The 2020-21 Freeski and Snowboard season has faced many delays, with most athletes just recently getting back into competition for the first time in nearly a year. U.S. Snowboard Halfpipe Pro Team athlete, Toby Miller, usually trains on snow year-round. After an early end to the 2019-20 season, Miller was unable to train on snow between March and July of 2020.

“It was very difficult not being on snow, but it taught me a lot about the work I can put into my snowboarding off of the mountain,” said Miller. “I was able to kick up my offseason training by working out at the gym, learning about nutrition, and taking on new hobbies like road biking. I now feel that I am the strongest I have ever been.”

Miller admits to missing the competitive aspect to snowboarding, confessing that he has been making small household chores into a competition. He stated, “I have found myself creating little battles with myself, whether it is cooking, or cleaning the house, the competitive drive is always there.”

U.S. Freeski Slopestyle Pro Team athlete, Maggie Voisin had a bit of a different offseason recovering from her second ACL surgery in just two years. Voisin completed most of her recovery in her hometown of Whitefish, Montana, spending time with family and in the outdoors backcountry skiing, hiking, and camping. Throughout her recovery, Voisin focused on becoming stronger physically, but also mentally. She referenced the last year as a “mental reset,” taking the time to slow down, learn about herself, and appreciate the small victories.

Voisin shared valuable advice on how to stay positive during the pandemic, “Everything in life is perspective. Our brain is so powerful. If we focus on the more positive things, more positive things will come into your life.” She claimed that these tough moments make her stronger, and she is extremely eager to get back to competition in 2021. 

Although multiple competitions were either postponed or cancelled this season, the U.S Freeski and Snowboard teams only had to cancel one training camp prior to the season. This was largely due to the tireless efforts from the Official U.S. Ski and Snowboard Training Sites of Timberline Resort, Copper Mountain, Mammoth Mountain, Utah Olympic Park, and Woodward Park City. 

U.S. Freeski and Snowboard Head Coach, Mike Jankowski weighed in, “The time away from the team was tough last year, but it sparked a heightened sense of gratitude among athletes. They have all taken this time to capitalize on every opportunity possible and are coming into this season hungrier than ever.”

There are four more events on the calendar for the U.S. Freeski and Snowboard teams. Domestically, the Aspen 2021 FIS Snowboard and Freeski World Championships at Buttermilk in Aspen, Colo. are set for March 10-16, followed by the Land Rover U.S. Grand Prix March 18-21. The final freeski and snowboard World Cups of the season are set to take place March 25-27, with the freeskiers heading to Corvatsch, Switzerland and snowboarders to Spindleruv Mlyn, Czech Republic.                                          

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Bryce Bennett had one of his best results of the 2020-21 season, scoring a top-10 finish in the FIS Alpine World Ski Championships downhill in 10th place. Travis Ganong was just behind him in 12th.

It was another beautiful day in Cortina d’Ampezzo, with cold temperatures setting up the snow overnight on the new Vertigine downhill, gearing up the men’s speeds. The downhill course had initially caused controversy at the beginning of the week, with the downhillers displeased with the overly turny nature of the set and lack of jumps and air time. But after the athletes gave their feedback to the organizing committee and FIS, the course was adjusted to a good place for the men and it ran nicely for Sunday's race.

Vincent Kriechmayr of Austria, who won the World Champs super-G race earlier in the week, took the downhill victory to become the first man to sweep the World Champs speed events since Bode Miller did in 2005. Andreas Sander of Germany was only .01 seconds behind him for the silver medal and Beat Feuz of Switzerland, who won the 2017 World Championships gold in downhill, was bronze.

Bennett was pleased with his result, especially given an inconsistent 2020-21 season that has included a string of downhill World Cup results finishing in the middle of the pack. He had one shining result—a fourth place in Val Gardena, a favorite venue of the Land Rover U.S. Alpine Ski Team men—which showed potential similar to the previous season when he was regularly securing top-15 and top-10 results. Sunday’s World Championships downhill was a shift back to old form, triggered by equipment changes and a rediscovered confidence.

“I’m pretty fired up,” said Bennett. “We made some equipment changes and it really showed on the second training run. I tried to give it everything I could today.”

Bryce did get caught up in the wind, which slowed the 6’7” racer down, but Bennett was happy with the overall result. “You always want to go faster, but I’ve been having a pretty bad year, so it’s nice to show some signs of potential,” he said. “You have to ski it very precisely and also there’s some wind going on up top, so it all depends.”

Ganong finished just .14 seconds behind Bennett in 12th. Rounding out the Americans, Jared Goldberg secured a top-20 finish, in 20th.

