The Stifel U.S. Cross Country Ski Team is back in Oberhof, Germany, for the first time since 2013 and the team is starting off on the right foot, with all but one athlete advancing through to the classic sprint heats. Ben Ogden led the day in sixth place, followed by Jessie Diggins in ninth and Kevin Bolger in 12th.

Coming off a hot Tour de Ski, where Diggins took home the overall crown, Sophia Laukli secured her first World Cup victory, Ben Ogden achieved his career-first podium and several athletes set personal bests, the momentum was strong going into the next trio of races. Before today's race, the entire team took a couple of days to recover and put in some hours of rest, but you could tell all the athletes from around the world were ready to click into their race skis once again.

On soft snow, under overcast skies and on a technical sprint course featuring tight turns and fast uphill kickers, all Americans named to the Stifel U.S. Cross Country Ski Team made it through to the sprint heats—a feat not easily accomplished and not seen in recent history. The start list included five women and four men, including World Cup overall leader Jessie Diggins, Rosie Brennan, Julia Kern, Sammy Smith, and Erin Blanco from Bridger Ski Foundation, who recorded her first-ever World Cup start. For the men, the sickness had been beaten, and Ben Ogden was back on the start line alongside JC Schoonmaker, Zak Ketterson and Kevin Bolger.

In the first round of sprint racing, the top 30 times would be the cutoff for who makes it to the sprint rounds. This time, eight of the nine athletes advanced, with Blanco just a few seconds from making the cut. Ogden secured the third spot in the qualifiers, giving him confidence going into the next lap around the sprint course, while Diggins and Brennan secured the fourth and fifth positions, just four seconds behind the fastest qualifying time set by Sweden's Jonna Sundling.

Moving into the heats, with six athletes per heat and only the top two securing a place in the semis, along with two lucky losers (the fastest third-place time from two athletes), only Diggins, Ogden and Bolger advanced through the next round of racing.

"It's really nice to be racing again," said Diggins post-race. "It was so cool to have eight of us into the heats, and it is some fun momentum to carry into the rest of this racing period."

Going into the quarterfinal heat, it was all about positioning and skiing a smart race to punch your ticket to the semis. Brennan, Diggins, Kern and Smith represented the U.S. women, with Diggins being the sole athlete to advance based on finishing within the top two in her round. Even without advancing, all the women secured an overall top-30 result on the day—a step in the right direction in adding crucial World Cup points to their overall standing.

In the end, the Swedish team swept the podium, with Linn Svahn taking home her 13th World Cup victory. Svahn is currently sitting second in the overall standings, with Diggins securely in first. Alongside Diggins' ninth place, Brennan finished 21st, Kern 27th, and Smith 28th.

For the men, as the moved into the men's finals, there was already a clear upset - Norway's Johannes Hoseflot Klaebo did not advance through to the finals. Klaebo had been on the podium in every single sprint race since 2018 and with today's result, it clearly shows the depth of the men's field and emphasizes that in cross country ski racing, anything can happen.

For the U.S., Ogden punched his ticket to the final and lined up on the line with four Norwegians and one Swedish athlete. Regardless of the place Ogden skied to in the end, he was splitting up the Scandinavian sweep in the process.

In the final, Ogden quickly got off the line, sitting comfortably behind the sea of red (Norway). Into the technical, nearly 180-degree turn, Ogden made a push to secure himself a safer position going into the uphill. With the classic 'Benny Shuffle,' he pushed the pace alongside Norway and Sweden into the finishing straight. Ogden crossed the line in sixth and was all smiles in the finish pen. Norway swept the podium, with Erik Valnes taking home the victory. Bolger just missed the top 10 in 12th, Ketterson 16th and Schoonmaker 24th.

"It feels good to put down a good race today and I'm glad how my body responded post-sickness and I'm psyched for the races to come," said Ogden. 

