U.S. Junior Athletes Find Success in Pokal Loka, OPA Cup
While alpine athletes were busy competing on the world stage at the FIS Alpine World Ski Championships in Åre, Sweden, a crop of our young, talented junior athletes were competing in events at both Poka Loka, Slovenia, and the prestigious OPA Cup - formerly known as the “Seven Nations Cup” - in Meiringen, Switzerland.
Pokal Loka, Slovenia
Nestled in the Ljubljana Valley, bordered by the Alps, Pokal Loka made for a prime location for a European opportunity and experience to top U16 athletes from the United States, who had qualified through the National Performance Series (NPS) at Burke Mountain in Vermont from January 5-11.
“My goal was to create an environment that was team-orientated, positive, and fun! Every day, as a team, we reflected on the positives and processed the disappointments (although there were not many),” noted Eastern Youth Development Coach Kathy Okoniewski. Prior to the competition, the group through training/skiing goals that consisted of creating an environment that would foster confidence and positive memories.
This environment would ultimately lead to Justin Bigatel’s (Western Region, Park City Ski Team) giant slalom victory. “It was positive on so many levels,” reflected Okoniewski. “It was a clear message to the whole team that they could compete with the Europeans. We felt, too, that it also bridged a few cultural gaps with the other European teams and coaches. Justin is the most easy going, thoughtful, team orientated, friendly athlete, and his teammates were so proud and happy for him.”
At over 6-feet tall, Bigatel’s athleticism and great touch for the snow, along with his fundamental skills and love for competition were all factors in his win. “His skis were so clean in the snow and he intuitively carried speed where his competition did not,” Okoniewski noted. The overall experience was completely positive and worthwhile, and they left Pokal Loka feeling accomplished and able to have heard the National Anthem at awards - a memory that will last forever.
Athletes:
- Chloe Aust – Burke Mountain Academy
- Max Bellino – Burke Mountain Academy
- Justin Bigatel – Park City Ski Team
- Carley Elsinger – Green Mountain Valley School
- Kjersti Moritz – Ski & Snowboard Club Vail
- Camden Palmquist – Buck Hill
Staff:
- Kathy Okoniewski – Eastern Youth Development Coach
- Urska Rabic-Bevc – Ski & Snowboard Club Vail
OPA Cup - Meiringen, Switzerland
The OPA Cup is considered to be the most competitive event in the world for ski racers ages 14-15, taking place in Meiringen, Switzerland, this year. Emma Resnick (Ski & Snowboard Club Vail) won the giant slalom, while Cooper Puckett (Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club) was fifth. In slalom, Dasha Romanov (Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation) was 10th, Sebastian Kohlhofer (Ski & Snowboard Club Vail) 11th and Bayli McSpadden (Ski & Snowboard Club Vail) 12th.
The OPA Cup is the premier U16 competition in central Europe, with all the best athletes from Switzerland, Austria, France, Italy, Germany, Liechtenstein, Czech, Spain, and Andorra in attendance. Alpine Development Director Chip Knight noted that we use this event to expose some of our best athletes to a higher level of racing and to raise the bar for our domestic system. “It’s great to see our U16s compete in this environment, against a deep high-quality European field” Knight said. “This event is a good measuring stick for us as a country, and a great signal for everyone back home as we head into U16 Nationals at the end of the season.”
Athletes:
- Sebastian Kohlhofer - Ski & Snowboard Club Vail
- Bayli McSpadden - Ski & Snowboard Club Vail
- Jay Poulter - Stratton Mountain School
- Cooper Puckett - Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club
- Emma Resnick - Ski & Snowboard Club Vail
- Dasha Romanov - Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation
Staff:
- Mike Prado - U.S. Ski & Snowboard Western Region Coach
- Ben Brown - Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club
RESULTS
Pokal Loka, Slovenia