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. 

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

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

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

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

U.S. Ski & Snowboard Alpine Director Patrick Riml announced that he is leaving his position as of February 1, 2024. He will remain with U.S. Ski & Snowboard in an advisory capacity.

Riml has been with U.S. Ski & Snowboard at various times throughout the last 20 years. He joined the alpine program as a coach in 2001 and rose to the head women’s coach from 2003-08. He returned to U.S. Ski & Snowboard (then the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Association) in 2011-17 as alpine director, and again in 2022. He leaves to pursue other opportunities.

In his recent tenure, Riml restructured the alpine program, bringing in key hires, including Mark Tilston as the head men’s coach, Alex Hoedlmoser to lead women’s speed and Karin Harjo as head coach of Team Shiffrin. He created an evolved infrastructure to better support Stifel U.S. Alpine Ski Team athletes in their elite-level progression, instilled increased accountability, drove a high performance culture, and ensured better access to training around the globe. 

“Patrick has been a wonderful alpine director for the organization over the years,” said U.S. Ski & Snowboard Chief of Sport Anouk Patty. “He has hired great leaders and coaches, set up the infrastructure for the team to be successful, moved the culture into a great place and solidified access to world class training venues. The results throughout his tenure have been terrific and we’ll miss him at the organization.”

“I’m so proud of the work I’ve done with the Sitfel U.S. Alpine Ski Team over the decades and know I’m leaving it in the right hands as I transition out of the organization,” said Riml. “This team is full of generational talent supported by the best in the business. While it’s time for me to move on from my full-time position, I’ll continue to support as an advisor and cheer all of the athletes on throughout their careers.”

Riml will travel with the team in Europe throughout January to assist in the transition. His advisory position will include continuing to help the team solidify the best training opportunities around the world. 

Four Stifel U.S. Ski Team men landed in the top 30 in the Bormio, Italy super-G Friday. Jared Goldberg finished 18th, Ryan Cochran-Siegle 19th, Sam Morse 26th and Kyle Negomir in 27th. 

It was another typical icy and tough super-G on the famously dark track making it difficult for racers of all talents. Goldberg ran with bib 22 but with a surface as icy as Bormio, start position did not matter and anyone had the opportunity to throw it into the top positions. He ultimately skied solid to an 18th position overall. 

“I had the Bormio downhill hangover today and yesterday was pretty tough after solid training runs,” said Goldberg. “Super-G has been building for me and I have been learning more about how to race it. Today you had to be really over it with the wavy snow and changing snow conditions and I did that well.”

The next best skier for the Stifel U.S. Ski Team squad was previous Bormio winner Ryan Cochran-Siegle, who ended his day in 19th place. Morse and Negomir were also in the top 30 in 26th and 27th. 

Marco Odermatt of Switzerland won the race, while Raphael Haaser of Austria was second and Aleksander Aamodt Kilde of Norway third. 

The speed men will now prepare for the classic, the Wengen World Cup in Switzerland Jan. 11-13. 

RESULTS
Men's super-G

Stifel U.S. Ski Team athlete Mikaela Shiffrin scored her 93rd career World Cup victory with the slalom in Lienz, Austria on Friday. 

It was another beautiful day in Lienz for a women’s World Cup and the Austrian fans did not disappoint, packing the stands and cheering loudly for the top women slalom racers. The day started out with a bang for the Stifel U.S. Ski Team. Paula Moltzan ran with bib four and outpaced the field, sitting in the leaderboard chair for some time. Then teammate Mikaela Shiffrin had an aggressive first run to take the lead by over a second, with Moltzan just behind in second place. 

“It’s always a good feeling when you see the green light and beat out some of the other top skiers in the field,” said Moltzan. 

On the second run, the surface was strong and the course set perfect for racers to give it their all on the hill. Moltzan ran 29th, so a slight groove was established on the snow - but Moltzan knew what she needed to do. She charged down the final pitch, just a mere tenth of a second off from the leader, but a slight bobble got her off balance and she did not finish the second run. 

“The way Paula skied the first run was so wonderful and it's bittersweet and disappointing for her today but it will come, I know it will,” said Shiffrin, who had shared the Lienz slalom podium with Moltzan in 2022.

Shiffrin ran last on run two. She skied calm, cool, collected and fast -- gaining time with each interval to win by a whopping 2.34 seconds above the second place German skier Lena Duerr and third place Swiss skier Michelle Gisin. 

“I felt really good today from the very beginning,” said Shiffrin. “I am so happy with how I felt and we did so much work for Christmas so it could not have paid off in a better way.” 

This win secured her 93rd career World Cup win and 56th career World Cup slalom win. 

Stifel U.S. Ski Team athlete AJ Hurt also raced but did not finish the first run. The tech women will now prepare for a giant slalom and slalom in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia Jan. 6-7. 

RESULTS
Women's slalom

Stifel U.S. Ski Team athlete Mikaela Shiffrin notched her 22nd career giant slalom win and 92nd career World Cup victory Thursday in Lienz, Austria. 

The Austrian crowds were in full force to cheer on their favorite women ski racers for the first of two races in the town. The snow surface was particularly firm making it a challenge for racers all around. But that didn't seem to deter Mikaela Shiffrin, who scored a dominant lead knifing every single turn to win the first run by 0.63 seconds over second place and more than a second above third place. 

“It was challenging today on a really good surface, but still challenging,” said Shiffrin. “I felt amazing on the first run but I knew I had to push still for the second run.” 

