The U.S. Para Alpine Ski Team kicked off their season this weekend in St. Moritz, Switzerland, with solid results throughout the team during two days of downhill races. 

There were sunny but blustery conditions during both races this weekend, proving challenging for many competitors, with multiple DNFs and DSQs both days. 

On day one, the men’s standing class was led by Jesse Keefe, who finished in fifth, followed by Spencer Wood in 11th. Wood has overcome many challenges recently, including a change to his classification, leading him to be allowed to compete with only one pole, which is different from previous years. Despite having only a few weeks on snow with one pole, he has taken to the change and is continuing to find confidence.

On the men’s sitting side, Andrew Kurka led the team with a fast run, finishing fourth, followed by Ravi Drugan in eighth and Matthew Brewer in ninth. Patrick Halgren and Andrew Haraghey did not finish day one. 

Day two had similar but slightly warmer conditions for the racers. Jesse Keefe once again led the U.S. standing men, finishing in sixth, followed by Spencer Wood in 10th and Andrew Haraghey in 12th. Ravi Drugan had the best finish for the men’s sitting class, landing in eighth. Patrick Halgren and Andrew Kurka did not finish. 

The team is headed to Steinach am Brenner, Austria next for two super-G and two giant slalom races Dec. 20-22. 

RESULTS
Men

Today in the mixed aerials team event in Changchun, China, Stifel U.S. Freestyle Ski Team aerials athletes Winter Vinecki, Chris Lillis and Quinn Dehlinger put on an aerials masterclass to land atop the podium. 

The athletes have been battling extreme cold and heavy winds in China the entire week, and today was no exception. Despite the conditions, Vinecki, Lillis and Dehlinger put down near-perfect runs to win the mixed aerials team competition by more than 30 points over the second-place finishers. There was additional focus on Winter Vinecki today, as she is working to improve her triples on snow and it has never been more clear that her hard work is paying off. She appeared cool, calm and collected as she put down a clean back-lay-full-full to help the team secure their victory. 

The U.S. also had two other teams jumping in today’s competition: USA 2, made up of Kaila Kuhn, Connor Curran and Justin Schoenefeld, who finished in fourth, and USA 3 of Karenna Elliott, Tasia Tanner and Derek Krueger who came in sixth. While the U.S. is known for mixed team aerials, having won gold medals in both the 2022 Olympic Winter Games and the 2023 World Championships, for many of these athletes, this was the first aerials team competition they had ever started. It was a great experience and training for them to prepare for upcoming events, and look for USA to keep dominating. 

The team is now moving into a holiday break back in the United States for training in preparation for their domestic World Cup at Deer Valley Feb. 1-3.

RESULTS
Mixed Aerials Team

On Sunday’s super-G in Val d’Isére, France, Stifel U.S. Ski Team athlete Lauren Macuga notched a career-best 17th place result. 

It was a very difficult super-G day for the women’s field with over 20 did not finish results, and racers needed extra grit to find the finish line. The top performer of the day was Italian force Federica Brignone winning by 0.44 seconds above Norway’s Kasja Vickhoff Lie in second and Sofia Goggia of Italy in third. 

Macuga ran with bib 50 and ended up being the top, and the only, U.S. woman to find the finish. Macuga skied strong and confident to end up in the top 20. 

“I’m ecstatic, literally insane,” said Macuga. “My run didn’t feel that good, but I think that’s a good thing. I was pushing while also being smart.”

Stifel U.S. Ski Team athletes Mikaela Shiffrin, Bella Wright, Alice Merryweather, Jackie Wiles and Keely Cashman did not finish the first run. 

“It was dark and bumpy and also a course that you need to be smart in. I feel I did just that. I still left a little bit on the hill, but gives me a lot of confidence for the next races,” said Macuga. 

The next women’s speed event will be held in Zauchensee, Austria Jan. 12-14.  

RESULTS
Women's super-G

On Sunday’s giant slalom in Alta Badia, Italy, Stifel U.S. Ski Team athlete Tommy Ford secured a ninth place position, his first top 10 finish of the season. 

It was a clear and sunny day for a men’s giant slalom race in the Italian dolomites and the world’s top giant slalom skiers were ready to push on the fan-favorite course. Swiss skier Marco Odermatt once again dominated the hill, taking the first run lead with Croatia’s Filip Zubcic in second and Austrian Marco Schwarz in third. 

