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Olympic Homecoming for Corning, Fifth in Beijing Big Air

By Sadie Texer - Hydro Flask U.S. Snowboard Team
December, 1 2024
big air

The FIS Park & Pipe World Cup returned to Beijing’s iconic Shougang Park for the second big air competition of the 2024-25 season. Eighty-one riders looked to throw down against the backdrop of the former steel mill, the site of the 2022 Beijing Olympic Winter Games big air Olympic venue.

Saturday, Nov. 30, qualifications featured a young American squad of seven Hydro Flask U.S. Snowboard Team rookies. In her first World Cup start, 15-year-old Lily Dhawornvej proved her place on the World Cup stage by stomping all three of her runs - a back 7 stalefish, front 7 indy and back 9 stalefish - and finished the contest with an impressive 13th place finish. Dhawornvej was joined by Hahna Norman, who followed up her first-career 1080 in competition at last month’s Big Air Chur with a respectable 17th-place finish amongst a field of heavy hitters.

On the men’s side, Brooklyn Depriest and Fynn Bullock finished within the top 30 - an impressive feat in a stacked field of riders, with only five from each heat moving on to finals. Returning to the same venue where he landed the first quad-cork in Olympic history, veteran and team captain Chris Corning punched his ticket to the big show with a fifth-place qualification finish.

With the most big air World Cup wins amongst the field of active riders, Corning’s experience was evident and he showed composure under pressure by landing all three of his runs under the lights in Beijing. An impressive combo of a back 18 melon and two front 18 melons earned him fifth place.

It was a wild and historic night as Italy’s Ian Matteoli stomped the first-ever 2160 in competition, but he was edged out for the win by Japan’s Hiroto Ogiwara by a mere four points. On home soil, China’s Wenlong Yang earned his first World Cup podium with a third-place result to round out the top 3.

The Hydro Flask U.S. Snowboard Slopestyle Team returns stateside to train at Idaho’s Soldier Mountain before heading out for a pair of big air competitions at the start of the new year.

RESULTS
Men
Women

 

Malacinski 13th in World Cup Opener

By USA Nordic
December, 1 2024
Niklas
Niklas Malacinski competes in Ruka, FIN. (NordicFocus).

The men’s U.S. Nordic Combined Team kicked off the 2024-25 World Cup season in Ruka, Finland, this weekend with exciting performances, including a top-five jump, two athletes in the top 20 overall, a new PR and all four men scoring World Cup points.

The weekend consisted of three events, each with a different format and some fast, exhilarating ski races. Thursday, Nov. 28, was a double PCR, or Provisional Competition Round, part of every event as a back-up in case jumping is canceled on the day of competition. Niklas Malacinski got the world’s attention with a jump of 126.5 meters, landing him in fifth place overall.

Friday’s race was the Individual Compact Large Hill HS142, a 7.5k ski race with start times compacted into a tighter window. This makes for a more exciting ski race that typically benefits fast skiers, of which the U.S. men are ranked. All four U.S. men landed in the top 40, with Erik Lynch scoring his first World Cup points: Malacinski 21, Loomis 25, Schumann 33, Lynch 40.

Malacinski made headlines again in Saturday’s race when he held tight with the second lead pack to finish in 13th place.  This was another Gundersen Large Hill HS142 with a 10k ski race this time. Malacinski jumped 126 meters, which landed him in 12th place after ski jumping, and he followed that up with an incredible ski, sticking with the best athletes in the world to finish 13th place overall and a new personal best. Following closely behind was Ben Loomis in 17th, giving the U.S. men an impressive start to the season.

Next, the U.S. Nordic Combined team will head to Lillehammer, Norway, where the women will join the men for another weekend of World Cup competition.

Link to Results 

Americans Shine in Ruka: Diggins Takes the Win, Career Best for McMullen

By Leann Bentley - Stifel U.S. Ski Team
December, 1 2024
team
The Stifel U.S. Ski Team celebrates after Jessie Diggins's victory in Ruka, Finland. (NordicFocus).

It was a day to remember for Stifel U.S. Cross Country Ski Team as the Americans delivered standout performances in Ruka, Finland. Jessie Diggins showcased her tenacity with a commanding win in the women’s 20k skate. Zanden McMullen and Gus Schumacher powered to two top 10 results, with McMullen in seventh, a career-best, and Schumacher in eighth. 