The sun came out to shine second run, but the surface and conditions remained the same. The time margins for top 10 were close with racers able to make big leaps on the second run. First up for the Stifel U.S. Ski Team crew was AJ Hurt, who was 16th after the first run. Hurt was clean and confident to fire herself into an 11th place finish, just a few places out of her career best she achieved earlier this season.

“I am really satisfied about today,” said Hurt. “I’m feeling good about my giant slalom skiing training with Paula and Mikaela. There isn't anyone better in the world to train with.”

Italian force Federica Brignone, fifth first run, blazed down the hill to win the second run and move up to second place overall. Sweden’s Sara Hector skied smoothly to land in third place. But they were no match for Shiffrin and her sizable lead from the first run. Shiffrin had a clean run to finish in first by 0.38 seconds. 

“My goal is to close the gap a little on the giant slalom standings. so I wanted to win it but I also did not want to mess it up. I am super happy,” said Shiffrin, who has now won four races in three different disciplines this season.  

Paula Moltzan also raced with a strong giant slalom, finishing just outside the top 15 in 16th place. 

The women will now focus on slalom for Friday’s race. 

RESULTS
Women's giant slalom

HOW TO WATCH 

4:00 a.m. – Women’s slalom, Lienz, Austria, first run – Peacock
7:00 a.m. - Women’s slalom, Lienz, Austria, second run - Peacock

Reprinted with permission from the Park Record. You can follow Tom Kelly’s Ridgelines column every Wednesday in the Park Record.

Park City’s Steven Nyman led a group of friends off Passo Pardoi, making a beeline for the village of Arraba in the heart of Italy’s Dolomites. It was mid-day on their circumnavigation of the Sella Ronda massif. But they needed a break to watch the fabled Val Gardena downhill taking place a few ridgelines away. At the base of the piste, they clicked out of their skis and clomped down Via Boè to Bar Peter, a pizzeria in the heart of town.

For the better part of the last 16 Decembers, the Dolomites have been home for Nyman. A three-time champion on the grueling Saslong, he has celebrity status in the valley and a kinship that has beckoned him back year after year.

Today, things were a little different. When he rolled into town, gone were the bags of race skis and a duffel packed for months on the road. Retiring last season, Nyman had said addio to the Saslong. But he couldn’t imagine a December without spending time in the Dolomites for himself.

“This place is just stunning – awe-inspiring, everywhere you go,” said Nyman. “Everyone I’ve taken here is like ‘Wow, no matter where we are, whatever turn we make – it’s just blowing my mind.’”

The geological structure of the Dolomites is unique. Icy grey rock spires that glow like Moab redrock in the sunshine stand as a staging backdrop above quaint villages in the valleys. The rocks have created a mountaineering culture, while the broad, sweeping slopes of pasture land are quickly covered by early winter snowfall and dotted with mountain hotels and ristorantes.

Once the scenery captures your attention, the culture comes in and envelops you. One village speaks German, the next Italian. Tying it together is the unique local tongue of Ladin. And then there’s the food.

“It’s not the same old hamburger and fries you’re getting in the States,” said Nyman. “It’s the region’s food, and they’re proud to show it off.”

Like Rifugio Emilio Comici, which sits at 7,000 feet at the base of the towering Forcella Sassolungo near the race start, where freshly caught seafood is trekked in daily from the coast and served on fine china. No cafeterias here!

As one of the race’s honored champions, Nyman was a guest of the organizing committee. But he brought a handful of VIP friends to experience the Dolomites. Thursday was a ski day, riding two dozen lifts as they traversed groomed slopes from village to village on the Sella Ronda. Somehow, they needed to squeeze in screen time to watch American Bryce Bennett, the 2021 race champion, in the first of two downhills. 

The night before the race, Nyman texted Bennett. “You’re good. You’re fantastic. You’ve won here. You know what do to. Trust in yourself. You deserve to be on that podium.”

Starting 34th, Bennett used his lanky legs and BMX background to absorb the rough and tumble course, every ripple echoing through his body as he chased race leader Aleksander Aamodt Kilde. Down through the iconic Camel Humps and into the sweeping Ciaslat, Bennett was close – but not close enough. Coming down into the finish schuss to the village of Santa Cristina, he dug deep, pushing the afterburners on his Fischer skis and beating the favorite by a mere three hundredths.

When Bennett and Nyman connected in person later that afternoon, the two embraced. Bennett thanked him for the pre-race encouragement telling Nyman, “That’s what I wrote in my journal. I just needed that confirmation from you.”

Bennett and Nyman now have five downhill victories between them on the Saslong. The connecting thread comes from Leo Mussi, the Italian serviceman for Fischer Skis, who also worked with Kristian Ghedina, who has four wins there.

But the underlying story of Nyman and Bennett's success is more than scenic slopes and fast skis. It’s one of family.

For over a decade, Mussi has been like an Italian father figure to Nyman. And down in Selva di Val Gardena at the Hotel Alpino Plan, the Demetz family has been serving up bowls of pasta to hungry U.S. Ski Team athletes for years.

“They’re passionate; they love us,” said Nyman. “They just open their arms and are so proud. And it’s motivating. There’s so much history of success here from our team. It drives you. You want to perform. You want to live up to that level that’s been set.”

Was it tough being there and not racing?

“I took my career to the max, and I’m fine with that,” said Nyman. “It’s been a lot of fun just logging kilometers and carving up groomers. And I’m fine watching and cheering – trying to bring confidence to the boys however I can.”