The Athlete of the Month for February is Kipling Weisel, an alpine Gold Team skier, an alumni of the program and a current member of the U.S. Alpine C Team. Kipling has spent the 2016-2017 season making his mark on the FIS NorAm Cup circuit, competing against top athletes from across the country, as well as from Canada. Sanctioned by the International Ski Federation, NorAm Cup requires qualification, and is a step below the FIS Alpine Ski World Cup. In 16 races, which opened up with competition at Lake Louise in British Columbia, Kipling has secured 10 top-10 finishes, including three podiums. His current NorAm Cup ranking following competition at Copper on February 11 is an impressive sixth out of 130 athletes. Kipling’s growth and strong placement this season shows that he has a lot of potential, building off of natural athleticism, a deep drive and focused training. SVSEF Athletic Director Phil McNichol commented on his progress. “Kipling is having a breakthrough season. It’s exciting to see an SVSEF athlete moving up the ranks in the U.S. Alpine National Team.”
Kipling’s versatility has been evident throughout the winter; he has scored in four disciplines at NorAms, and has proven through this series and beyond that he’s a top contender. Kipling recently took a big step internationally, finishing ninth in the European Cup alpine combined at Sarntal, Italy, and has managed to fit in University races as well as FIS competitions between NorAms. He secured six top-10 results (three of those were podium finishes) in University competition, took home a win and a second-place finish in FIS races, and most recently made the podium in third in a European FIS giant slalom event at Turnau, Austria, March 3.
Kipling is currently attending Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire, taking the fall and winter off to travel, train and compete. His ability to balance education and sport and to apply ample focus to each aspect has been instrumental to his success. We’re excited to see where he goes with both his skiing and his studies.