Tomorrow, the team is back to racing, with a 20k mass start looming. Watch LIVE on skiandsnowboard.live, with men kicking off the line at 4:25 a.m. ET.

RESULTS
Men
Women

 

Ryan Cochran-Siegle posted his best race of the season, a fourth place result in the Kitzbühel downhill -- a mere one hundredth off of the podium. 

“My focus today was trying to make the best turns I could and crossing the finish line," said Cochran-Siegle, who holds an Olympic silver medal from the 2022 Beijing Games. "I had no idea what was going to happen, so I am happy."

It snowed overnight and into the morning causing a slight delay to the men’s downhill start. However the weather did a big 180 from snow in the morning to sun in the afternoon. The racers all commented that the track was very slick in some sections and grippy in others, which made for an interesting day of results on the famed downhill course. 

Cochran-Siegle’s confidence has been building race after race and it was clear he was skiing with grit and newfound confidence. He was in and out of the green all the way down and punched it to the line just 0.01 behind Swiss skier Marco Odermatt. Cochran-Siegle ended the day in fourth place, ready to risk it all for the Hahnenkammrennen on Saturday. 

“I gave it my best! Of course it would be great to be on the podium but I am really enjoying skiing this track,” said Cochran-Siegle. “The track is so unique and historical and it's cool to ski it and fight to ski fast. Plus the best part is I get to ski it again tomorrow and I am not changing a thing with the approach.”

Stifel U.S. Ski Team athlete Sam Morse also had a strong day of skiing landing in 19th place. He has had good sections throughout the run and felt good with his result. 

“When you can kick out of the gate with confidence and execute your plan it's great,” said Morse. “I am going to clean up a few more turns and be cleaner with the turns for tomorrow.” 

Bryce Bennett also landed in the top 30 in the 25th position. Jared Goldberg finished in 32nd place, Wiley Maple in 45th and Kyle Negomir in 54th. The winner of the race was French skier Cyprien Sarrazin, second place was Italian Florian Schieder and third place was Odermatt. 

The men will bring their successful day into the classic Hahnenkammrennen for the thousands of spectators ready for a show on the track. The action begins at 5:30 a.m. ET on Peacock. 

RESULTS
Men's downhill 

HOW TO WATCH 
5:30 a.m. - men's downhill/Hahnenkammrennen, Kitzbühel, Austria - Peacock

U.S. Ski & Snowboard formally announced the 12 athletes that will represent the United States at the U18 Scandinavian trip in Falun, Sweden, Jan. 19-21, 2024. 

The 12 athletes called up to the team were selected based on their strong results in the U.S. National Championships held earlier this month in Soldier Hollow, Utah. The qualified athletes who accepted their nomination will be given the opportunity to race against skiers from around the world in three different events, including both sprint and distance races. 

“We qualify this team at the U.S. National Championships and put the sharpness of that racing fitness to the test again, as a team, six days later,” said Stifel U.S. Cross Country Ski Team Development Coach Greta Anderson. “This year, we are at the iconic venue of Falun – the 2027 FIS World Ski Championships venue. For our Under-18 team, it is a great preview of where they could be competing in the future and this all is made possible from the generous support from the National Nordic Foundation (NNF) and the extended cross country community!”

Under-18 Scandinavian Trip Team
(Club, Birth Year)

Women

• Amelia Circosta (Craftsbury Green Racing Project; 2007)
• Niki Johnson (Tahoe Endurance; 2007)
• Maeve Ingelfinger (Glacier Nordic; 2006)
• Natalie Nicholas (Bridger Ski Foundation; 2006)
• Lena Poduska (Jackson Hole Ski Club; 2007)
• Ally Wheeler (Casper Nordic Ski Club; 2007) 

Men

• Cole Bothner (Bridger Ski Foundation; 2006)
• Oskar Flora (Alaska Pacific University Nordic Ski Center; 2007)
• Murphy Kimball (Alaska Winter Stars; 2006)
• Henry Magill (Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club; 2006)
• Daniel McCollor (Minneapolis Ski Club; 2006)
• Lucas Wilmot (Jackson Hole Ski Club; 2006)

Coaches & Service Staff

• Trip Leader & Head Coach: Greta Anderson, Stifel U.S. Ski Team
• Coach: Dr. Katie Eichten, Spooner Nordic
• Head of Service: Matt Clarke, Team Birkie
• Service: Adam Westman, Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation
• Medical Staff: Dr. Katie Eichten

Schedule of Events
More information can be found here. 