Notably missing for the Land Rover U.S. Alpine Ski Team were Ryan Cochran-Siegle, who snagged speed event podiums all season long before minorly fracturing his neck in Kitzbuehel, and Steven Nyman, who has sat out the season due to an Achilles tendon injury.

The men and women next race the World Championships alpine combined on Monday.  

RESULTS
Men’s World Championships downhill

HOW TO WATCH 
All times EST

Sunday, Feb. 14
12:00 p.m. FIS World Alpine Championships Men's Downhill - same-day broadcast, Cortina d'Ampezzo, ITA, Broadcast NBC
4:30 p.m. FIS World Alpine Championships Men's Downhill - same-day broadcast, Cortina d'Ampezzo, ITA, Broadcast NBCSN

Monday, Feb. 15
3:45 a.m. FIS World Alpine Championships Women's Combined Super-G - LIVE, Cortina d'Ampezzo, ITA, Broadcast Olympic Channel
3:45 a.m. FIS World Alpine Championships Women's Combined Super-G - LIVE, Cortina d'Ampezzo, ITA, Streaming Peacock
5:15 a.m. FIS World Alpine Championships Men's Combined Super-G - LIVE, Cortina d'Ampezzo, ITA, Broadcast Olympic Channel
5:15 a.m. FIS World Alpine Championships Men's Combined Super-G - LIVE, Cortina d'Ampezzo, ITA, Streaming Peacock
8:00 a.m. FIS World Alpine Championships Men and Women's Combined Slalom - LIVE, Cortina d'Ampezzo, ITA, Broadcast NBCSN
8:00 a.m. FIS World Alpine Championships Men and Women's Combined Slalom - LIVE, Cortina d'Ampezzo, ITA, Streaming Peacock

Tuesday, Feb. 16
8:00 a.m. FIS World Alpine Championships Parallel Slalom Finals - LIVE, Cortina d'Ampezzo, ITA, Broadcast NBCSN
8:00 a.m. FIS World Alpine Championships Parallel Slalom Finals - LIVE, Cortina d'Ampezzo, ITA, Streaming Peacock
5:00 p.m. FIS World Alpine Championships Parallel Slalom Finals - same-day broadcast, Cortina d'Ampezzo, ITA, Broadcast NBCSN

Wednesday, Feb. 17
6:00 a.m. FIS World Alpine Championships Team Event - LIVE, Cortina d'Ampezzo, ITA, Broadcast NBCSN
6:00 a.m. FIS World Alpine Championships Team Event - LIVE, Cortina d'Ampezzo, ITA, Streaming Peacock

Thursday, Feb 18
4:00 a.m. FIS World Alpine Championships Women's Giant Slalom - LIVE, Cortina d'Ampezzo, ITA, Streaming Peacock
6:30 a.m. FIS World Alpine Championships Women's Giant Slalom - same-day broadcast, Cortina d'Ampezzo, ITA, Broadcast NBCSN
7:30 a.m. FIS World Alpine Championships Women's Giant Slalom - LIVE, Cortina d'Ampezzo, ITA, Broadcast NBCSN
4:30 p.m. FIS World Alpine Championships Women's Giant Slalom - same-day broadcast, Cortina d'Ampezzo, ITA, Broadcast NBCSN

Friday, Feb. 19
4:00 a.m. FIS World Alpine Championships Men's Giant Slalom - LIVE, Cortina d'Ampezzo, ITA, Broadcast NBCSN
6:30 a.m. FIS World Alpine Championships Men's Giant Slalom - same-day broadcast, Cortina d'Ampezzo, ITA, Broadcast NBCSN
7:30 a.m. FIS World Alpine Championships Men's Giant Slalom - LIVE, Cortina d'Ampezzo, ITA, Broadcast NBCSN

Saturday, Feb. 20
4:00 a.m. FIS World Alpine Championships Women's Slalom - LIVE, Cortina d'Ampezzo, ITA, Broadcast Olympic Channel
7:30 a.m. FIS World Alpine Championships Women's Slalom - LIVE, Cortina d'Ampezzo, ITA, Broadcast Olympic Channel
5:00 p.m. FIS World Alpine Championships Women's Slalom - same-day broadcast, Cortina d'Ampezzo, ITA, Broadcast NBCSN

Sunday, Feb. 21
4:00 a.m. FIS World Alpine Championships Men' Slalom - LIVE, Cortina d'Ampezzo, ITA, Broadcast Olympic Channel
6:30 a.m. FIS World Alpine Championships Men's Slalom - same-day broadcast, Cortina d'Ampezzo, ITA, Broadcast NBCSN
7:30 a.m. FIS World Alpine Championships Men's Slalom - LIVE, Cortina d'Ampezzo, ITA, Broadcast NBCSN
12:00 p.m. FIS World Alpine Championships Women's Slalom - same-day broadcast, Cortina d'Ampezzo, ITA, Broadcast NBC

Following the announcement of his retirement after a golden 17-year career on February 9th, two-time Olympic champion Ted Ligety announced Saturday an earlier-than-expected return home due to an ongoing back issue less than a week late. He will forego his final race at the FIS Ski World Championships giant slalom on Friday, Feb. 19, and instead return home to Park City, Utah. 

