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Wiles Top 25 in Zauchensee Super-G

By Mackenzie Moran
January, 12 2024
Jacqueline Wiles
Jacqueline Wiles bursts in 21st position from bib 47 in the Zauchensee super-G, Friday, Jan. 12. (Photo by Christophe Pallot/Agence Zoom/Getty Images)

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 

U.S. Ski & Snowboard Sport Education Winter Speaker Series

By U.S. Ski & Snowboard
January, 11 2024
header image

Welcome to the first Sport Education Speaker Series, a dynamic and insightful series designed to elevate the performance of athletes and coaches alike. Over four engaging sessions, our roster of seasoned coaches and experts will delve into key topics that directly impact the world of sports, providing invaluable insights, strategies, and tools to enhance both individual and team success. Each of the following sessions will be a 30-minute presentation, with an opportunity for discussion following the presentation, occurring every third Wednesday from January to April.

We look forward to your engagement!

Session One
Mike Mallon - USASA Executive Director 

Session Two
Calvin Chapman - U.S. Ski & Snowboard Athletic Development Coordinator 

Session Three
Hunter Baum - U.S. Ski & Snowboard High Performance Dietician

Session Four
Sport Psychology 

LEARN MORE AND REGISTER NOW

 

Cochran-Siegle Sixth in Wengen Downhill

By Sierra Ryder - Stifel U.S. Ski Team
January, 11 2024
RCS
Ryan Cochran-Siegle skis to a sixth place in the Wengen downhill. (Getty Images)

On Thursday’s men’s downhill in Wengen, Switzerland, Stifel U.S. Ski Team athlete Ryan Cochran-Siegle scored a sixth place finish, his best result of the season thus far. 

“I feel like that was the most solid run I’ve had on the course this week,” said Cochran-Siegle. 

Thursday’s downhill was a make-up race from the previously canceled Xfinity Birds of Prey speed event in Beaver Creek, Colorado. The weather could not have been more perfect for the downhillers; it was a picture-perfect bluebird day in Wengen. Course crews watered portions of the hill overnight making the track conditions stable and gave ample opportunities for the racers to push hard. 

First to start on the Stifel U.S. Ski Team was Bryce Bennett running second. Bennett had top splits up until the final turn where he took a different line and lost quite a bit of speed. It knocked Bennett’s time up a few tenths and he ended up in 16th place. Cochran-Siegle ran next for the team in bib 16. He skied fast with a clean run through the finish into the sixth position. 

“It’s about finding the speed so rather than trying to ski perfectly I was trying to find speed so I am happy to have done that,” said Cochran-Siegle. “You really have to give it all you got on this track.” 

The Wengen downhill is widely considered a “classic” due to its history, length and very unique elements. The track includes a spot in the course where racers go under a train crossing, significantly narrow sections and more. The hill is a good one for the American men as it provides every element of downhill, including flats, big jumps and big turns, which are all areas of the discipline the Stifel U.S. Ski Team men can exceed. 

Sam Morse also made it into the points in 30th place. Kyle Negomir landed in 46th and Wiley Maple in 55th. River Radamus and Jared Goldberg did not finish but both are OK and will race the super-G. 

The day's winner was Swiss phenom Marco Odermatt, who took his first ever downhill World Cup win. Second place went to French skier Cyprien Sarrazin and in third place was Aleksander Aamodt Kilde of Norway. 

The speed men will race super-G on Friday with the full-length Lauberhorn downhill slated for Saturday. 

RESULTS
Men's downhill

HOW TO WATCH
Men's super-G, Wengen, Switzerland, 6:30 a.m. ET, skiandsnowboard.live
Men's downhill, Wengen, Switzerland, 6:30 a.m. ET, skiandsnowboard.live

2024 Alpine Junior World Ski Championships Team Announced

By Sierra Ryder - Stifel U.S. Ski Team
January, 10 2024
justin
Justin Bigatel competes at the 2023 Junior World Ski Championships. (GEPA Images)

U.S. Ski & Snowboard has announced the 16 athletes who will represent the United States in the 2024 FIS Alpine Junior World Ski Championships at Portes du Soleil in Haute-Savoie, France from Jan. 28 - Feb. 3, 2024.