• Jan. 19: 1.4k Skate Sprint (Men/Women)
• Jan. 20: 10k Classic (Men/Women)
• Jan. 21: 10k Skate (Men/Women)

U.S. Ski & Snowboard has formally announced the 22 athletes representing the United States at the upcoming 2024 FIS World Junior and Under-23 Ski Championships held in Planica, Slovenia, Feb. 5-11, 2024.

The 2024 World Junior and U23 Ski Championships welcome the top junior and U23 cross country skiers from around the nation, including current B and D Team athletes on the Stifel U.S. Cross Country Ski Team roster, to a world class venue to compete against the best in the world. Included in the group is two sixth-year veterans of this event, Novie McCabe and Johnny Hagenbuch, and multi-time top-10 World Juniors athlete Sammy Smith, who just completed the entire Tour de Ski at only 18 years old. 

“We have had an amazing year so far at every level for cross country skiing in the U.S. and we have a higher density of athletes than ever before skiing at a higher level,” said Greta Anderson, Stifel U.S. Cross Country Ski Team development coach. “We are bringing a strong and well-rounded team of 22 athletes to Planica. We’re excited about this trip and are very grateful for the support from the entire cross country community and the National Nordic Foundation (NNF).”

The 2024 team comprises strong club, collegiate and pro athletes from around the nation who have posted top results throughout the 2023-24 season, securing their spot on the team. 

Competing at the same venue as the 2023 FIS World Championships, the 22 athletes representing both the World Junior and U23 teams will contend for the podium in five events, including both sprint and distance races – with races staggered each day between the junior and U23 races. 

2024 FIS Cross Country Junior World Ski Championships Team and U23 Team
(Hometown; Club/College; Birthdate Year)

World Juniors Team

Women

• Sofia Scirica (Wellesley, MA; Middlebury Ski Team; 2004)
• Sammy Smith (Boise, ID; Stifel U.S. Ski Team/Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation; 2005)
• Nina Schamberger (Leadville, CO; University of Utah Ski Team; 2005) 
• Ava Thurston (Waterbury, VT; Stifel U.S. Ski Team/Dartmouth Ski Team; 2004)
• Evelyn Walton (Concord, MA; Dartmouth Ski Team; 2004)
• Ally Wheeler (Casper, WY; Casper Nordic Ski Club; 2007)

Men

• Wes Campbell (Park City, UT; Michigan Tech University Ski Team; 2004) 
• Zachary Jayne (Bend, OR; University of Utah Ski Team; 2004)
• Trey Jones (Steamboat Springs, CO; University of Colorado Boulder Ski Team; 2004)
• Jack Lange (Lyme, NH; Dartmouth Ski Team; 2004)
• Matt Seline (Truckee, CA; University of Alaska Anchorage Ski Team; 2004)
• Lucas Wilmot (Jackson Hole, WY; Jackson Hole Ski Club; 2006)

U23 Team

Women

• Haley Brewster (Avon, CO; Stifel U.S. Ski Team/University of Vermont Ski Team; 2003)
• Kendall Kramer (Fairbank, AK; University of Alaska Fairbanks Ski Team; 2002)
• Novie McCabe (Winthrop, WA; Stifel U.S. Ski Team/Alaska Pacific University Ski Team; 2001)
• Anabel Needham (Houghton, MI; Michigan Tech University Ski Team; 2001)
• Nina Seemann (Wheelock, VT; Dartmouth Ski Team; 2002)