In a post on Instagram, Ted explained, 

Can’t make this $h!+ up. Ligety Out!

I was excited to race one last time then retire on my own terms. To dig deep, throw down and see what would be possible. Perhaps conjure up some “vintage Ligety”. Unfortunately it was not to be, my back said I’m the boss and you are finished now.

Yesterday, I woke up to the worst sciatic pain of my life. I can’t point to anything that triggered it but I had been experiencing low grade sciatica for a week or two which was “normal” for me on occasion for the last several years. An MRI revealed my discs at L4-5 and L5-S1 are herniated to the point it’s not safe to ski right now.

For context, the last 6 years my back has been in control of my skiing. 4 years ago after years of therapy and numerous cortisone injections were to no avail I had surgery. The surgery was largely successful and greatly reduced my symptoms. But if I’m honest with myself my back was never the same again. Okay became good and bad became fine. I tricked myself into thinking it was good and could support the forces needed to win, clearly it could not.

Now it’s time to get my back healthy to support a lifetime of playing and skiing with my kids. Thank you everyone for your support.

Ligety will return home on Sunday to rest and recover and to spend time with his wife, Mia, three-year-old Jax, and six-month-old twins Will and Alec. 

 

 

 

 

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Breezy Johnson led the way for the Land Rover U.S. Alpine Ski Team women in the FIS Alpine World Ski Championships downhill in ninth place, a career-best World Champs result.

The Swiss women had another impressive day with Corinne Suter snagging gold—her second medal of the 2021 World Champs—and super-G winner Lara Gut in third place for the bronze. Kira Weidle of Germany was second for her first World Championships medal. Suter’s win made her only the second woman to win a medal in both downhill and super-G in two World Championships—former U.S. Alpine Ski Team star Lindsey Vonn was the only other skier to achieve the feat in 2007 and 2009.

While weather issues at the beginning of the week canceled the first two races, the day was as picturesque as one could ask in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy. Hero snow created the perfect track with a bit of wind whipping around the course. Johnson, who had been on the podium in the last four out of five downhills on the FIS World Cup circuit, came into the race confident and hunting for her first World Championships medal, but a mistake at the top of the course nearly took her down and lost her significant time. She pulled off an impressive recovery and continued making up time throughout the run to put her into ninth place overall.

“I knew the wind was kicking a lot and I lost sight of being over the outside ski a little bit more than I should have,” said Johnson. “I thought the rest of my run was really good and I really thought I executed my plan everywhere and skied as well as I could. Mistakes happen when you’re going for it!”

Isabella Wright, in her first-ever World Championships, snagged an impressive 21st place. Jackie Wiles was 24th and Laurenne Ross 26th.

The men race downhill on Sunday, followed by both alpine combined races on Monday.

RESULTS
Women's World Championships downhill

HOW TO WATCH 
All times EST

Saturday, Feb. 13
2:30 p.m. FIS World Alpine Championships Women's Downhill - same-day broadcast, Cortina d'Ampezzo, ITA, Broadcast NBC
4:30 p.m. FIS World Alpine Championships Women's Downhill - same-day broadcast, Cortina d'Ampezzo, ITA, Broadcast NBCSN

Sunday, Feb. 14
5:00 a.m. FIS World Alpine Championships Men's Downhill - LIVE, Cortina d'Ampezzo, ITA, Streaming Peacock
5:00 a.m. FIS World Alpine Championships Men's Downhill - LIVE, Cortina d'Ampezzo, ITA, Broadcast Olympic Channel
12:00 p.m. FIS World Alpine Championships Men's Downhill - same-day broadcast, Cortina d'Ampezzo, ITA, Broadcast NBC
4:30 p.m. FIS World Alpine Championships Men's Downhill - same-day broadcast, Cortina d'Ampezzo, ITA, Broadcast NBCSN

Sophia Laukli finished fifth in the U23 women's 10k freestyle, and Gus Schumacher was ninth in the U23 men's 15k freestyle to lead the Americans at the 2021 FIS U23/Junior World Cross Country Championships in Vuokatti, Finland Friday.

In the junior men's 10k freestyle Zanden McMullen was fifth, Johnny Hagenbuch was 17th, Will Koch was 36th, and Wally Magill was 64th. In the junior women's 5k freestyle, Ava Thurston was 14th, Waverly Gebhardt was 51st, and Nina Seeman was 62nd.