Men’s 20k: McMullen and Schumacher Rise to the Challenge
The men’s 20k skate saw McMullen and Schumacher assert themselves early and stick with the lead pack throughout the 12+ miles of racing. Both skiers remained in contention throughout the tactical and challenging four-lap race, unfolding on a fast, climbing-heavy 4k loop with ripping descents that saw athletes reach up to 30mph. 

As the field entered the final 5k, the race turned tactical, with athletes deciding whether to push the pace or conserve energy by drafting. McMullen and Schumacher made their move, surging into 9th and 10th positions. By the final 3k, the duo sat within the lead pack, with McMullen in seventh and Schumacher just behind in eighth.

It was a career-best result for McMullen and Schumacher’s strong finish underscored his consistency and determination. 

"Career best result? Music to my ears," said McMullen. "I feel it gives me so much confidence that I’m making progress and learning how to ski at the highest level. There is so much value to knowing how to race challenging courses with the fastest in the world that you can only learn by trial and error." 

Ultimately, only one Austrian and the Norwegians stood ahead of the two Americans, a testament to the strength of the young U.S. men's squad. “This result is a critical dynamic for the U.S. team,” added Kikkan Randall during her commentary on skiandsnowboard.live. “It’s a long season, but performances like today show that the training and preparation are paying off. You carry this good feeling forward.”

Women’s 20k: Diggins Dominates, Laukli Impresses
The women’s race was a thriller, with Diggins executing a perfect strategy to claim her 24th career World Cup victory and 72nd podium. From the start, Diggins showed her intent, surging into the lead early and claiming a spot in the lead pack throughout the entirety of the race. 

The final lap was all-out chaos, with Diggins, Norway’s Therese Johaug and Heidi Weng, and Sweden's Jonna Sundling battling for the lead. Sophia Laukli took turns with the lead, eventually leading the chase pack into the last lap. The steep climbs and blistering downhills pushed everyone to their limits, but Diggins found another gear in the last kilometer. Closing a 13-second gap to the leaders, she unleashed a final surge, navigating the course’s technical sections precisely and with the intention to make a move on the final climb.  

“It was an epic battle,” said Diggins. “I was trying to be smart with the draft, but in the last kilometer, I saved it up, found a line, and played it well in the end. I also had amazing skis, so thank you to our wax techs," said Diggins following her victory. 

Behind Diggins, Sophia Laukli impressed with a 10th-place finish, showing her early-season form. Laukli, who placed 14th in this event last year, remained in the top 10 for much of the race, leading the chase pack and feeding off the energy of her competitors. Behind Laukli was Rosie Brennan in 20th and Julia Kern rounding out the top 30 in 30th. 

"What I’m most happy about is that I had the confidence to make moves and take the lead in the chase a couple of times, I never really did that last year so I’m excited to ski a bit more agressive this year," said Laukli. "I also felt like I have never skied as technically well as I did today so that’s a huge confidence boost as well."

A Momentum-Building Day 
With McMullen and Schumacher in the top 10 and Diggins atop the podium, the day marked a powerful start to the season for the U.S. team. Fast skis, smart strategies and relentless grit were the themes of the day, setting the tone for what promises to be a thrilling World Cup season.

“Big results like today show that the training and preparation are paying off,” said Randall. “The U.S. team is in Europe for the long haul, and they’re proving they belong among the world’s best.”

From the speed and skill of the men’s race to Diggins’ commanding finish in the women’s, it was a day for the books in Ruka—and the Americans are just getting started.

RESULTS
Men
Women

Moltzan, O’Brien, Bocock Post Career Bests at Stifel Killington Cup

By Mackenzie Moran
November, 30 2024
Paula Moltzan celebrates a career best
Paula Moltzan celebrates achieving a career-best fifth in the Stifel Killington Cup giant slalom. (Dustin Satloff - U.S. Ski & Snowboard)

The Stifel Killington Cup was fraught with emotion on Saturday, Nov. 30, when the U.S. women’s alpine team had not one, not two, but three athletes achieve career-best results in front of a home crowd in Vermont. Paula Moltzan led the charge, finishing fifth, her best result in giant slalom, followed by Nina O’Brien in sixth, a career-best World Cup result. 