Men

• Brian Bushey (Montpelier, VT; Stifel U.S. Ski Team/University of Utah Ski Team; 2002)
• John Steel Hagenbuch (Sun Valley, ID; Stifel U.S. Ski Team/Dartmouth Ski Team; 2001)
• Walker Hall; (Winthrop, WA; Stifel U.S. Ski Team/University of Utah Ski Team; 2002)
• Logan Moore (Durango, CO; Middlebury College Ski Team; 2002)
• Elijah Weenig (Jackson Hole, WY; Denver University; 2002)

Coaches

• Trip Leader & Head Coach: Greta Anderson, Stifel U.S. Ski Team
• Coach: Bryan Fish, Stifel U.S. Ski Team
• Coach: Lucy Glanville, Soldier Hollow 

Service Staff

• Head of Service: August Teague, Aspen Valley Ski Club
• Service: Bernie Nelson, Auburn Ski Club
• Service: Will Wicherski, Jackson Hole Ski & Snowboard Club
• Service: Peter Holmes, Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation
• Service: Kaelyn Woods, Bridger Ski Foundation
• Service: Ben Higgins, Great Glen Outdoor Center
• Service: Paige Ripley, Fairbanks X-Country

Medical Staff

• Medical Staff: Dr. Katie Eichten, Spooner Nordic
• Medical Staff: Dr. Jasmine Wiley
• Physical Therapist: Dr. Elizabeth Smith, Loppet Nordic Racing

SCHEDULE 
(More information can be found here) 

World Junior Championships 

• Feb. 5: 1.2k Skate Sprint (men/women)
• Feb. 7: 20k Mass Start Skate (men/women)
• Feb. 9: 10k Classic (men/women)
• Feb. 11: 4.5k Relay, Classic/Skate (men/women)

U23

• Feb. 6: 1.2k Skate Sprint (men/women)
• Feb. 8: 20k Mass Start Skate (men/women)
• Feb. 10: 10k Classic (men/women)
• Feb. 11: 4.5k Relay, Classic/Skate (men/women)

It was an emotional night in Flachau, Austria with Stifel U.S. Ski Team athlete Mikaela Shiffrin earning her 94th World Cup victory, 81st slalom podium and 57th slalom victory. With her 81st slalom podium, she tied alpine ski racing legend Ingemar Stenmark for the most slalom podiums in history.

The emotions at the finish were not because of the win but because of the week Shiffrin had leading up to the win. This past Saturday, Dec. 13 in Wengen, Switzerland, her boyfriend, Norway’s Aleksander Aamodt Kilde, crashed on one of the most dangerous downhills on the men’s circuit, the Lauberhorn. Kilde had to be airlifted by helicopter to nearby Bern, Switzerland for emergency surgery to tend to his injuries. 

At the time, Shiffrin was taking time off from racing, focusing on illness recovery and forgoing a speed series in Zuuchensee, Austria. Not long after she got the news of the severity of Kilde’s injuries, she hopped on a plane and flew to Bern, Switzerland. She spent Saturday night and most of Sunday at the hospital, sleeping on pillows on the floor to be by his side for the short amount of time she could be there - but she was not going to miss the upcoming night slalom in Falchau, a race that she ultimately ended up winning. 

“I could either be with Aleks right now, or I could come race, and if I was going to come race, then it wasn’t going to be for nothing,” Shiffrin said. “The last three days, it feels like I lived a lifetime.”

Shiffrin's slalom rival, Slovakia’s Petra Vlhova, didn't go down without a fight in the race, having won the first run. But Shiffrin made up a time deficit from first run to win by 0.27 seconds and grab her fifth victory in Flachau. Vlhova was second and Sweden's Sara Hector third. 