Tommy Ford ran with bib 25 and arced clean turns down the pitch to land in 15th position after the first run. Ford was one of the last skiers with a higher bib than 15 to punch a run into the top 15 group.

On the second run, the course set was rhythmical, but the racers still needed to fight to make up time down the pitch and onto the flats. Ford ran in the middle of the field and nailed the run from top to bottom with a few minor mistakes. He punched the line into first and moved up six spots to snag ninth place. 

“I love being here with great conditions and could not ask for a better day,” said Ford. “I was just letting it go, not overthinking it and it was good.” 

The winner of the day was Marco Odermatt with Croatia’s Filip Zubcic close behind. Third place was back by a wide 2.26 second gap with Slovenia’s Zan Kranjec. 

Stifel U.S. Ski Team athletes Brian McLaughlin and Isaiah Nelson did not qualify for a second run in 45th and 51st place. George Steffey and River Radamus did not finish the first run. 

The men will have another crack at the Alta Badia giant slalom Monday.

RESULTS
Men's giant slalom

HOW TO WATCH
Men’s giant slalom, Alta Badia, Italy, run 1 4:00 a.m. ET, run 2, 7:30 a.m. ET, skiandsnowboard.live

Hydro Flask U.S. Snowboard Team athletes Senna Leith and Lindsey Jacobellis finished in sixth place in the second mixed snowboard cross team World Cup race of the season in Cervinia, Italy. 

In the snow-capped mountains of Breuil-Cervinia, with the Matterhorn as its backdrop, two-time Olympic gold medalist Jacobellis and Leith took on the world's best snowboard cross riders to battle it out in the mixed team event. After competing in quarterfinals, Jacobellis and Leith were set to compete in the small finals and ultimately ended up in the sixth spot overall.

The mixed team podium was led by Omar Visntin and Michela Moioli of Italy, Loan Bozzolo and Chloe Trespeuch of France in second and Kalle Koblet and Sina Siegenthaler of Switzerland in third.

Teammates Cody Winters and Stacy Gaskill also competed in the event, ending up in 11th. This comes a day after Winters clenched his best World Cup result in snowboard cross landing in fourth. 

Up next, the team travels to St. Moritz, Switzerland on Jan. 25-26. 

RESULTS
Mixed Team Results 

In the final race of a three-race series in Trondheim, Norway, the Stifel U.S. Cross Country Ski Team athletes were once again back on top with Rosie Brennan on the podium in second, Jessie Diggins only seconds behind in fourth and Ben Ogden in eighth in the 10k classic.

The classic tracks were wet from moisture, the air was warm and the start list was packed with talent. Athletes skied around the course twice, racking up 11k of trail when it was all said and done. Among the seven American men starters, Ogden led the way. At each time check, he was in the mix, skiing a smart and tactical race, honing in on his classic ski strength to finish in eighth. Not far behind was the young Alaskan Zanden McMullen in 29th, adding another World Cup top-30 result to his resume. 

For the women, Brennan reaffirmed her dominance, showcasing her versatility in every event. Starting conservatively, Brennan accelerated mid-race and never relinquished her podium position. At the 5.2k mark, she trailed the leader by a mere 10 seconds, closing the gap the more she skied. In the final stretch, Brennan put down a powerful sprint, crossing the line in second place, just two seconds ahead of Sweden's Ebba Andersson and 19 seconds behind the day's victor, Victoria Carl of Germany. Diggins was just off the podium in fourth place. 

Reflecting on the team's exceptional performance, Brennan said, "It's been an incredibly strong start from our entire team. It's not something we planned, but we'll gladly take it. Our team is in excellent shape, skiing well, and things are moving in a positive direction."

After four weeks of racing, the Stifel U.S. Cross Country Ski Team closed out the first period of racing with one of the program's most impressive starts to a season in history. Throughout the 10 races, spanning four different venues and three countries, the team landed on the podium nine times, in both individual and team pursuits. Overall, the 23-athlete-strong roster is third in the Nations Cup standings, ahead of powerhouse countries like Finland, Germany, France and Italy. 