Hailey Swirbul was eighth and Alexandra Lawson 23rd and Renea Anderson was 45th in the U23 women's race. Hunter Wonders was 13th, Ben Ogden was 33rd and JC Schoonmaker was 39th in the U23 men's race.

The U23/Junior World Championships continue Saturday with team relays for the juniors and a mixed team relay for U23. Live streaming is available at https://www.oz.com/jwsc2021

RESULTS
U23 women's 10k freestyle
U23 Men's 15k freestyle
Junior women's 5k freestyle
Junior men's 10k freestyle

U.S. Snowboardcross Development Group rider Stacy Gaskill led the Americans on day one of the 2021 FIS Cross World Championships in Idre Fjäll, Sweden, finishing sixth for a career-best elite-level competition result. 

Twenty-year-old Gaskill showed tremendous improvement from her first World Championship appearance in 2019 at Solitude Mountain Resort, Utah where she finished 22nd, but it wasn’t an easy journey to the top-10. Gaskill had to best her teammate, five-time World champion and the winningest snowboardcross athlete of all time in Lindsey Jacobellis with a photo finish in the quarter-final.

“I absolutely looked up to Lindsey growing up in the sport,” said Gaskill. “When I first came across the line, they had called it already and the results had Lindsey moving through to the next round. But when they reviewed the video, I ended up beating her just by just a few inches. I was in awe!”

Great Britain’s Charlotte Bankes was crowned World Champion, Italy’s Michela Moioli took silver, and the Czech Republic’s Eva Samkova earned bronze. Jacobellis broke the top-10 with a ninth-place finish, while Meghan Tierney and Faye Gulini finishing 12th and 13th respectively. 

For the men, Spain’s Lucas Euibar claimed gold, Austria’s Alessandro Haemmerle silver, and Canada’s Eliot Grondin bronze. The 2018 Junior World Champion Jake Vedder led the way for the Americans finishing ninth, followed by Hagen Kearney in 14th, Mick Dierdorff  18th, and Alex Deibold 23rd. 

The course in Idre Fjäll was a sight to be seen with massive jumps, technical features, and a number of lead changes throughout each heat. According to FIS, although there had never been a snowboardcross World Cup event at the Swedish resort, course builder David Ny and his crew felt comfortable adapting the track already built for January’s ski cross World Cup to make it suitable for the riders. 

“The course is honestly incredibly fun, but difficult as well,” said Gaskill. “It’s definitely hard to really nail it. One run you may do well, but the next if you are even a little bit off towards the bottom, the entire section can really slow you down. It’s great to be on a course that is big, has more air time, and I think Valmalenco was a great lead up to the venue here at World Champs.”

The FIS Snowboardcross World Championships continue on Friday, Feb. 12 with the second edition of a mixed team format at a major event. The first installment went well for the U.S. Snowboardcross Team with Dierdorff and Jacobellis earning the inaugural mixed team gold medal on home soil in 2019. 

“I know both Hagen and Faye really want redemption, said U.S. Snowboardross Head Coach Peter Foley. “They are super fast on the course and they had unlucky days today. They want another chance at it and are pretty excited to be able to race in the mixed team event.”

WATCH THE REPLAY ON PEACOCK

RESULTS
Men’s Individual Snowboardcross
Women’s Individual Snowboardcross

HOW TO WATCH
All times in EST
Delayed Broadcast*

Friday, Feb. 12
6:30 a.m. FIS Snowboarding World Championships Snowboard Cross - LIVE, Idre Fjall, SWE, Broadcast Olympic Channel, Streaming Peacock

Saturday, Feb. 13
6:30 a.m. FIS Freestyle Skiing World Championships Ski Cross - LIVE, Idre Fjall, SWE, Streaming Peacock
11:30 a.m. FIS Freestyle Skiing World Championships Ski Cross - same-day broadcast, Idre Fjall, SWE, Broadcast Olympic Channel

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The U.S. is primed to make history by hosting the Aspen 2021 FIS Snowboard and Freeski World Championships, featuring the Visa Big Air presented by Land Rover, at Buttermilk in Aspen, Colo. March 10-16, followed by the Land Rover U.S. Grand Prix March 18-21.

This is the first time that a nation has hosted consecutive FIS World Championships following the 2019 FIS Snowboard, Freestyle, and Freeski World Championships held in Utah. Aspen Snowmass will also take on the Land Rover U.S. Grand Prix March 18-21, marking back-to-back weeks of elite ski and snowboard park and pipe competition at Buttermilk.

Following the cancellation of the 2021 FIS Snowboard & Freeski World Championships, originally scheduled to take place in Zhangjiakou, China, Feb. 18-28, U.S. Ski & Snowboard in partnership with the International Ski Federation (FIS) and Aspen Snowmass, found a new home for two events which are key to the overall 2020-21 FIS freeski and snowboard calendar as well as the 2022 U.S. Olympic Team selection process.