“Crossing the line and getting the green light and hearing the crowd scream is just the best feeling ever,” O’Brien said. “I don’t think I’ve ever had that here in Killington, so that was pretty incredible.”

Katie Hensien also had a stellar day, posting the 11th fastest speed in the second run to move her from 21st into the final position of 13th. World Cup rookie Elisabeth Bocock made a storied fight to the finish in her second run to earn her first World Cup points in 23rd.

Bocock pushed out of the start gate wearing bib 47 and drove through the course’s bumps and divots to earn eighth in the first run. In her second run, the 19-year-old never lost her ferocity and continued to push despite clipping a gate and losing one of her ski poles -- Bocock ended up skiing the second half of her run with just one pole. 

“Today, there is no one I look up to and am more inspired by than Elisabeth,” said O’Brien. “Here skiing first run was so sick and incredible, but for me, it’s even more impressive to have a first run as she did and then go and send it on the second run because that takes courage, and she skied with a lot of courage second run.” 

Shiffrin was the final racer to ski down Superstar on the second run. After winning the first run by 0.32 seconds, anticipation was high. Shiffrin was on the brink of winning her first giant slalom in Killington and her 100th World Cup. After coming over the pitch, Shiffrin took a tumble into the b-netting, a rare sight, as Shiffrin does not often take tumbles on the public stage. Despite being dragged down the slope in a sled, Shiffrin still took a moment to wave to the crowd on her way to an ambulance and asked about her splits in the interim moments during evaluation. 

“Not really too much cause for concern at this point,” Shiffrin reported to Instagram a few hours after the race while being evaluated at the hospital. “I have a pretty good abrasion, and something stabbed me? But I’m okay. I am so sorry to scare everybody, and it looks like all scans so far are clear, so thank you so much for your support and concern.” 

On The Stifel U.S. Alpine Team will compete in the slalom at the Stifel Killington Cup on Sunday, Dec. 1st. Shiffrin will not start due to injury. 


RESULTS 
Women’s giant slalom

HOW TO WATCH

10:00 a.m. ET - women's slalom, run 1, Killington, Vermont - LIVE: Outside TV, On Demand: Outside 

Dec. 1 Stifel Killington Cup, women's slalom, run 1, Killington, Vt. LIVE: Outside TV
ON-DEMAND: Outside+
10:00 AM
  Stifel Killington Cup, women's slalom, run 2, Killington, Vt. LIVE: NBC, Peacock, Outside TV
ON-DEMAND: Peacock, Outside+
1:00 PM

 

Giaccio Third in Ruka

By Ryan Odeja - Stifel U.S. Ski Team
November, 30 2024
olivia giaccio third
Olivia Giaccio smiles in the finish in Ruka, Finland. (Rudi Garmisch / FIS Freestyle)

The 2024-25 FIS Freestyle Moguls circuit has officially kicked off on the iconic battery run in Ruka, Finland, where Olivia Giaccio added another podium to her resume, finishing third overall. All six U.S. women finished in the top 13. 

"I put a newer trick for me on my top jump, and it was great to see that pan out in the judges’ scores," said Giaccio. "I love the consistency of this first stop here. Our team always spends a few weeks in Ruka before the first event of the season, so it’s fun to dial in the finer details before gearing up for the big show."

Ruka is a staple on the moguls circuit. It has been held annually since 2011 and consistently provides great results for the Stifel U.S. Freestyle Team. In 2021, Giaccio earned her first World Cup win on this course. The athletes battled thick fog and freezing conditions on the bumps early in the day, proving challenging for many competitors. 

Despite the conditions, all six U.S. women advanced from qualifying to finals. Jaelin Kauf, who qualified in third, suffered some instability in the midsection, lowering her turn score forcing her out of the super finals, finishing 10th. Kasey Hogg finished just behind in 11th and Alli Macuga in 13th. 

Three women advanced to the super finals, where Olivia Giaccio secured her 13th career podium. Tess Johnson and Kai Owens also gave suburb performances, finishing fifth and sixth overall, respectively. 

On the men’s side, Charlie Mickel, Dylan Walczyk and Cole McDonald advanced to finals. This is Mickel’s first full season on the World Cup circuit, earning an individual start after winning the 2023-24 NorAm circuit. He finished 12th overall. Walczyk rounded out the top 10, finishing in ninth. McDonald gave a beautiful finals run and advanced to super finals in fifth and ended the day fifth overall. 