In the battle for the overall title, Jessie Diggins maintains her lead, with Brennan closely trailing in third—a historic positioning with two Americans occupying the top two spots. Individually, Brennan, currently ranked second in the World Cup overall, has consistently finished within the top 10 in every race of the season but one. On the men's side, Ben Ogden continues to make waves, securing another top-10 result and hovering on the edge of the top 10 in 11th place for the World Cup overall.

As the team looks back on the achievements of period one, there is much to celebrate—multiple podiums, outstanding skis in each race, career-best results and a strong sense of camaraderie within the team.

"Podiums are always fun for the team, and even when it’s coming from just one athlete," said Matt Whitcomb, Head Coach. "So imagine what it feels like to come out of period one with five athletes that have stood on it. And beyond that, we have new athletes in the top 30 and top 15 for the first time. We’ve built some depth, and that depth is like a ladder of possibility that extends down to the racers back home. More American athletes know they can do it. And they are going to. You’ll hear their names soon."

Anticipation builds for the upcoming Tour de Ski, with the American team emerging as the one to watch, but for now, the entire team will take a break for the holidays.

RESULTS
Women
Men

Hydro Flask U.S. Snowboard Team halfpipe team athlete Maddie Mastro took home her 13th World Cup podium today at the Toyota U.S. Grand Prix at Copper Mountain, finishing the day in third. 

Athletes gathered on the massive 22-foot tall superpipe today in Copper where Olympian Mastro came in third. On her highest scoring run, Mastro executed her tricks: the front 9 mel, back 5 indy, front 7 font side grab, cab 7 under flip indy into front double crippler front side grab. Her result in Copper secured the coveted FIS World Cup yellow bib, signifying she is the current women's snowboard halfpipe World Cup leader. 

Teammate Bea Kim also competed in finals, just missing the podium in fourth. Kim's fourth place result was due to her well-executed tricks, including the front 7 melon, cab 5 indy, switch back 5 mute, cab 7 and her list hit, front 9. 

At the end of the day, Gaon Choi of Korea won first place and Mitsuki Ono of Japan was second. 

On the men's side, Chase Josey took seventh place in finals, with his front double 10 stale fish, cab 9 tail, switch back 10, back double chuck into front double 12. 

Ayumu Hirano of Japan was first, Chaeun Lee in second and Yuto Totsuka of Japan took the third spot. 

“Today was a great day. Copper built one of the best halfpipes of the year,” said Hydro Flask U.S. Snowboard Team halfpipe team head coach Danny Kass. “Big shout out to the mountain and the team for working so hard. It was great to see Maddie Mastro step up again, improving on what she laid down in China adding that big front nine and the double crippler. Wanted to see Chase Josey put it down in that one but we'll get it next time.”

Up next, the Hydro Flask U.S. Snowboard Team halfpipe team takes a holiday break before traveling to Laax, Switzerland for a halfpipe World Cup event Jan. 17-20. 

RESULTS
Women's halfpipe
Men's halfpipe

Stifel U.S. Freeski Team slopestyle team athlete Mac Forehand took home first place in the Visa Big Air Presented by Toyota at Copper Mountain, his first big air World Cup podium in his career. 

It was a beautiful day in Colorado, with the sun shining and large crowds amassing at the big air jump in Copper's Center Village. On his highest scoring runs, Forehand executed a left triple 18 mute and switch left triple 18 mute, securing the first place finish among a stacked list of competitors. The win also scored him the national champion title for the 2023-24 season.

"It feels incredible!" said Stifel U.S. Freeski Team slope team athlete Mac Forehand. "I learned that forward triple 18 mute only last spring and I haven't done it too much. So every time I do it, it's pretty terrifying... It feels insane. First big air World Cup podium for me!"

Teammate Alex Hall also competed in finals, finishing in seventh with right side double 10 safety pullback to 9 and switch left tail butter 14 lead Japan. Troy Podmilsak made finals but unfortunately was a DNS due to illness. 

Miro Tabanelli of Italy secured the second spot and Birk Ruud of Norway was in third. 

On the women's side, Rell Harwood took sixth place in finals - her best finish in a big air World Cup. Rell showed up big, throwing a left double 12 mute and switch right bio 10 safety. She also was dubbed the national champion in big air for the 2023-24 season. 