The 2024 team is primarily comprised of Stifel U.S. Ski Team athletes from the C and D teams, as well as top U.S. Ski & Snowboard club program athletes from across the nation. The U.S. has a history of strong results at the Junior World Championships. In the 2022 season, Isaiah Nelson took home gold in the super-G, Ava Sunshine a silver in super-G and Lauren Macuga a bronze in downhill. In 2023, there were multiple top-10 performances with Camden Palmquist ninth in slalom, Sunshine eighth in slalom and Macuga sixth in super-G.

Many of the athletes named already have had successful seasons so far. On the women’s side, both Mary and Elisabeth Bocock had their first World Cup starts, and had Stifel Success Series NorAm podium results. On the men’s side, Cooper Puckett had a recent NorAm slalom podium and Palmquist snagged his first NorAm slalom win.

“This year’s Junior World Championship team is a remarkable group of athletes who have already achieved tremendous results at the NorAm level in their young careers,” said Stifel U.S. Ski Team Development Director Chip Knight. “With a number of experienced  athletes from prior years as well as some new up- and-coming athletes, we are confident that this group will post strong individual and team results for the U.S.”

The 2024 Junior Worlds includes team alpine combined and mixed team events, along with downhill, super-G, giant slalom and slalom events for both men and women. Live timing will be provided by the International Ski Federation (FIS).

2024 FIS ALPINE JUNIOR WORLD SKI CHAMPIONSHIPS TEAM

(Name, Hometown; Club; Birthdate)

Women:

  • Elisabeth Bocock (Salt Lake City, UT; Rowmark/Stifel U.S. Ski Team; 9/3/2005)
  • Mary Bocock (Salt Lake City, UT; Rowmark/Stifel U.S. Ski Team; 7/10/2003)
  • Tatum Grosdidier (Steamboat Springs, CO; Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club/Stifel U.S. Ski Team; 7/24/2004)
  • Annika Hunt (East Burke, VT; Burke Mountain Academy; 11/30/2006)
  • Mia Hunt (Park City, UT; Park City Ski & Snowboard Team/Denver University; 1/11/2003)
  • Kaitlin Keane (Vail, CO; Ski & Snowboard Club Vail/Stifel U.S. Ski Team; 11/26/2004)
  • Allison Mollin (Truckee, CA; Team Palisades Tahoe/Stifel U.S. Ski Team; 7/7/2004)
  • Liv Moritz (Vail, CO; Ski & Snowboard Club Vail/University of Denver/Stifel U.S. Ski Team; 11/28/2004)
  • Dasha Romanov (Thornton, CO; Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation/Stifel U.S. Ski Team; 3/5/2003)* 


Men:

  • Justin Bigatel (Park City, UT; Burke Mountain Academy/Stifel U.S. Ski Team; 4/29/2003)
  • Stanley Buzek (Silverthorne, CO; Team Summit/Stifel U.S. Ski Team; 8/18/2005)
  • Camden Palmquist (Eagan, MN; Buck Hill Ski Team/Team Summit/Stifel U.S. Ski Team; 4/15/2003)
  • Jay Poulter (Stratton, VT; Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club/Stratton Mountain School/University of Utah/Stifel U.S. Ski Team; 7/1/2003)
  • Cooper Puckett (Steamboat, CO; Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club/Stifel U.S. Ski Team; 3/31/2003)
  • Hunter Salani (Edwards, CO; Ski & Snowboard Club Vail/Stifel U.S. Ski Team; 2/25/2005)
  • Ryder Sarchett (Ketchum, ID; Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation/University of Colorado Boulder; 7/28/2003)
  • Mattias Wilson (Jackson, WY; Jackson Hole Ski Club; 10/6/2006) 

* qualified but cannot compete due to injury. 