Next up, the moguls athletes will head to Idre Fjäll, Sweden for a set of moguls and dual moguls events Dec. 6-7. 

RESULTS
Men
Women

Countdown is Over: Diggins, Brennan Top 10 in First Race of 2024-25 World Cup Season 

By Leann Bentley - Stifel U.S. Ski Team
November, 29 2024
Rosie Brennan
Rosie Brennan races in the 10k classic in Ruka, Finland. (NordicFocus)

The 2024-25 season officially began with the 10k classic individual start in Ruka, Finland, with two in the top ten, including Jessie Diggins in seventh and Rosie Brennan in ninth. Schumacher led the men’s team in 18th.

This season, athletes will compete in 15 weeks of races, including the annual Tour de Ski and then World Championships, totaling more than 30 competitions. Kicking off in Ruka, the home of the first World Cup of the season, the Finnish crowds welcomed back the best skiers in the world to their course, which included some of the steepest hills and ripping descents on the circuit. Athletes kicked out the start gate every 30 seconds in the individual start format. 

For the women, the U.S. athletes competing included Haley Brewster, Julia Kern, Sydney Palmer-Leger, Brennan, Diggins, Sophia Laukli, and Alayna Sonnesyn of Team Birkie. For the men, Ben Ogden was back in the start gate after a season cut short due to illness, alongside teammates Schumacher, Zanden McMullen, Michael Earnhart, and Alaska Pacific University athlete Hunter Wonders. John Steel Hagenbuch did not start. 

Women Take on Ruka 10k

The women started the day with U.S. National Champion and University of Vermont athlete Haley Brewster out first for the team. As athlete after athlete left the start, one name that stood out was Norway’s Therese Johaug. Johaug retired in 2022 and is back on the World Cup circuit. Her storied career includes 83 individual World Cup wins, six Olympic medals (four gold) and 14x World Championship medals. Through the various checkpoints on the course, the U.S. women were putting up solid splits, led by Diggins and Brennan. Brennan, who started last season with a podium result in this specific race, showed consistent times among the strong field. Then came Frida Karlsson of Sweden. 25-year-old Karlsson, coming off a competitive 2023-24 season, skied a strong race and put down split times that Diggins, Brennan, or Johaug couldn’t catch. 

At the finish line, Karlsson was the ultimate victor by 46 seconds, ahead of Johaug in second and Norway’s Astrid Oyere Slind in third. Diggins, whose summer training focused on classic skiing, put up a seventh-place time to secure her first top 10 of the World Cup season. Brennan was eight seconds behind Diggins, putting up a ninth-place result, notching another top 10 to her strong results list. As veterans of the Stifel U.S. Ski Team, with  331 career World Cup starts for Diggins and 247 for Brennan, today's results further solidify their competitiveness on the world stage. For the team, with Diggins and Brennan in the top 10, Laukli followed in 31st, Sonnesyn in 48th, Kern 49th, Palmer-Leger 56th, and Brewster 57th. 

“Today felt like a decent start to the season,” said Brennan. “I felt strong but didn’t quite have the pace I knew I needed to compete with the top. There were no major red flags, so I am taking it as a good place to start, move forward, and work toward the rest of the season!” 

“I was stoked on my classic skiing today,” Diggins said. “I think this was the first time in my career that I could kick up the entire north hill on my first lap - definitely not on my second lap because I went out really hard and was tired! But i was honestly really happy with today and really excited for the rest of the season.” 

Men’s Turn in Ruka
The snow began to fall harder for the men, the tracks became more slick, and the kick wax became even more critical for a good race. For the Americans, Ogden was out at the start first. Ogden, whose 2023-24 season was cut short due to illness, put together a strong summer of training, leading him to be more than ready to get back to competing - evidenced by his smile on the start line and ripping tempo out of the gate. Ogden was followed by teammate McMullen and Schumacher, who threw down solid times through the checkpoints. 

More on Ogden being back, “I certainly missed the people most. Being back with everyone on the U.S. team and beyond is so much fun. I missed chumming with the whole World Cup squad, and cross country skiing is a small community. Sometimes, I don’t appreciate how awesome everyone from all the nations is until I have to leave them for a while. Congratulating everyone after the races and getting fired up is just so fun.”