"My day was amazing!" said Stifel U.S. Freeski Team slope team athlete Rell Harwood. "Perfect weather, perfect jump and I was skiing with my best friends. It was hard not to ski well and just have a good time." 

Tess Ledeux of France was first, Mathilde Germaud second and Kristy Muir of Great Britain took the third spot. Germaud won the Visa Best Trick award.

"I'm so proud of Mac," said Stifel U.S. Freeski Team pro slope team head coach Dave Euler. "He's been skiing like a man on a mission all week and he knew what he wanted to do coming into today. So stoked that he came out, landed the tricks that he wanted to do and even better that it gave him the victory." 

Up next, the Stifel U.S. Freeski Team slopestyle/big air team takes a Christmas break before traveling to Laax, Switzerland for a slope World Cup event Jan. 17-21. 

RESULTS
Women's Big Air
Men's Big Air

The Stifel U.S. Freestyle Ski Team women’s moguls athletes once again showed their speed and strength in today’s dual moguls event, landing Olivia Giaccio and Alli Macuga on the podium in second and third, each earning new personal bests. 

It was another bluebird day in Alpe d’Huez, France, and emotions were high across the board. Olivia Giaccio put on yet another stunning performance today to put herself in the big final against World Cup leader Anthony Jakara. They were neck and neck throughout the entire run, but Jakara was just a bit quicker, landing Giaccio in second place. Although it wasn’t a win, this second place was still incredibly meaningful to Olivia as it was her best career finish in a dual moguls event, improving upon her previous top finish in third last year in Almaty. This podium was particularly special because Giaccio’s parents were there to witness it in person. 

Just behind Giaccio was Alli Macuga, who finished in third place, capturing her first career World Cup podium. Macuga smiled ear to ear from the moment she finished her last run till she stepped off the podium. 

“I can nearest put into words how much I’ve worked for this; ever since I knew mogul skiing was a thing, I’ve looked forward to the day I would get my first podium,” said Macuga. “I am beyond happy with my performance and such fun duals today! I am so grateful for my family always cheering me on and pushing me to get there and my coaches for guiding me; finally, my teammates/best friends cheered me on and pushed me to do my best!”

Just off the stacked podium was Tess Johnson who finished in fourth, followed by Elizabeth Lemley in fifth and Hannah Soar in sixth. Jaelin Kauf unfortunately DNFd during her 1/16 final run, finishing in 27th. 

Nick Page led the pack for the U.S. men, finishing in 13th, along with Dylan Marcellini in 15th, Dylan Walczyk in 22nd and Cole McDonald in 24th. 

The team is headed to Bakuriani, Georgia, for another set of moguls and dual moguls events Dec. 22-23.

RESULTS
Women
Men

In today's 20k skiathlon, Jessie Diggins was back on the podium in second, clinching her fourth podium of the 2023-24 season and 51st podium of her career. Rosie Brennan finished the day in eighth, tallying another top 10 to her impressive season.

As a test event for the 2025 FIS Cross Country Ski World Championships, the skiathlon gives spectators and fans the opportunity to see athletes ski both skate and classic in the same race. For the 20k skiathlon format, athletes kicked off the start line in classic skis, with 10k ahead of them. After more than 25 minutes of hard-fought classic skiing, racers switched to skate skis to finish out the remaining 10k.

It was a warm day in Trondheim, with light rain and the warmest temperatures the athletes have raced in this season. Coming off a fourth place result the day prior in the skate sprint, Diggins started off fast, alongside her teammates Brennan, Novie McCabe and Alayna Sonnesyn. Through the first 10k, Brennan was in the lead pack, skiing comfortably behind the ultimate winner of the day, Ebba Andersson of Sweden. At every time check, Brennan maintained her second position, but on the skate leg, Diggins found her found her way to the front, leading the chase group.

Through the checkpoints, Diggins went from seventh place up to second, making moves to position herself for the finishing stretch, in which she turned on the gas to cross the line in second, 15 seconds behind Andersson. Across the line, Brennan was 52 seconds behind the winner in eighth and McCabe finished within the top 30 in 23.

For the men, Ben Ogden led the U.S. men, finishing in the top 20 in 17th.

Tomorrow, the Stifel U.S. Cross Country Ski Team will wrap up the first period of racing with a 10k classic before a well-deserved holiday break.

RESULTS
Women
Men