“I’m very proud of this evening, and I’m very thankful for my whole team,” Shiffrin said through tears as she spoke to the crowd in the wake of her victory. “These last days have been very challenging, and they’ve been so supportive and helped me go see Aleks… and thank you all for cheering.”

Shiffrin and Vlhova have continued to dominate World Cup slalom skiing, having won 13 of the last 14 World Cup slalom events. All seven of this season's slaloms were won by Shiffrin and Vlhova; Shiffrin has four victories and Vlhova has three. In Flachau alone, each of the last six slaloms were won by Vlhova or Shiffrin, stretching back to 2017.

“It’s a pretty special time in ski racing,” she added. “And I’m thankful that I’m able to have a career where I’ve been able to race against multiple athletes who are the greatest of all time. It’s not always easy, but it's special.”

Stifel U.S. Ski Team teammate AJ Hurt sat in ninth after the first run, another blazing fast time for the slalom up-and-comer, but was unable to hang out through the first section of the second run and did not finish. Paula Moltzan laid down the fastest time in the first section of the course on her first run, setting a high standard for the night’s race of a time to beat. Unfortunately, Moltzan pushed her limit and skied out of the course early on in the race. Lila Lapanja also skied out and did not finish first run. 

Later this week, the women’s tech team heads to Jasna, Slovakia to tackle yet another giant slalom and slalom series, this time in front of Vlhova’s fan base. Tune in to skiandsnowboard.live to watch this weekend's race series on Jan. 20 and 21.

RESULTS
Women's slalom

Park City, Utah (January 16, 2024) - Today, U.S. Ski & Snowboard announced the five athletes that will represent the U.S. Ski Jumping Team at the 2024 FIS Ski Flying World Championships in Kulm Bad Mitterndorf/Tauplitz, Austria, Jan. 25-28, 2024.

This year’s FIS Ski Flying World Championships team features four U.S. Ski Jumping Team men’s athletes. This will be the second Ski Flying World Championships for Decker Dean, after competing in Planica, Slovenia, in 2020. Andrew Urlaub, Erik Belshaw and Tate Frantz have earned their first-ever Ski Flying World Championships team nominations.

Belshaw currently has the highest world ranking out of all United States ski jumping athletes, ranked 47th, scoring World Cup points once this season after finishing 24th in the HS142 event in Ruka, Finland. Urlaub and Frantz have scored World Cup points one time each this season, with Urlaub 27th in the HS98 event in Lillehammer, Norway and Frantz 30th in the HS142 event in Ruka.

These four national team athletes will be joined by ski jumping veteran, Kevin Bickner. Bickner represented the United States at the 2018 FIS Ski Flying World Championships in Oberstdorf, Germany, placing 24th overall in the HS235 World Championship. Bickner is the current national record holder for ski flying, jumping to 244.5 meters in 2017 during the HS225 World Cup in Vikersund, Norway.

“I’m really looking forward to the upcoming Ski Flying World Championships in Kulm. Our juniors, Tate and Erik, have shown some really high level jumps the past several weeks, and last weekend they showed those jumps at the World Cup events in Wisla,” said U.S. Ski & Snowboard Ski Jumping and Nordic Combined Sport Director Anders Johnson. “Additionally, Kevin Bickner has continued to work his way back into good shape after taking a long break after Beijing. Kevin is the U.S. record holder, so he certainly knows how to fly.”

"There is nothing more exhilarating than the Ski Flying World Championships," said USA Nordic CEO Adam Provost. "I know the team is excited about the opportunity and I'm excited to watch them compete against the best in the world."

Fans will be able to watch the 2024 FIS Ski Flying World Championships live on Peacock, with live results also being available on the FIS website.