Livo Niskanen of Finland was putting on a clinic for his hometown crowd, leading the charge through the checkpoints. Niskanen stood atop the podium, Amundsen took second place, and Nyenget third. Schumacher put together a strong race for the Americans, adding another top 20 with his 18th place result to his resume, and is going into tomorrow’s classic sprint on the right foot. The U.S. men put three in the top 30, including Ogden in 29th and McMullen in 30th. Ketterson was 36th, Wonders 46th, and Earnhart 53rd. 

Next is the classic sprint tomorrow, Nov. 30th, with qualifications kicking off at 3:00 AM ET and heats/finals at 5:30 a.m. ET. Watch LIVE on skiandsnowboard.live

RESULTS
Women
Men

 

U.S. Ski & Snowboard Recognizes SkillsQuest-Fitness Victors

By Sierra Ryder
November, 26 2024
copper
Athletes on the chair at Copper Mountain as they prep for the season ahead. (U.S. Ski & Snowboard)

Park City, UT (Nov. 26, 2024) -  U.S. Ski & Snowboard announced the athletes that won and landed in the top three results for the SkillsQuest-Fitness program for 2024. Each year the organization recognizes the overall top 3 performers and each event-specific winner. This year, sport-specific winners were added. 

The overall winners are highlighted by Apex2100 club athlete Viktoria Zaytseva and Stifel U.S. Alpine Ski Team athlete Isaiah Nelson. 

SkillsQuest-Fitness is a comprehensive fitness assessment consisting of eight individual events, including a 20-meter sprint, long jump, box jumps and more. Physical fitness is essential for snow sport athletes providing the foundation to handle the training volumes needed throughout various development phases to enhance technical skills. With more than 7,500 tests conducted nationwide to date, this test establishes benchmarks and age-specific norms to support athlete progress.

2024 SkillsQuest-Fitness Overall Podium
(Name; Score; Club)

Female:
1st – Viktoria Zaytseva; 733 points; Apex2100
2nd – Lauren Macuga; 727.5 points; Stifel U.S. Ski Team
3rd – Tricia Mangan; 714 points; Stifel U.S. Ski Team

Male:
1st – Isaiah Nelson; 917 points; Stifel U.S. Ski Team
2nd – Caman Beauregard; 879.5 points; Steamboat Spring Winter Sports Club
3rd – Curtis Zanni / Adrian Beauregard; 872.5; both Steamboat Spring Winter Sports Club

2024 SkillsQuest-Fitness Sport Winners
(Name; Club)

Alpine:
Female – Viktoria Zaytseva; Apex2100
Male – Isaiah Nelson; Stifel U.S. Ski Team

Cross Country:
Female – Antigone Loomis; Steamboat Spring Winter Sports Club
Male – Tristan Thrasher; Steamboat Spring Winter Sports Club

Freeski:
Female – Molly Flynn; Stratton Mountain School
Male – Ben Harrington; Holderness School

Freeride:
Female – Stolle Wannamaker; Sugar Bowl Ski Team & Academy
Male – Anders Leckie; Sugar Bowl Ski Team & Academy

Freestyle:
Female – Kasey Hogg; Stifel U.S. Freestyle Ski Team
Male – Charlie Mickel; Stifel U.S. Freestyle Ski Team

Ski Jumping/Nordic Combined:
Female – Haley Brabec; Steamboat Spring Winter Sports Club
Male – Arthur Tirone; Steamboat Spring Winter Sports Club

Snowboard:
Female – Callen Hwang; Stratton Mountain School and Ski Foundation
Male – Walker Overstake; Steamboat Spring Winter Sports Club

2024 SkillsQuest-Fitness Event Winners

(Name; Results; Club)
20m Shuttle Run:
Female – Tricia Mangan; 61.1 mL/kg/min; Stifel U.S. Ski Team
Male – Matthew Bassin; 66.4 mL/kg/min; Ski & Snowboard Club Vail

Long Jump:
Female – Allison Mollin; 247 cm; Stifel U.S. Ski Team
Male – Carl Ottosson; 319 cm; Sugar Bowl Ski Team & Academy

