SVSEF XC Gold Team Racing Across and Bringing Home the Globe
It has been a whirlwind year for the SVSEF XC Gold Team. They have had one of their best seasons in recent history with every athlete on the team competing in World Cup events. The team, individually and collectively, has traveled to Alaska, Vermont, New York, France, Norway, Sweden, Finland, British Columbia, Alberta, Germany, Italy, and Switzerland, and there is still more racing to come.
The most recent accolades go to Jake Adicoff for being named the Para Nordic Visually Impaired (VI) World Cup Champion and taking home the crystal globe. Adicoff earned this title by racing to two golds and one silver at the Prince George Para Nordic World Cup Finals in Saint George, BC. On March 14, Adicoff, with guide Reid Goble, finished second in the 5km VI Individual Start Classic Race. Two days later Adicoff and Goble found their way to the top of the podium, claiming gold in the VI Skate Sprint. On March 17, the outcome was the same, seeing Adicoff and Goble with another gold in the 20km Mass Start VI Classic Race. What a season for Adicoff, who racked up two golds in Para Nordic World Cup racing earlier in the season.
Peter Wolter, SVSEF XC Gold Team, is coming off racing Period 3 of the World Cup, where he most recently competed in the 20km Mass Start Free at the World Cup in Falun, Sweden on March 17. Wolter finished 60th in a very competitive field. This was the last of six World Cup races Wolter has competed in since March 1.
Mariah Bredal, SVSEF XC Gold Team, found her way to Europe between race series to compete in the historic Engadin Skimarathon, a 42km Skate Marathon in Switzerland, where she finished ninth. Bredal followed up her success in Switzerland, racing her way to a third place podium in the 54km (skate) SkoyteBirken in Norway. Bredal, who is finding success at the longer distances said, “I have done a good number of skate marathons this season now, so I'm looking forward to one last race tomorrow.”
Racing on US soil now, Gold Team members Adicoff, Wolter, and Bredal are competing in the SuperTour Finals in Duluth, MN, March 21- 26.
“The team has been spread across the World this March competing at World Cups, European Marathons, and Para Nordic World Cup Finals, so it’s nice to come together for the last three weeks of the season and finish out in Duluth, Jackson Hole, and then home in Sun Valley,” said SVSEF XC Gold Team Head Coach Chris Mallory. “While some are running on fumes, we’re looking forward to this 40km National Championship on March 26 as we have a strong distance crew. As it goes, they didn’t really have winter in the Midwest and a foot of new snow is expected for the race.” Follow along for race results at the SuperTour HERE.
Sammy Smith, SVSEF Gold Team/US Ski Team, just returned from a full and successful season of FIS World Cup and Junior World Championship racing. A season highlight came at the World Junior Championships in February, where she brought home silver for Team USA in the Skate Sprint. Smith hopes to join her team one more time at the FIS International Spring Series April 4-6 in Sun Valley, ID. Smith is currently focused on finishing up her senior year at Boise High School and fitting in a few track meets along the way.
Bentley Walker-Broose, SVSEF XC Gold Team/Austrialian National Team, who competed in FIS World Cups in Canmore, CA and Minneapolis, MN, as well as FIS Junior Worlds alongside teammate Sammy Smith, is back at home in Australia focusing on his academic courses at University.
Links to Results
Prince George 2024 Para Nordic World Cup Finals
FIS Junior World Ski Championships
USSS SuperTour Finals, Duluth, MN
Up Next
USSS SuperTour Finals, Duluth, MN
FIS International Spring Series in Jackson Hole and Sun Valley
Athlete Roster Announced for 2024 Toyota U.S. Alpine Championships Presented by Stifel
UPDATED 3/23/24
U.S. Ski & Snowboard announces athletes competing in slalom, giant slalom and super-G events at Sun Valley Resort
Sun Valley, ID (Mar. 15, 2024) – Sun Valley Resort is proud to be hosting the Toyota U.S. Alpine Championships presented by Stifel, March 20-24, and today, U.S. Ski & Snowboard announces the full athlete roster set to compete in the slalom, giant slalom and super-G events, vying for the title of National Champion.
The Stifel U.S. Ski Team roster is headlined by 2023 world champions River Radamus and Paula Moltzan, as well as AJ Hurt. All three scored World Cup podiums this season.