2024 FIS SKI FLYING WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS TEAM

(Name, hometown, ski club, birthdate, past World Championship teams)
*Denotes first World Championships team

• Andrew Urlaub* (Eau Claire, WI; Flying Eagles Ski Club; 4/12/2001)
• Decker Dean (Steamboat Springs, CO; Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club; 8/8/2000; 2020)
• Erik Belshaw* (Steamboat Springs, CO; Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club; 8/23/2004)
• Kevin Bickner (Wauconda, IL; Norge Ski Club; 9/23/96; 2018)
• Tate Frantz* (Lake Placid, NY; New York Ski Educational Foundation; 3/28/2005)

2024 FIS Ski Flying World Championships Schedule
All times ET, subject to change.

Thursday, January 25th

• 8:00 a.m. - FIS Ski Flying World Championships HS235 Qualification - Peacock

Friday, January 26th

• 8:00 a.m. - FIS Ski Flying World Championships Individual HS235 Event (Rounds 1 & 2) - Peacock

Saturday, January 27th

• 8:00 a.m. - FIS Ski Flying World Championships Individual HS235 Event (Rounds 3 & 4) - Peacock

Sunday, January 28th

• 8:00 a.m. - FIS Ski Flying World Championships Team HS235 Event - Peacock

When 21-year-old Lauren Macuga skied into the finish after her super-G run on Sunday, Jan. 14, she was surprised, to say the least. Macuga, who was the 48th racer to ski the course, had skied into 10th – a career-best result for her and the best result for the Stifel U.S. Ski Team in Zauchensee.

"I came through the finish and thought, 'My run couldn't have been that good' because it didn't feel that good. Then all of a sudden, I heard the announcer say, "Oh my gosh," she said. 

Macuga frantically looked around trying to find the leaderboard to see how she finished. "It didn't even feel real."

As the last Stifel U.S. Ski Team member to cross the finish line on Sunday, Macuga didn't expect to be the only woman who posted a top 30 time, especially since her run didn't feel as solid as her time.

"[My run] was everything I've been trying to do, and I did it," she said. "It didn't feel great, but that's just kind of how it went. I was trying so hard in the right way, and it just gave back, and it was fast." 

The Park City native had her first World Cup start in 2021 and has only posted a top-30 result thrice since. Her best finish in a super-G was 17th in Val d'Isere early on in the 2023-24 season. 

"I've been working so hard, and it's showing," she exclaimed. "It's that little bit of confidence to be like, I know that I've done it, and now I can do it again." 

Macuga's ability to break into the top 10 on Sunday is quite the feat, especially given the tight times posted by all of the competing women throughout the day. Macuga was just 0.58 seconds behind the day's winner, Lara Gut-Behrami. Austria's Cornelia Huetter finished second, 0.25 seconds back, while her teammate, Mirjam Puchner, finished third, 0.26 seconds back.

Stifel U.S. Ski team athletes Bella Wright, Alice Merryweather, and Keely Cashman finished their runs, but outside of the top 30.  Jacqueline Wiles and Tricia Mangan both skied speedy top sections but made mistakes towards the third section of the course and were unable to finish. 

Women's speed continues in Cortina d'Ampezzo on Friday, Jan. 25. The next race on the docket for the women's team is the night slalom in Flachau, Austria, on Tuesday, Jan. 16, at 12:00 p.m. ET on Peacock. 

RESULTS

Women's super-G

HOW TO WATCH

12:00 p.m. ET, – Women's slalom, Flachau, AUT – Peacock

Jacqueline Wiles posted another strong result in Zauchensee on Saturday, Jan. 13, finishing 14th overall in the downhill, her best result in the discipline since Cortina in 2022. Wiles' push into the top 15 from bib 39 also earned her her second Stifel Bibbo Award of the weekend, an honor that goes to the racer who advances through the ranks the most from their bib number. 

"I've had some great memories on this track, so I'm more confident with where I'm going, and I have my line dialed," said Wiles. "I just needed to nail a few key turns and let the skis run. I got late at times, but I kept it going, and I think that's why I was able to have a fast run."

Wright, who pushed out of the start in bib 2, also ended the day with a solid result, finishing 17th overall. After Friday's super-G, Wright changed her plan and chose to ski with more enthusiasm and less reserve than the previous day.