Triple Jump:
Female – Lauren Macuga; 784 cm; Stifel U.S. Ski Team
Male – Carl Ottosson; 1006 cm (New Record); Sugar Bowl Ski Team & Academy

20m Sprint:
Female – Vika Zaytseva; 2.99 sec; Apex2100
Male – Carl Ottosson; 2.61 sec (New Record); Sugar Bowl Ski Team & Academy

Strict Pull Up:
Female – Summer Duda; 15 reps; Stratton Mountain School
Male – Isaiah Nelson; 19 reps; Stifel U.S. Ski Team

Push Up:
Female – Summer Duda; 54 reps; Stratton Mountain School 
Male – Matteo Padoan; 65 reps; Waterville Valley BBTS

Box Jump:
Female – Brynn Hanley; 73 jumps; Team Palisades Tahoe
Male – Isaiah Nelson; 84 jumps; Stifel U.S. Ski Team

For more information:
Bob Poehling
High Performance Manager
U.S. Ski & Snowboard
C: +1 (435) 602-9536

Frantz Starts Season Strong, Double Top Tens in Lillehammer

By U.S. Ski & Snowboard
November, 24 2024
Tate Frantz
Tate Frantz celebrates with his team in Lillehammer, NOR.

Article courtesy of Cara Larson, USA Ski Jumping. 

The 2024-25 winter season kicked off this weekend with the opening World Cup event in Lillehammer, Norway, and Tate Frantz landed two top-10 finishes.

The weekend show started on Friday, Nov. 22, with the mixed team event. Annika Belshaw, Paige Jones, and Casey Larson delivered solid efforts, keeping the USA in contention. The team ended the day in 10th place despite some unforeseen equipment issues.

Saturday, Nov. 23, marked the first of two individual competition days, beginning with the women’s event. Paige Jones and Annika Belshaw advanced past the qualification round and on to the competition round, but both narrowly missed the second round.

The men’s competition followed, featuring Kevin Bickner, Eric Belshaw, and Tate Frantz advancing out of qualifications. Bickner and Belshaw came up just short of the second round. Frantz, however, impressed with a first-round solid jump that positioned him in ninth place. He held his ground in the second round, securing an impressive top-10 finish in 10th place, adding another World Cup podium to his resume.

The competition mirrored Saturday’s schedule on Sunday, Nov. 24, commencing with the women. Athletes Paige Jones, Annika Belshaw, and Josie Johnson successfully advanced through the qualification round to the first round of competition. Jones delivered a commendable performance, securing a spot in the final round and finishing 29th. 

On the men’s side, Frantz found even more success. Four athletes made it out of the qualification round: Kevin Bickner, Tate Frantz, Casey Larson, and Andrew Urlaub; only Bickner and Frantz advanced to the second round. Bickner ultimately finished the day in 24th, but teammate Frantz doubled down and secured his second top-10 finish for the weekend–his eighth career World Cup top-ten. 

Next up, the U.S. Ski Jumping Team will travel to Ruka, Finland for next week's World Cup competition. 

RESULTS

Mixed Team Event (Friday, Nov. 22)
Men’s Large Hill HS140 (Saturday, Nov. 23)
Women’s Large Hill HS140 (Saturday, Nov. 23)
Men’s Large Hill HS140 (Sunday, Nov. 24)
Women’s Large Hill HS140 (Sunday, Nov. 24)

Ritchie Scores a Top 25 in Gurgl Slalom

By Sierra Ryder - Stifel U.S. Ski Team
November, 24 2024
ritchie
Ritchie races the Gurgl slalom World Cup. (GEPA Images)

On the second day of racing in Gurgl, Austria, Stifel U.S. Ski Team athlete Ben Ritchie landed in 21st place, adding a second top-30 result to his 2024-25 season campaign. He is coming off this success in Levi, where he skied to a career-best 13th place. 

In today's event, the weather was much warmer compared to the conditions the women skied in just hours prior. The first run course set proved tricky for the men racers, evidenced by many skiers not making it to the finish line. Stifel U.S. Ski Team athlete Jett Seymour was first on the American roster but ran into trouble on the pitch and did not finish. Ritchie was next. On a hill giving many issues, Ritchie looked unbothered, skiing solid and confident enough to give himself a chance for a good day in 15th place. 