Stifel U.S. Alpine Ski Team Athletes Competing in the Toyota U.S. Alpine Championships presented by Stifel:
Men’s Roster: Justin Bigatel (Park City, UT), Colin Hanna (Sun Valley, ID), Sawyer Reed (Hingham, MA), John Kerbaugh (Williston, VT), Hunter Salani (Edwards, CO), Roman Elvidge (Steamboat Springs, CO), Stanley Buzek (Silverthorne, CO), Sam Morse (Carrabassett Valley, ME), Kyle Negomir (Littleton, CO), George Steffey (Lyme, NH), Brian McLaughlin (Topsfield, MA), Bridger Gile (Aspen, CO), Luke Winters (Gresham, OR), Jett Seymour (Steamboat Springs, CO), Ben Ritchie (Waitsfield, VT), River Radamus (Edwards, CO), Isaiah Nelson (Wayzata, MN), Jack Smith (Sun Valley, ID), Cooper Puckett (Steamboat, CO), Camden Palmquist (Eagan, MN), Jay Poulter (Stratton, VT), and Cooper Cornelius (Glenwood Springs, CO).
Women’s Roster: Tatum Grosdidier (Wenatchee, WA), Liv Moritz (Edwards, CO), Mary Bocock (Salt Lake City, UT), Elisabeth Bocock (Salt Lake City, UT), Allie Resnick (Vail, CO), Zoe Zimmermann (Gilford, NH), AJ Hurt (Carnelian Bay, CA), Paula Moltzan (Prior Lake, MN), Tricia Mangan (Derby, NY), Allison Mollin (Truckee, CA) and Keely Cashman (Strawberry, CA).
Additionally, Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation has several athletes and alumni competing, including:
Avryl Haas (SVSEF FIS Team), Colin Hanna (SVSEF Alumni, Stifel U.S. Ski Team - D Team), Haley Cutler (SVSEF & Apex2100 International Ski Academy), Jack Smith (SVSEF Alumni, Stifel U.S. Ski Team - C Team), Jessica Blackburn (SVSEF Alumni, University of Nevada Reno Ski Team), Kai Subith (SVSEF Alumni, Apex2100 International Ski Academy), Larson Overby (SVSEF FIS Team), Lowie Watkins (SVSEF FIS Team), Marit Kaiser (SVSEF Alumni, Colby College Ski Team), Max Meucci (SVSEF FIS Team, Super-G only), Natalie Gowe (SVSEF FIS Team), Noah Horsch (SVSEF FIS Team), Ruby Crist (SVSEF FIS Team), Ryder Sarchett (SVSEF Alumni, CU Boulder Ski Team), Sacha Stern-Pre (SVSEF FIS Team), Sophia Hallstein (SVSEF FIS Team), and Tucker Smith (SVSEF FIS Team).
Highlight events throughout the week include:
March 21, 4:30-7:30pm - Opening Ceremony
March 22, 3-11pm - Live music with the Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation
March 22, 2:30-3:30pm - Athlete Autograph Signing
March 22-24, 9am-4pm - U.S. Alpine Championships Vendor Village
See the full schedule of events here. These events are free to attend and spectators are welcome to join. See further details, course maps, and designated spectating locations here.
For any media credentials requests, please fill out this media credentials form.
Please visit https://www.sunvalley.com/media for permission forms and other media assets.
2023 EVENT SCHEDULE | Sun Valley Resort
U.S. ALPINE CHAMPIONSHIPS LOGO | Sun Valley Resort
U.S. ALPINE CHAMPS IMAGES | Sun Valley Resort & U.S. Ski & Snowboard
RESORT MEDIA IMAGES | Sun Valley Resort
Media Contacts:
Sun Valley Resort: SunValley@OutsidePR.com
Stifel U.S. Alpine Ski Team: courtney.harkins@usskiandsnowboard.org
# # #
About Sun Valley Resort
Sun Valley Resort was founded in 1936 as America’s first destination ski resort. Located in the Idaho mountains, it is truly a four-season resort with a wide array of activities. Outdoor adventure enthusiasts enjoy world-class skiing, snowboarding, skating, hiking, biking, golfing, fishing, shooting, concerts, shopping, restaurants, and conferences, and special event space. Sun Valley is a member of The Grand America Hotels and Resorts family. Sister properties include Snowbasin Ski Resort, The Grand America Hotel, Little America Hotel (all Salt Lake City, Utah); The Westgate Hotel, San Diego, Calif.; Little America Flagstaff, Ariz.; Little America, Wyo., and Little America, Cheyenne, Wyo.