PORTES DU SOLEIL 2024 COMPETITION SCHEDULE

  • January 28 – Downhill training
  • January 29 – Downhill training
  • January 30 – Men’s and women’s downhill
  • January 31 – Men’s and women’s super-G
  • January 31 – Men’s and women’s team combined
  • February 1 – Team parallel
  • February 2 – Women’s giant slalom
  • February 2 - Men’s slalom 
  • February 3 - Men’s giant slalom 
  • February 3 - Women’s slalom 

More event information can be found here

Diggins Wins Overall Tour de Ski; Laukli Wins First World Cup at Alpe Cermis

By Courtney Harkins
January, 7 2024
team
The Stifel U.S. Ski Team hoists Jessie Diggins and Sophia Laukli to celebrate their wins. (NordicFocus)

On a historic day for the Stifel U.S. Cross Country Ski Team at the final stage of the Tour de Ski, Jessie Diggins clinched her second overall Tour de Ski victory and Sophia Laukli won her first ever World Cup on the famed Alpe Cermis hill climb and is now the youngest American to ever win a cross country individual World Cup. 

After six stages of races, the athletes were drained, but the last six athletes on the Stifel U.S. Ski Team left in the stage race lined up on the start line to finish out the 2023-24 Tour de Ski. The final stage was a mass start, where all the athletes left in the tour are off the line at once. Off the start line, everyone took a lap around the previous day's 2.5k course, then on a windy path to the start of the infamous climb, which concludes with 4 kilometers straight up an alpine ski mountain. The hill has an average gradient of nearly 12% and peaks with a gradient of 28%.

Diggins led the overall by 43 seconds after the last stage in Val di Fiemme, Italy, and attacked, but two-time Tour de Ski winner Heidi Weng of Norway threatened and pushed the pace. Diggins used everything she had to maintain her overall lead and cross the finish line in sixth, winning the overall by 31.6 seconds. Weng was second in the overall while Kertuu Niskanen of Finland finished third.

But it was Laukli who had the glory of the World Cup stage win. Even with a fall, she powered past her competitors to win easily—barely looking winded as she crossed the finish line. Laukli, this summer’s winner of the overall Golden Trail World Series trail running series, excels at hill climbs and had her first podium in 2023 at the same venue. It is the first time an American has won the Final Climb. 

“I don’t think I’ve let it fully sink in,” said Laukli. “It feels insanely good. It’s super fun to have my first victory, but also have one of the best races of my life—feelings-wise and tactics-wise. Obviously I’ve had the most success in this race, but it’s just really motivating for the rest of the season and future seasons—and in more than just the hill climb. I don’t think I could be more motivated for skiing in general.” 

Behind Laukli, Weng was second and Delphine Claudel of France third. On the Stifel U.S. Ski Team, Rosie Brennan was 12th in the climb and Sammy Smith was 23rd. Brennan also finished 12th in the overall standings, while Laukli was 14th and Smith 26th. 

On the men’s side, Zanden McMullen was 36th in the hill climb and Scott Patterson was 42nd.

Jules Lapierre of France won the stage, with Friedrich Moch of Germany second and Hugo Lapalus of France third. Harald Oestberg Amundsen of Norway won the overall Tour de Ski with Friedrich Moch of Germany in second and Lapalus in third. 

RESULTS
Women
Men

OVERALL TOUR DE SKI RESULTS
Women
Men

Hurt Scores First Podium in Kranjska Gora Slalom

By Mackenzie Moran
January, 7 2024
AJ Hurt
AJ Hurt celebrates on the podium in Kranjska Gora. (Getty Images)

It was a huge day of firsts for 23-year-old AJ Hurt in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia, where she earned a hard-fought third-place podium - a career first and personal best. 

The odds were stacked against her from the get-go. Course conditions were less than ideal, and the ride to the finish was wild from bib 1. Unfortunately for Hurt, she was slotted to run towards the back of the pack, drawing bib 38. However, she laid down a solid first run, landing herself in 16th going into the second and setting her up for what turned out to be a historic day.

“I thought to myself, 'Well if I came in first, maybe I can get a top 10,'” she recalled. “Then I was sitting in eighth and was like, ‘There’s no way my best slalom is going to beat my best giant slalom' ...and then it did!”

Hurt skied the fastest second run of the day, beating even the likes of Slovakian Petra Vlhova by 0.21. She earned a career-best finish, her first top 20 in slalom, her first top 15 in slalom, her first top 10 in slalom, her first-ever top five, and her first-ever podium. 