“We are truly grateful for our valued resort partners at Aspen Snowmass for their willingness and flexibility to host what should be two spectacular weeks of competition,” said U.S. Ski & Snowboard President and CEO Tiger Shaw. “This season has been incredibly challenging for event organizers across the globe, we are fortunate to be able to host World Championships, which will feature the Visa Big Air, and the Land Rover U.S. Grand Prix on home snow at a famed venue like Buttermilk. We are thrilled to be able to keep these events on the calendar and provide competition opportunities for the world’s top skiers and riders.”

Aspen Snowmass is no stranger to world-class competition. Buttermilk has been home to X Games Aspen for two decades and hosts the Aspen Snowmass Open annually, now a stop on the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Rev Tour. Snowmass served as an Olympic tryout event at the 2018 U.S. Grand Prix and Aspen Mountain even played host to the 1950 FIS Alpine World Ski Championships. 

“This is a fantastic opportunity during a very unique season to add to Aspen Snowmass’s winter sports legacy by hosting the World Championships and another Grand Prix event,” said John Rigney, Senior Vice President of Aspen Snowmass. “Buttermilk has long been a proving ground for the very best skiers and riders in the world thanks to X Games, so while we’ll be mobilizing quickly to support these amazing athletes and our valued partners at U.S. Ski & Snowboard and FIS – we’re proud to offer a world-class venue for these prestigious competitions.”

The Aspen 2021 FIS Snowboard and Freeski World Championships will include slopestyle, halfpipe, as well as the second annual Visa Big Air presented by Land Rover, originally scheduled Dec. 18-19 at Copper Mountain, Colo. Following show-stopping performances in Atlanta’s SunTrust Park in December of 2019, it’s only fitting the Visa Big Air found a new arena fit for big air progression. 

The Land Rover U.S. Grand Prix World Cup slopestyle and halfpipe competitions will serve as the first snowboard and freeski Olympic tryout events and will replace the originally scheduled competitions at Mammoth Mountain Ski Area, Calif., from Feb. 3-6. The Land Rover U.S. Grand Prix at Copper Mountain originally scheduled from Dec. 13-19 is officially canceled. 

To encourage social distancing, there will not be spectator zones for both the World Championships and World Cup competitions, fans are encouraged to tune in to watch or stream on the networks and streaming platforms of NBC. 

Specific event information will be forthcoming as the local organizing committee works through its detailed protocols with local and state health officials. The World Championships and the U.S. Grand Prix are contingent on local and state health department approvals based on existing and future COVID-19 rules and regulations. FIS, U.S. Ski & Snowboard, the local organizing committee, and Aspen Snowmass are taking a unified approach consistent with guidance from federal, state, and local health authorities. 

SCHEDULE

Aspen 2021 FIS Snowboard and Freeski World Championships
Slopestyle, Halfpipe, and Big Air
March 10-16

Snowboard:
March 10 - Slopestyle qualifications
March 11 - Halfpipe qualifications
March 12 - Slopestyle finals
March 13 - Halfpipe finals
March 14 - Big air qualifications
March 16 - Big air finals

Freeski:
March 10 - Halfpipe qualifications
March 11 - Slopestyle qualifications 
March 12 - Halfpipe finals                                
March 13 - Slopestyle finals
March 15 - Big air qualifications
March 16 - Big air finals

 
Land Rover U.S. Grand Prix World Cup
Slopestyle and Halfpipe
March 18-21

Snowboard:
March 18 - Halfpipe qualifications
March 19 - Slopestyle qualifications
March 20 - Slopestyle finals
March 21 - Halfpipe finals

Freeski: 
March 18 - Slopestyle qualifications
March 19 - Halfpipe qualifications
March 20 - Slopestyle finals
March 21 - Halfpipe finals

###

About U.S. Ski & Snowboard
U.S. Ski & Snowboard is the Olympic National Governing Body (NGB) of ski and snowboard sports in the USA, based in Park City, Utah. Tracing its roots directly back to 1905, the organization represents nearly 200 elite skiers and snowboarders in 2020, competing in seven teams; alpine, cross country, freeski, freestyle, snowboard, nordic combined and ski jumping. 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 Aspen Snowmass
Established in 1946, Aspen Snowmass owns and operates four mountains – Snowmass, Aspen Mountain, Aspen Highlands and Buttermilk - creating premium, sustainable and transformative experiences in recreation, culture and nature. In addition, the company runs the award-winning Ski & Snowboard Schools of Aspen Snowmass, Four Mountain Sports rental and retail shops, and a collection of sustainably-sourced on-mountain food & beverage outlets. Aspen Snowmass works to drive positive social change through climate, community, and minority group advocacy and investment. For more information about Aspen Snowmass, visit www.aspensnowmass.com. Follow @aspensnowmass on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook.
 