Sun Valley is served by Hailey's Friedman Memorial Airport (SUN). The airport is located 14 miles from the resort and is easily accessed from six major cities: San Francisco (SFO), Seattle (SEA), Los Angeles (LAX), Salt Lake City (SLC), Denver (DEN), and Chicago (ORD). All Sun Valley Resort guests receive complimentary roundtrip airport transportation.
www.sunvalley.com | 800.786.8259 | @sunvalley | #sunvalley
About U.S. Ski & Snowboard
U.S. Ski & Snowboard is the Olympic National Governing Body (NGB) of ski and snowboard sports in the USA, based in Park City, Utah. Tracing its roots directly back to 1905, the organization represents nearly 200 elite skiers and snowboarders in 2022, competing in seven teams; alpine, cross country, freeski, freestyle, snowboard, nordic combined, and ski jumping. In addition to the fully-funded elite teams, U.S. Ski & Snowboard also provides leadership and direction for tens of thousands of young skiers and snowboarders across the USA, encouraging and supporting them in achieving excellence. By empowering national teams, clubs, coaches, parents, officials, volunteers, and fans, U.S. Ski & Snowboard is committed to the progression of its sports, athlete success, and the value of team. For more information, visit www.usskiandsnowboard.org.
SVSEF XC Sends 10 Skiers to 2024 Junior National Championships in Lake Placid, NY
SVSEF skiers join a strong contingent to compete for the Intermountain Division at Junior Nationals
Ten skiers from the SVSEF XC Comp and Post Grad Teams will be competing at the Junior National Championships March 11-16 in Lake Placid, NY.
Athletes qualify for this event through a series of Junior National Qualifying races, held this season in Jackson Hole, WY; Midway, UT; and McCall, ID. The best three races from all events are combined to select the athletes that will represent the Intermountain Division (IMD) in U16, U18, and U20 categories.
Representing SVSEF and IMD for U16’s are Charlie St. George and Nick Gardiner. Cora Faye Scott, Jodie Willow Maguire, Berkeley Canfield, and Molly Maybach will represent SVSEF and IMD in the U18 female category, as well as Teddy Hobbs will compete in the U18 male age group.
Galen Grohusky and David Shycon, both U20’s will represent SVSEF with the IMD team, and Otus Beason, also a U20, will represent SVSEF with the High Plains Division. All three are members of the SVSEF Post Grad Team.
“I am thrilled for this group of skiers to have the opportunity to compete with the best in the country,” said Becky Flynn, SVSEF XC Program Director. “They have trained all year to get to this championship event—it is one of those times when hard work, perseverance, and commitment all pay off, and it’s exciting for the athletes to be able to put it all together in one place.”
Opening ceremonies will be in the historic Lake Placid Olympic Center, where athletes from all ten regions will come together, hear from US ski team members about what it takes to become the best, take an athlete oath, and light the ceremonial torch.
The first race will be a 5km (U16) and 7.5km (U18/20) freestyle event on March 11. Next up will be a Classic sprint (U16, U18/20) on March 13 followed by a 5km (U16), 10km (U18) and a 15km (U20) classic mass start race on March 15.The championship will end with a 4 X 3km relay for all on March 16.
The IMD team will send 61 athletes to the Junior National Championships, where the best juniors from 10 regions across the country will compete. SVSEF athletes Charlie St. Geroge and Nick Gardiner are excited to be testing their talents for the first time against the best U16 skiers in the US. For all others, this will be their second, third, or fourth time toeing the line with the top junior skiers in the country. We wish them the best as they compete next week!
XC Junior National Championships Website
https://mtvanhoevenberg.com/event/xc2024lakeplacid/
Intermountain Division Nordic
https://www.intermountainxc.com/
27th Annual Monroe Cup Honors Legendary Coach Lane Monroe
SVSEF’s Savannah Pringle and JHSC’s Zachary Lighthart Take the Win at 2024 Monroe Cup
The Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation hosted the annual Monroe Cup alpine ski race at Rotarun Ski Area Feb. 24-25. Named after ski racing coach and legend Lane Monroe, the Monroe Cup brings nearly 200 U10, U12, and a handful of U14 athletes from across the region to compete in this Intermountain Division (IMD) Qualifier event for the IMD Championships.