“I feel alright, very happy with my first run,” said Ritchie. “It’s a very challenging hill and very icy surface.” 

On the second run, the sun shone, and the course was more straightforward - allowing athletes to take more risks with their skiing game plan. Ritchie again skied solid with no significant issues to land in the 21st, respectively. However, Ritchie is hungry for more and knows he can compete with the world’s best. 

“Second run wasn't great - it wasn't horrible but I am happy to get points again. I gave myself a chance to really be in the race and I didn't quite put it together on the second run but if I can keep giving myself a chance to be in there eventually it will come around.”

The ultimate race winner was French skier Clement Noel, who marked his second World Cup win of the season, followed by Swedish skier Kristoffer Jakobsen, who finished in second place, and Norwegian Atle Lie McGrath, who rounded out the podium in third place. River Radamus and Luke Winters also raced the first run but did not qualify for the second run. 

The slalom team has a few weeks off before their next World Cup start gate. 

“I am going to keep hammering training and build on this progression,” said Ritchie. 

The following men’s tech series will be held in Val d’Isere, France, Dec. 14-15. 


RESULTS:
Men's slalom

Shiffrin Takes Home 99th World Cup Win in Gurgl; Moltzan Sixth

By Sierra Ryder - Stifel U.S. Ski Team
November, 23 2024
99
Mikaela Shiffrin celebrates her 99th World Cup win in Gurgl, Austria. (Getty Images)

On a sunny yet frigid Saturday in Gurgl, Austria, the Stifel U.S. Ski Team’s Mikaela Shiffrin won her 99th individual World Cup and 62nd career slalom victory. To wrap up a successful day on the track, teammate Paula Moltzan landed sixth, to complete another strong showing for the U.S. women’s tech team. 

“It was a spectacular day,” said Shiffrin. “I am so excited! It was two really good runs.” 

It was a frigid morning on the slope for the women’s slalom, which made it extra memorable outside of it being the debut slalom for the women in Gurgl.

On run one, Shiffrin did what she does best, was out of the gate first. Throughout the run, she never left the leaderboard position – she stayed in the green. Teammates Moltzan and Katie Hensien showed off strong skiing, going into seventh and 11th out of the first run, all qualifying through to the second.

As the day progressed, light on the slope turned dark, adding a new challenge for the athletes. First out was Hensien, who left the gate blazing but unfortunately straddled a gate just after the first interval and did not finish. Moltzan started just a few spots behind Hensien and skied clean and aggressively to come down into the finish area with the green light. 

“I am happy. I think it's nice to have four slalom runs under my belt now and most of them have been pretty consistent.” said Moltzan. “It’s nice to have some consistency and tempo in slalom as it can change day to day.” 

At the end of the day, it was the final five skiers that put on a show for the Gurgl fans. Skier after skier knocked each other out for the top spot and finally, the World Cup podium was set, with young Albanian phenom Lara Colturi in the top spot and Swiss skier Camille Rast in second. Yet, all eyes were on Shiffrin. She skied a strong, aggressive line, top to bottom, without hesitation to finish a half of a second ahead of the pace, officially claiming her 99th World Cup victory in the process. Colturi claimed her first podium in second and Rast, her first podium in third. 

“The second run was a big mental challenge because I was not sure how it would feel with the surface and it was getting darker. Sometimes, when I am not sure about the feeling under feet, I take too much time for the turn so I tried to push anyway and it was great,” said Shiffrin. 

The win is another notch in Shiffrin’s storied career as she is just one win away from the unprecedented 100th World Cup win – which will further solidly her as the greatest the sport has ever seen. Shiffrin is poised to take this momentum back stateside for the Stifel Killington Cup next holiday weekend.

“It's not impossible but so many things have to go right. So, from the outside, it looks like it is supposed to happen this way but it's certainly not easy–I am not taking that for granted, but I hope to do a good performance in front of the home crowd,” said Shiffrin. 

The men’s team will take on the Gurgl World Cup slalom Sunday, Nov 24.

RESULTS
Women's giant slalom

HOW TO WATCH 
4:30 a.m. ET - men's slalom, run 1, Gurgl, Austria - peacocktv.com (live)
7:30 a.m. ET - men's slalom, run 2, Gurgl, Austria - peacocktv.com (live)