Travis Ganong led the Land Rover U.S. Alpine Ski Team men in the first race at the 2021 FIS World Ski Championships, taking eighth place in the super-G.

Battling a tricky set that took down 21 skiers throughout the day, Vincent Kriechmayr of Austria looked unrattled to secure his first World Championships gold medal. Coming into the race, Kriechmayr was the most decorated skier on the World Cup circuit without a major title. Veteran Romed Baumann of Germany—who hadn’t been on a super-G podium in a decade and previously raced for Austria before being cut from their team—was second, and World Cup overall leader Alexis Pinturault of France took bronze.

Ganong, who has a silver medal in super-G from the 2015 World Championships in Beaver Creek, Colorado, is no stranger to the pressure that comes from a large event like this. And seeing the first three men DNF, he had to quickly change his plan to secure a top spot.

“During inspection, it seemed kind of easy,” he said. “And then watching the first couple of guys go out, I totally had to change my plan because the course was really challenging. That little chute on the top was very difficult to manage and you had to be really tactical.”

Ganong skied strategically into fifth place and ended up in eighth overall. It’s his best super-G result since snagging fourth in Val d’Isere in December. “I’m really happy with my run,” he said. “My skiing was good. It’s close; it’s so close. It’s a beautiful sunny day and you can’t be mad about that.”

Behind Travis, Jared Goldberg snagged 15th place—his career-best super-G result. Bryce Bennett was 27th.

Notably missing from the 2021 World Championships are the fans, which, due to COVID restrictions to maintain the athletes’ health and safety, are banned from the venue. But with Cortina scheduled to host the Olympics in 2026, the skiers can picture what the venue will look like hosting another worldwide event in the future. “In a normal circumstance without COVID, this place would be absolutely packed full of people and it would be a big party,” said Ganong. “I think it’d be really fun, a big celebration of skiing. It’s a beautiful place. It’s one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever skied and is a perfect setting for a big event like this. Hopefully, with the Olympics coming back here, we’ll be able to have fans and be able to all celebrate sports together in the mountains. Too bad we can’t have them this year but the show must go on. It’s nice that we’re able to race still and compete during these times—we’re very fortunate.”

Next up at World Championships, the men run downhill training before racing the downhill on Sunday, followed by the alpine combined on Monday.

RESULTS
Men’s World Championships super-G
 

HOW TO WATCH 
All times EST

Thursday, Feb. 11
5:00 p.m. FIS World Alpine Championships Women's Super-G - same-day broadcast, Cortina d'Ampezzo, ITA, Broadcast NBCSN

Saturday, Feb. 13
5:00 a.m. FIS World Alpine Championships Women's Downhill - LIVE, Cortina d'Ampezzo, ITA, Broadcast Olympic Chanel
2:30 p.m. FIS World Alpine Championships Women's Downhill - same-day broadcast, Cortina d'Ampezzo, ITA, Broadcast NBC
4:30 p.m. FIS World Alpine Championships Women's Downhill - same-day broadcast, Cortina d'Ampezzo, ITA, Broadcast NBCSN

Sunday, Feb. 14
5:00 a.m. FIS World Alpine Championships Men's Downhill - LIVE, Cortina d'Ampezzo, ITA, Streaming Peacock
5:00 a.m. FIS World Alpine Championships Men's Downhill - LIVE, Cortina d'Ampezzo, ITA, Broadcast Olympic Channel
12:00 p.m. FIS World Alpine Championships Men's Downhill - same-day broadcast, Cortina d'Ampezzo, ITA, Broadcast NBC
4:30 p.m. FIS World Alpine Championships Men's Downhill - same-day broadcast, Cortina d'Ampezzo, ITA, Broadcast NBCSN

With only four days of super-G training under her belt in the last 382 days, Mikaela Shiffrin secured third place and the 2021 FIS World Ski Championships bronze medal in super-G.

After two canceled races due to snow and fog in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, the sun finally shone brightly on Thursday. And the Swiss women capitalized on the weather, going 1-2 with favorite Lara Gut-Behrami taking the gold—her fifth straight super-G win this season and first World Champs gold medal. Her teammate Corinne Suter was second.

Shiffrin came out swinging in Cortina, looking like she hadn't lost anything from her time away from speed skiing as she hammered down the super-G. However, she had to pull off a big recovery near the bottom of the course, pushing her into the soft snow and slowing her way down. But she pulled off the athletic move and salvaged the bronze—her second World Championships super-G medal and eighth World Champs medal. The result also ties Shiffrin for the most World Championship medals for any American with former teammate Lindsey Vonn.