Stifel U.S. Ski Team teammate Paula Moltzan, also finished strong in fifth, matching her season best finish in slalom thus far, and hanging on to a top 10 ranking in the overall slalom standings. Mikaela Shiffrin, unfortunately straddled in her first run, and didn’t have a chance to ski a second, but was just as excited for Hurt as anyone. 

“[Mikaela and Paula] are obviously two of the fastest slalom skiers in the world right now, and it's pretty amazing to be able to ski alongside them," said Shiffrin. "I mean, I train with Paula every day and I feel like I’m always chasing her."

Moltzan, made sure to get the rest of Hurt’s teammates on FaceTime during the awards ceremony so best friend Keely Cashman could be there with her celebrating her success.

“I couldn’t be more proud,” said Moltzan. "I’m a proud mom and big sister and I’m taking it all in.”

Hurt joined the podium with Vlhova in first and Lena Duerr of Germany in second.

The women’s alpine World Cup Tour moves over to a speed series this upcoming weekend in Altenmarkt-Zauchensee, Austria, while the women’s tech team will take a brief competition break before heading into a night race in Flachau, Austria on Tuesday, January 16. 

RESULTS
Women’s slalom

Radamus Scores Personal Best in Slalom; Ritchie Top 25

By Sierra Ryder - Stifel U.S. Ski Team
January, 7 2024
River
River Radamus secured his personal best in slalom in Adelboden. (Getty Images)

Stifel U.S. Ski Team athlete River Radamus posted a personal best slalom finish in the Adelboden, Switzerland slalom Sunday with a 19th place finish, jumping from bib 70 to 19th place, a whopping 51 spots. Ben Ritchie secured his first slalom points of the season in 23rd place. 

Despite a few inches of snow overnight, the course workers prepped the slalom hill well to hold the men’s slalom on the classic track in Adelboden. There were no Sunday scaries here, as the massive Swiss crowds were back and louder than ever to cheer on the best men’s alpine slalom skiers in the world. 

The men’s slalom tour is extremely competitive and difficult to break into and Sunday’s race was full of theatrics, leaving fans on the edge of their seats. Stifel U.S. Ski Team member Ritchie skied well to land in 29th position after first run, good enough for a second run. But the run was not over until it was over and Radamus, running last with bib 70, came blazing down to 29th place, knocking Ritchie to 30th position. Both scored a second run. 

“I have not skied much slalom, but it's always a dream. It's a challenging event and I watch my teammates ski at such a high level," said Radamus. "The competition in slalom is so high, so it has been tough for me to get chances to race on the World Cup."

On the second run, the course set was open and easy giving Ritchie and Radamus a great opportunity to send it. Both racers secured the green light and had a leaderboard moment together. Ritchie ended his day in 23rd.

“I am happy to get some points. I don't think I skied my best today in challenging conditions so I am happy to come away with a few World Cup points and try to jumpstart January here,” said Ritchie. 

Radamus posted his best slalom race result and first slalom World Cup points in 19th. Not only was it his best slalom result, but this race was only his ninth World Cup slalom start in his career. 

“Every time I get a slalom chance I want to make the most of it,” said Radamus. “I did not have pressure so it allowed me to ski more freely and take more risks and it paid off today so I am really happy.” 

Radamus also took home the coveted Stifel Bibbo Award, an award given to an alpine athlete who wears the highest bib number and finishes the highest in the final rankings. 

The winner of the race was Austrian Manuel Feller, second place was Norway’s Atle Lie Mcgrath and third place went to Austrian Dominik Raschner. Stifel U.S. Ski Team members Jett Seymour and Luke Winters also raced; Seymour was 35th first run and Winters did not finish. 

The men’s tech team will now prepare for the slalom in Wengen, Switzerland next on Jan. 14. 

RESULTS
Men's slalom

One Stage Left: Diggins Maintains Lead in Tour de Ski Overall Standings

By Leann Bentley - Stifel U.S. Ski Team
January, 6 2024
jessie diggins
Jessie Diggins leads the pack in the 15k mass start classic in Val di Fiemme, Italy. (NordicFocus)

On the second to last race of the Tour de Ski, Jessie Diggins continued her streak of top-10 results with an eighth place finish, giving her the necessary points and time to maintain her commanding lead in the Tour de Ski overall standings. Alongside Diggins in the top 30 was Rosie Brennan in 12th, Sophia Laukli 17th and Sammy Smith in 26th. Scott Patterson was 27th. Diggins now leads the overall by 43 seconds, ahead of Sweden's Joanna Sundling going into tomorrow's final stage. 