"I will always feel better with a result where I know I pushed my skiing to the limit rather than trying to ski the whole course perfectly," said Wright. "A small mistake ended up costing me a lot of time today, and when you start that early on great snow, you end up on the right or the wrong side of the times. I fell back a bit today, but I still feel good about my skiing."

Italy's Sofia Goggia came out on top, winning her first downhill of the season. Austria's Stephanie Venier finished one-tenth off Goggia's winning time in second, followed by her teammate Mirjam Puchner, who tied with Italy's Nicol Delago in third.

Stifel U.S. Ski Team athlete Tricia Mangan did not finish but escaped a crash and is okay. Lauren Macuga finished 36th, and Keely Cashman finished 38th.

The speed series in Altenmarkt-Zauchensee, Austria, will wrap up on Sunday, Jan. 14, with a second super-G. Wiles, Wright, Mangan, Cashman, Macuga and Alice Merryweather will start. Tune in on Peacock at 5:00 a.m. ET to catch the final race of the weekend.

RESULTS
Women's Downhill

SUPER-G STARTERS
Isabella Wright (34)
Keely Cashman (42)
Alice Merryweather (43)
Tricia Mangan (45)
Jacqueline Wiles (47)
Lauren Macuga (48)

HOW TO WATCH
5:00 a.m. ET - women's super-G, Altenmarkt-Zauchensee, Austria - Peacock

On Saturday’s classic Lauberhornrennen men’s downhill in Wengen, Switzerland, Stifel U.S. Ski Team athlete Ryan Cochran-Siegle scored a ninth place finish with Bryce Bennett close behind in 10th. 

“It is a tough hill to ski with so many different components so you will never have a perfect run but I am happy with it,” said Cochran-Siegle, who won an Olympic silver medal in super-G in 2022. 

Saturday’s downhill is the marquee event for Swiss fans with well over 50,000 people in attendance on the sides of the hill. The weather could not have been more perfect either, no wind, no clouds - just sunshine. The speed skiers were coming off of an unusually tiring few days of racing with the added downhill Thursday, two training runs and a super-G on one of the longest tracks on tour. Regardless, the Stifel U.S. Ski Team men persevered and ended up with four in the top 25. 

One of the more tense moments came a few racers after Bennett when Norwegian powerhouse Aleksander Kilde crashed just before the finish line. There was a lengthy course hold as Kilde was taken in a helicopter out to address his injuries. 

“That course hold after Kilde went down was tough. I think that’s always hard when you are standing at the start but I feel like I still went out there and tried to execute and focus on the skiing,” said Cochran-Siegle. 

But the star of the weekend was Swiss skier Marrco Odermatt who at first came into the downhill lead by over three seconds, a gap that is almost unheard of in the sport. Odermatt won the first downhill on Thursday and was second in the super-G. 

“When you come down and Marco Odermatt kills you by three seconds it's crazy,” said Bennett. 

The only other skier who could come close was Frenchman Cyprien Sarrazin in second, who was 0.59 seconds out from Odermatt’s near perfect run. Third place was Italian skier Dominik Paris, still 1.92 seconds off the pace. 

Stifel U.S. Ski Team skiers Jared Goldberg landed in 16th place and Sam Morse in 25th to help produce a strong team result for the speed men. Kyle Negomir landed in 40th position. Wiley Maple did not finish but he is okay. 

“It was a very heavy race weekend but to have 50,000 people watch it is cool and it was a solid run,” said Bennett. 

The schedule does not let up for the men as they prepare for the downhill of all downhills, the Hahnenkammrennen in Kitzbühel, Austria Jan. 19 and 20. 

“It is a cool combination coming from Wengen into Kitzbühel so I am excited to ski it,” said Cochran-Segle.

“I am feeling good for Kitzbühel and our whole team is skiing well. We have competitive runs there always so I am fired up,” added Bennett.