“That was so nice to ski!” said Shiffrin. “It’s a little bit soft, but it felt like skiing through butter—so easy and so nice. I felt like I was carrying really good speed and I was having so much fun while I was skiing. I came down to this last section and really wanted to push it. I missed the timing a little bit coming off that terrain…I was like, that looks like a mistake someone would make from someone who hasn’t skied a lot of super-G recently! But it was really fun.”

Not a lot of super-G is an understatement, as the defending World Championships super-G gold medalist Shiffrin only ran four days of super-G training over the last year. With the COVID-shortened 2020-21 season combined with the tragic death of her father, she lost the necessary hours on her long skis. But she looked like she hadn’t missed a beat in sunny Cortina, gliding back to the podium in her first speed event of the year.

The gracious Shiffrin also was quick to commend her competitors. "For me, it’s just an amazing run on a hill I love to ski,” she said. “I knew how the course was supposed to be skied to win. I executed the way I wanted to for the most part, but at the end of the day, Lara was supposed to win this. With the way she's been skiing all season, it was amazing. I would love to win gold, but it was Lara’s today."

Land Rover U.S. Alpine Ski Team teammate Breezy Johnson landed in the top 15 in 15th place—her best result in super-G this season. “I’m really pleased with how I skied,” said Breezy. “I went out there with courage and confidence to execute my plan and for that, I’m really grateful.”

But now, Breezy looks towards the downhill, where she’s a favorite after stepping on the podium in four downhill World Cups so far this season. “It’s great to get one race out of the way before the downhill this weekend, which I’m really looking forward to and definitely putting a lot of my hopes on,” she said. 

Bella Wright, in her first World Championships appearance, took 22nd—an impressive result for the young 23-year-old. AJ Hurt also squeaked into the top 30 in her first ever World Championships in 29th. Jackie Wiles was 32nd.

Next up, the women race the World Championships downhill on Saturday. Breezy Johnson will go for the gold, with Shiffrin choosing to sit out and wait for the alpine combined on Monday.

RESULTS
Women’s World Championships super-G

HOW TO WATCH 
All times EST

Thursday, Feb. 11
5:00 p.m. FIS World Alpine Championships Women's Super-G - same-day broadcast, Cortina d'Ampezzo, ITA, Broadcast NBCSN

Saturday, Feb. 13
5:00 a.m. FIS World Alpine Championships Women's Downhill - LIVE, Cortina d'Ampezzo, ITA, Broadcast Olympic Chanel
2:30 p.m. FIS World Alpine Championships Women's Downhill - same-day broadcast, Cortina d'Ampezzo, ITA, Broadcast NBC
4:30 p.m. FIS World Alpine Championships Women's Downhill - same-day broadcast, Cortina d'Ampezzo, ITA, Broadcast NBCSN

Sunday, Feb. 14
5:00 a.m. FIS World Alpine Championships Men's Downhill - LIVE, Cortina d'Ampezzo, ITA, Streaming Peacock
5:00 a.m. FIS World Alpine Championships Men's Downhill - LIVE, Cortina d'Ampezzo, ITA, Broadcast Olympic Channel
12:00 p.m. FIS World Alpine Championships Men's Downhill - same-day broadcast, Cortina d'Ampezzo, ITA, Broadcast NBC
4:30 p.m. FIS World Alpine Championships Men's Downhill - same-day broadcast, Cortina d'Ampezzo, ITA, Broadcast NBCSN

Two-time Olympic champion and Land Rover U.S. Alpine Ski Team athlete Ted Ligety has announced his retirement, capping a storied 17-year career. Ligety announced on Tuesday that he will stand in the start gate one final time on the world stage in the giant slalom at the FIS Alpine World Ski Championships at Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy on Feb. 19th. 

Ligety’s career started with an unconventional path, but the path he blazed was an unforgettable one. A notably late-bloomer, Ligety surprised even himself when he struck gold at the 2006 Torino Olympic Games in the alpine combined. He’d go on from there to be one of the most influential figures in the sport of alpine ski racing. Never wanting to pigeon-hole himself into a single discipline, Ligety is proud to have podiumed in all major FIS Ski World Cup events throughout his career, including slalom, giant slalom, alpine combined, super-G and downhill. 

“It’s wild. I’ve been racing on the World Cup for 17 years,” Ligety reflected. “I’ve always said I didn’t want to think back on my legacy or my career until I was done and now I’m super excited. I’m super proud of what I was able to do.”

Ligety’s career was so unconventional that his first World Cup victory came after his first Olympic gold medal. Fun fact: His first World Cup victory was at Yongpyong, South Korea on March 5, 2006—the day after he slept through his alarm and missed the first of two World Cups at the venue.