On a remarkably bad weather day in Val di Fiemme, Italy, where rain, snow and sleet made for challenging wax conditions and overall tricky weather to race in, the athletes pushed through, with the final race looming in their minds. 

With a 15k mass start on the line, Diggins went into the race with lingering pain due to her crash in the 20k classic in Davos, Switzerland just two days prior.

"I did get pretty hurt in that crash, so I'm in pain," said Diggins, post-race. "I raced today and pushed through it. I'm really proud of myself for being able to ignore it the best I could and focus on the race - and now i'm focused on recovery." 

Off the line, the pack trudged through the classic tracks, with six laps of a hilly 2.5k loop looming. Through each lap, Diggins, Brennan and Laukli traded off positions in the lead pack, often working together to find positioning, with 18-year-old Smith continuing her strong skiing and keeping a solid pace throughout the entire 15k. 

On the final lap, movement was finally happening and going into the last hill, Diggins, Brennan and Laukli were all within the chase pack. On the final stretch, Sweden's Linn Svahn took the overall win, with Diggins in the top 10 and Brennan, Laukli and Smith not far behind.

"It was wet," said Brennan, laughing post-race. "It was very challenging conditions, and sometimes skis worked, sometimes they didn't. It was a mental battle the whole way through but I'm happy that I stayed in the front the whole time and fought the whole way."

For the men, Patterson and Zanden McMullen represented the remaining Stifel U.S. Ski Team men's team and crossed the line in 27th and 31st, respectively. Norway's Erik Valnes ultimately took the victory. Going into stage seven, Patterson sits 20th in the Tour de Ski overall standings. 

Tomorrow, the highly anticipated Final Climb is finally here, a brutal race that takes athletes once around the 2.5k course at Val di Fiemme then up the Alpe de Cermis alpine ski hill - where at points athletes are skiing up a 28% grade. In last year's final climb, Sophia Laukli, now commonly referred to as the "Uphill Queen" nabbed her first-ever podium in the event, crossing the line in third. This year, she is considered the favorite in the event.  

RESULTS
Women
Men

TOUR DE SKI OVERALL RESULTS 
Women
Men

HOW TO WATCH
Sunday, Jan. 7
8:30 a.m. ET - men's 10k skate - skiandsnowboard.live
9:45 a.m. ET - women's 10k skate - skiandsnowboard.live

Radamus Scores Career Best Fourth in Adelboden GS

By Sierra Ryder - Stifel U.S. Ski Team
January, 6 2024
River
River Radamus skied to a career best fourth place finish in Adelboden. (Getty Images)

Stifel U.S. Ski Team athlete River Radamus posted a career best World Cup finish in the Adelboden, Switzerland giant slalom, taking fourth place, just a mere 0.12 seconds out of a podium spot. 

The Adelboden crowd is always a highlight on the tour and this year they did not disappoint. The hollers and singing could be heard from the start on run one.

“This is one of the most famed races on the circuit,” said Radamus. “The crowd is electric and you feel like you're a part of history here, so every time I show up I want to put on a show."

The conditions were solid but with a little snow shower overnight, the jury decided to move the start lower down. Radamus raced to 20th place first run and Stifel U.S. Ski Team teammate Tommy Ford was 18th. Swiss superstar Marco Odermatt snagged a commanding lead in the first run, ahead by over a second. 

The crowd came back even louder for the second run as the snow began to fall once again, making for a scenic January World Cup race. Radamus raced down first for the Stifel U.S. Ski Team men and he sent it. He skied aggressively and cleanly to take first by a large margin of over a half-second ahead of his competitors. He was able to get comfortable in the leaderboard chair as no one knocked him out of the top seat for many racers.

“Right now I don’t want to ski to finish; I want to ski for a top-level performance. I know I have the speed to compete with those top guys so I need to take risks and and send it and see what happens,” said Radamus. 