The slalom men take the stage on Sunday in Wengen with the first run going off at 4:15 a.m. ET on skiandsnowboard.live.

RESULTS
Men's downhill

HOW TO WATCH
4:15 a.m. - men's slalom, run 1, Wengen, Switzerland - skiandsnowboard.live
7:14 a.m. - men's slalom, run 2, Wengen, Switzerland - skiandsnowboard.live

The first leg of this weekend's series in Zauchensee, Austria, wrapped on Friday, Jan. 12, with two Stifel U.S. Ski Team women punching into the top 30 in the super-G, led by Jaqueline Wiles in 21st.

Wiles skied into the top 25 from bib 47, punching in her best World Cup super-G result since 2018. Three of the past four super-G races Wiles has started in this discipline have resulted in a DNF, so today was a huge confidence boost for her heading into the downhill on Saturday and a second super-G on Sunday.

"I know the right things I needed to do to have solid super-G skiing, and I'm really excited that I finally executed that today," said Wiles. "It's a reminder that I can do it, especially going into the downhill tomorrow. I'm psyched with the way I skied."

Wiles' result also earned her the Stifel Bibbo Award, a monetary prize given to the racer who moves up the most places from their bib number. If a Stifel U.S. Alpine Ski Team athlete wins a race's bibbo award at an international race, they bring home the award. At domestic World Cups, any international or U.S. athlete can win the Stifel Bibbo Award.  

Isabella (Bella) Wright finished 30th overall, and even though she still scored points, she knows she has more in the tank. Despite the course staying dark throughout the day, the snow made up for what the lighting lacks, to the point where even little mistakes can be costly because every racer is on an equal playing field. 

"I felt great coming into the last pitch, and then one little mistake, and I lost a whole second," Wright exclaimed, frustrated. "I know that I have more to give this weekend, and tomorrow, I really need to push."

Tricia Mangan showed some promising skiing for most of her run, pacing to score her first World Cup points in super-G (and potentially a top 15) heading into the final section. She was 12th in her third split. However, Mangan pushed her line a bit too much and skied out coming into the final section of the course, resulting in a DNF. 

Overall, the heat is building up as the women look forward to the rest of the weekend in hopes of showing their best skiing before racing in Zauchensee wraps.

Saturday, Jan. 13, Wiles, Wright, Mangan, Keely Cashman and Lauren Macuga will compete in the downhill. Alice Merryweather has opted to focus on super-G this weekend as she looks to find her groove after returning from a three-year hiatus due to injury. She'll be back in the start gate on Sunday for the second super-G.

Men Post Three in Top 30 Wengen Super-G

Over in Wengen, Switzerland, three Stifel U.S. Ski Team men threw it into the top-30. Ryan Cochran-Siegle led the way in 21st position, Jared Goldberg in 27th and Bryce Bennett in 28th. Bennett made big moves from his bib number of 61 to 28th place, he earned himself the Stifel Bibbo Award for jumping the most positions in the race. The classic Lauberhorn Wengen downhill is Saturday and the men's team is fired up to send it down the long and unique downhill. Kyle Negomir and River Radamus did not finish but they are OK. Sam Morse landed in 37th place. 

RESULTS
Women's super-G
Men's super-G
 

DOWNHILL STARTERS
women:
Isabella Wright (2)
Keely Cashman (37)
Jacqueline Wiles (39)
Tricia Mangan (42)
Lauren Macuga (43)

men:
Jared Goldberg (3)
Bryce Bennett (7)
Ryan Cochran-Siegle (17)
Sam Morse (32)
Kyle Negomir (46)
Wiley Maple (49)

HOW TO WATCH

4:45 a.m. ET - women's downhill, Altenmarkt-Zauchensee, Austria - Peacock
6:30 a.m. ET - men's downhill, Wengen, Switzerland - skiandsnowboard.live