Ligety was a game-changer in the sport, redefining the discipline of giant slalom so much so that the New York Times wrote about him in 2014, “No skier in the world carves turns the way Ted Ligety does. The American has practically invented a new way of skiing.” And it was true; Ligety was winning races by seconds in a sport typically decided by mere hundredths. 

His skiing was an art that everyone studied. When the International Ski Federation changed the equipment rules in 2012—including ski sidecut and ski length—Ligety pushed back hard in an article entitled “Tyranny of FIS.” But he didn’t only push back for himself, he pushed back for the sport of alpine ski racing. 

Why did he take the stance? “Because it was bad for the future of the sport,” said Ligety, who (as Bill Pennington from the New York Times reported) launched his assault on the new skis through a blog post. “Young kids coming up weren’t going to be able to turn those new straight skis. I didn’t want a whole bunch of 16 year olds to get discouraged and quit racing.” And yet, he prevailed and won the giant slalom title in 2013 for the fourth time in his career. 

Ligety made history at the 2013 World Championships in Schladming, Austria, winning three gold medals. In doing so, he became the first since Jean Claude Killy 45 years prior in 1968 to win three or more golds in one World Championships. Killy won four World Championship medals at the 1968 Olympics in Grenoble.

“The thing I’m most proud of was probably Schladming when I won three gold medals at the World Championships there. I definitely achieved far more in my career than I would have ever thought as a 16/17-year-old kid when my coaches were telling me I’d be a good college athlete,” Ligety said with a laugh. 

Not only was Ligety a mastermind on the mountain, but he was also the mastermind behind Shred, a company he founded with friend Carlo Salmini following the 2006 Olympics. Originally started with goggles, Shred now makes helmets, sunglasses, gloves and outerwear, but more importantly, pushes the style envelope with ski racing. Up next for Ligety will be progressing the business, as well as spending more time with his three sons—Jax (3) and twins Will and Alec (6 months)—and wife, Mia.

“Now, I have two 6-month-old twins and a 3 year old,” Ligety said. “It gives you a nice perspective on life when you have these little guys running around. Having six weeks on the road is not really manageable anymore. I think there’s a time in your life where family is more important than skiing. That time has come.”



The legacy Ligety leaves behind is far greater than young Ted Ligety could have ever imagined. Not only are his longtime teammates Tommy Ford and Ryan Cochran-Siegle now World Cup winners, but the next generation of World Cup victors who looked up to Ligety are also having success on the world stage. Enter the young River Radamus.

In an emotional video tribute to teammate Ted Ligety from the chairlift at Alpe Cimbra, Trentino—the European home base for the Land Rover U.S. Alpine Ski Team men—Radamus shared, “I’m feeling a little bit emotional, because this may be one of the last days I get to train with Ted Ligety. It’s no secret I grew up trying to ski like Ted Ligety. You can see it from the way I ski, and everybody’s talked about that a fair bit...but I think he affected the way an entire generation of skiers—particularly Americans—ski. Every kid my age was trying to emulate Ted Ligety when they were growing up. Ted seemed to simultaneously accomplish a level of dominance that seemed impossible, while also making it seem very possible for every American kid to be able to compete on the World Cup.” Ligety was not only a hero on the mountain for Radamus, but in the final two years of his career, Ligety was Radamus’ formal mentor in the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Team’s mentoring program.

Ligety will be remembered by his teammates as a fierce competitor dedicated to his craft—one who not only expects excellence from himself, but everyone around him.

 

 

 

 

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Ted Ligety Career Accolades

• 2x Olympic Champion
  • Gold, Alpine Combined, Torino, ITA, 2006
  • Gold, Giant Slalom, Sochi, RUS, 2014
• 5x World Champion
• 7x World Championships medalist
• 3x World GS Champion
• 5x GS Titleholder (2008, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014)
• Five straight victories at Beaver Creek, Colo., 2010-2014
• Won historic six of eight GS races, 2013
• Top three in giant slalom standings, 2008-2015
• 336 World Cup starts
• 25 World Cup victories
• 52 World Cup podiums across five disciplines (slalom, giant slalom, alpine combined, super-G, downhill)
• First Olympic start: Gold (2006, AC, Sestriere, ITA)
• Sole American male to win two Olympic gold medals in alpine skiing
• Largest margin of victory since Ingemar Stenmark in 1979 (4.06 seconds) in GS, Soelden, AUT, 2012 - 2.75 seconds (Austrian rival Marcel Hirscher would later top this accomplishment, in Garmisch in 2015, 3.28 seconds over Germany’s Felix Neureuther)
• First Podium, third, slalom, Beaver Creek, Colo., 2005
• First World Cup start November 22, 2003 – Park City, Utah (GS)