“Simply put it was an amazing celebration of kids and ski racing,” said Chuck Harris, SVSEF Junior Alpine Program Director and Chief of Race for the Monroe Cup. “The sun was out, and the snow was perfect. The tailgate scene by the parents was over the top. The smile on the athletes' faces ruled the weekend.”
“We were honored to have Lane Monroe show up on Sunday—he got to watch the kids race and he was part of the awards ceremony, which was really special,” said Harris.
Monroe was the Program Director and Head Alpine Coach at SVSEF from 1970-1996, with a hiatus between 1973 and 1976 to serve as a U.S. Ski Team coach. From 1973-1974 Monroe was the Men's Special Teams coach and then the Head Women's Coach from 1975-1976. The Monroe Cup was first held in 1997 on Bald Mountain, and continued there until 2021 when it moved to Rotarun Ski Area to continue as a slalom-only event. This was the fourth year the event has been held at Rotarun.
Three of Monroe’s former athletes currently coach for SVSEF’s Alpine program and were on-hand at the races this weekend. Pat Savaria grew up racing through the Sun Valley Ski Team and eventually took the reins as SVSEF Alpine Program Director when Monroe handed them over. He went on to coach for the U.S. Ski Team and currently coaches with the SVSEF Alpine Women’s FIS Team.
“Lane Monroe, along with Jack Simpson, my dad Jim Savaria, and Michel Rudigoz, were really the forefathers of SVSEF,” said Pat Savaria. “As a coach we knew we were skiing well if Lane talked to us that week—we could feel his enthusiasm, and if he didn’t, we better be working harder. He also brought his real estate and business savvy to the vision for SVSEF, helping ultimately establish the SVSEF training center through his work in the 1980’s and 90’s.
SVSEF Alpine U12 Travel Team coaches Adele Savaria and Skip Merrick were also coached by Monroe. “Lane was an extremely motivating coach,” said Adele Savaria. “He definitely got you fired up to do your best.”
Skip Merrick echoed Adele’s sentiments adding, “When you were at your low points as an athlete under Coach Monroe, he would drag you out of the depths and make you feel like you were the best skier in the world.” Both Adele Savaria and Skip Merrick went on to compete for the U.S. Ski Team.
The 2024 Monroe Cup featured two slalom races (four runs) on Saturday for the girls, and the same for boys on Sunday. The SVSEF Alpine U10 & U12 Travel Teams competed in the event, and athletes in the North Series of the Intermountain Division traveled from McCall Winter Sports Club (MWC), Jackson Hole Ski Club (JHSC), Bogus Basin Ski Education Foundation (BBSEF), Grand Targhee Ski and Snowboard Foundation (GTSSF), and Alyeska Ski Club (ASC) to make for a strong field of competition.
At the conclusion of both races on Saturday, SVSEF’s Savannah Pringle was awarded the Monroe Cup for her first and second overall place finishes; and Zachary Lighthart from Jackson Hole Ski Club (JHSC) won the Monroe Cup on Sunday having won both races for the boys. Awards were presented to the top five finishers for each race in the U10, U12, and U14 age categories.
“I can't thank Rotarun enough for all of their hard work to make this successful weekend happen,” said Harris. “I am always impressed with their attention to detail and we are all grateful to have such a special place here in our backyard.”
