts confidence is huge,” said Halgren. “[Moving forward] I’ll be focusing on consistency, and that starts with mobility. Health is wealth, and I’m going to be rich when I’m covered in gold!!”

Spencer Wood ended the day in 16th, followed by Andrew Haraghey in 17th, Jesse Keefe in 18th, and Tyler McKenzie 20th. 

Next up, the team takes on alpine combined tomorrow, Dec. 12 in Steinach am Brenner starting at 4:00 a.m. ET.

RESULTS
Men
Women

On the final day of men’s racing in Beaver Creek, Colorado, Stifel U.S. Ski Team athlete River Radamus snagged his second top 10 of the weekend with a seventh in the Stifel Birds of Prey giant slalom. 

“First run I felt really good about my skiing and that’s a really good indication I was playing it too safe,” said Radamus. “Second run I knew I had to throttle down, made a couple more mistakes but I know I pushed harder.” 

The conditions could not be more perfect on Sunday as the weekend turned to tech for the first Stifel Birds of Prey giant slalom since 2019. The sun was shining bright overhead, and the surface on the giant slalom course was unmatched. The international crowd packed the stands awaiting the event to unfold.

On the first run the sun was in and out as the course, proving to be a challenge for the allotment of racers. Running at 1 minute and 20 seconds, it was a long course and racers fatigued as they crossed the finish line. Radamus skied a strong race, but did not push enough to find the top 10 first run, finishing 14th. Global Racing and U.S. skier Patrick Kenney ran bib 42 and skied a near-perfect run to shoot himself up to the 21st position. 

“I mean the snow does not get better than what he had today,” said Radamus. “The course conditions have been phenomenal so that means everyone is taking it to the next level.”

On the second run, Radamus had a plan and was ready to execute. While he was holding back a touch at the top of the run, he let it rip near the bottom, claiming the top position for a few racers. He was greeted by a roar of American fans, as he sat in the leaderboard chair. Radamus ultimately ended up seventh, jumping up seven spots from his first run. 

“It was great to sit in the leader's chair for a little bit and give the home crowd something to root for,” said Radamus. 

Thomas Tumler of Switzerland claimed his first World Cup win with Brazil’s Lucas Pinheiro Braathen in second place - his first podium since his return to the sport. Third place was Slovenia’s Zan Kranjec. 

Kenney unfortunately did not finish the second run. Isaiah Nelson skied solidly but did not find the top 30. Tommy Ford, Bridger Gile and Ryder Sarchett did not finish but are all ok. 

Sunday’s giant slalom marked the end of the busy weekend for the Stifel Birds of Prey. The men’s tech and speed teams all head back to Europe as they prepare for the remainder of the alpine season. The speed team will head to Val Gardena, Italy, while the tech team will head to Val d’Isere, France. 

The Stifel Birds of Prey venue will now prepare for the women in just a few days as they ski the famed downhill course for the first time ever. 

RESULTS 
Men's giant slalom