Croatian skier Filip Zubcic knocked Radamus out of the top spot, but Radamus stayed near the top of the ranks of the result sheet. It was down to the wire for Radamus on if a podium was within reach, but Odermatt knows this hill and he did not let the Swiss fandom down. Odermatt raced into first place by 1.24 seconds with Norway’s Aleksander Kilde securing his first giant slalom podium in second and Zubcic in third. Radamus claimed the win on the second run and his best finish to date in fourth.

“I was disappointed in my performance first run. I did not put my best foot forward, so in the second run I wanted to ski more fearlessly, push the limit and see what was possible,” said Radamus. “That was some real skiing and I am proud of that skiing. I'm hoping to put two runs of that for a chance at the podium.” 

Ford ended up in 17th place. Brian McLaughlin, George Steffey and Isaiah Nelson also raced but did not qualify for a second run, landing in 32nd, 40th and 41st respectively.

The next giant slalom race will be held in Schladming, Austria on Jan. 23. The slalom team will race in Adelboden on Sunday. 

RESULTS
Men's giant slalom 

HOW TO WATCH 
4:30 a.m. – Men’s slalom, Adelboden, Switzerland, first run – skiandsnowboard.live
7:30 a.m. - Men’s slalom, Adelboden, Switzerland, second run – skiandsnowboard.live

Shiffrin 9th, Hurt 18th in Kranjska Gora Giant Slalom

By Mackenzie Moran
January, 6 2024
Mikaela Shiffrin skis in the first run of the Kranjska Gora giant slalom.
Mikaela Shiffrin skis in the first run of the Kranjska Gora giant slalom. (Getty Images)

Wet, grey and rainy are the three keywords to describe Saturday's women's giant slalom in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia, that resulted in a top 10 finish for Mikaela Shiffrin in ninth and a top 20 finish for AJ Hurt in 18th.

Athlete by athlete, the course slowly broke down, making for soft conditions unfavorable to the likes of athletes like Shiffrin, who thrive on hard-pack snow. Overall, the dreary mood of the day felt much like Shiffrin's overall energy as she fought to ski well while shaking off a cold and general fatigue.

"I was surprised because I've raced sick before, and I've been able to win when I've been sick, and I've skied my best still, so I was taken aback today about how much my energy was affected," said Shiffrin. "I haven't felt this low energy in a while. I was just not able to execute the right skiing."

"In the future, we'll see these conditions again, and they weren't bad conditions; they're just different from what I excel in," she added. "There's still learning I have to do in softer conditions; I have to take a different tactic and learn how to better approach that. And at this point in my career, I still have to be able to grow as a skier and handle those things tactically and mentally. So hopefully I start to feel better, learn from today and drastically improve over the next couple of GS races."

Paula Moltzan, who skied into 10th after the first run, felt good about her skiing coming into the afternoon. Unfortunately, she skied out of the course early on in the second run, in a style reminiscent of the infamous ski ballet back in the 80s. Thankfully, Moltzan was able to stay upright and skied away from the course without crash or injury.

Hurt, on the other hand, finished less dramatically, with a solid top 20 finish and a few more giant slalom points to her name. In the past, Hurt has yet to string together multiple World Cup giant slalom finishes in a row. Grey skies and wet conditions remind her of spring skiing at home at Palisades Tahoe, so overall, the weather and salted surface didn't bother her much.

"I feel like we all kind of weren't sure if anything was going to happen this weekend with the weather forecast, and it feels good to finish three World Cup giant slalom races in a row; I don't think I've ever done that," said Hurt. 

Despite her ninth place finish, Shiffrin remains in third in the FIS season giant slalom standings, and holds a healthy lead in the overall standings

The race series in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia continues on Sunday, where the Stifel U.S. Ski Team women will compete in the slalom to wrap up the weekend.

RESULTS
Women's giant slalom

HOW TO WATCH
3:30 a.m. EST - Women's slalom, Kranjska Gora, Slovenia, run 1 - skiandsnowboard.live
6:30 a.m. EST - Women's slalom, Kranjska Gora, Slovenia, run 2 - skiandsnowboard.live