For complete overall and class race results, please visit the links below:
Women Race #1 Overall
Women Race #1 By Class
Women Race #2 Overall
Women Race #2 By Class
Men Race #1 Overall
Men Race #1 By Class
Men Race #2 Overall
Men Race #2 By Class
Top 10 SVSEF Class Results
Women - SL Saturday, February 24
Race #1 U10 Women
2 - Alta Questad
3 - Dylan Spengler
4 - Sophie Robins
5 - Kayla Kloster
7 - Amelia Beck
8 - Marie McNeal
9 - Tea Smither
10 - Chandler Letson
Race #1 U12 Women
1 - Savannah Pringle
5 - Jennings Fraser
Race #2 U10 Women
2 - Alta Questad
4 - Dylan Spengler
5 - Marie McNeal
6 - Amelia Beck
8 - Tea Smither
Race #2 U12 Women
2 - Savannah Pringle
6 - Jennings Fraser
9 - Ava Gilmour
Men - SL Sunday, February 25
Race #1 U10 Men
2 - Walker Gove
4 - Logan Steel
6 - Asa Sattler
7 - Evan McGregor
8 - Dylan Smiley
Race #1 U12 Men
2 - Theron Andra
6 - James Holman
8 - Brixen Ehleringer
10 - Eli Sattler
Race #2 U10 Men
2 - Walker Gove
4 - Asa Sattler
6 - Evan McGregor
7 - Dylan Smiley
Race #2 U12 Men
2 - Charlie Spengler
5 - Theron Andra
6 - James Holman
SVSEF FIS Athletes Heading to 2024 U18 Nationals
SVSEF qualifies more athletes than any other club in Western Region
The official boards for the U18 National Championships have been posted, and the SVSEF FIS Team will send 15 athletes to represent the Western Region in Jackson Hole, WY, March 2-8. Athletes must qualify to compete at U18 Nationals and each region (Western, Rocky-Central, and Eastern) has 20 quota spots for men and for women. In addition, the US Ski Team may utilize 10 development picks for athletes that didn’t qualify through criteria.
The Western Region includes the Pacific Northwest, Northern, Intermountain, Far West, and Alaska Divisions; or Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, California, Nevada, Utah, and western Wyoming.
“I am proud of our entire FIS program: athletes, coaches, teachers, parents, and supporters for focusing on the process of each individual throughout this season,” said Will Brandenburg, SVSEF Alpine Program Director. “The level of commitment it takes to travel, race, and accomplish this qualification while in high school truly requires a village of people who 'get it.' They fully support these student-athletes' goals both on the hill and in the classroom. We knew this group had a ton of depth, and having this many athletes qualify for an event of this level says something about both the athletes and the community that supports them”.
The U18 National Championships technical events will be held at Snow King Mountain on March 2-3 and speed events will be held at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort on March 4-8.
SVSEF Women qualified for U18 National Championships
- Autumn Carpenter (Speed Events)
- Avryl Haas
- Josie Sarchett
- Lowie Watkins
- Madison Vieara McCarthy (Speed Events)
- Meredith Bromley
- Natalie Gowe
- Ruby Crist
- Sophia Hallstein
SVSEF Men qualified for U18 National Championships
- Larson Overby
- Max Meucci
- Noah Horsch
- Owen Lancaster
- Sasha Stern-Pre
- Tucker Smith
Photo L-R from SVSEF Women's FIS Team: Coach Anika Angriman, Natalie Gowe, Autumn Carpenter, Sophia Hallstein, Ava Schweiger, Sasha McCourtie, Madison Vieara-McCarthy, Ava Murphy, Pat Savaria, and front, Avryl Haas.
2024 Nordic Cup Results
Thank you to the Papoose Club for the festivities, SVSEF for race management, BCRD for the incredible trails and all the sponsors of this year’s Nordic Cup at Quigley Nordic Trails!
Just about 75 racers ages U5-U14 gathered with COSTUMES, GLITTER and ALL THE ENERGY to show us what fun it is to be a winter athlete! With a fresh dusting of snow in the morning, the clouds make way for some sunshine just in time for racing!
Ready for a FUN, FREE ski race for kids? Online registration is now open for the KINDER CUP, Sunday, March 3rd!
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR THE KINDER CUP.
To volunteer for upcoming Papoose Club events, CLICK HERE!
Feature photo courtesy of Heather Foster.
SVSEF Freestyle Team Rounds Up Personal Bests at Roundhouse Rumble
Tillie Babcock and Nic Rubenstein soar to first place finishes in Singles Moguls
The Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation (SVSEF) Freestyle team hosted the second annual Roundhouse Rumble this past weekend on Bald Mountain’s Roundhouse Slope. The team’s second intermountain competition on Baldy included three Singles Mogul events and one Dual Mogul event over the two-day period.
Program Director and Coach John Grigsby was thrilled with the team’s efforts and the hometown results. “We had a lot of personal bests and podiums across all age groups, not to mention six of the top ten Saturday were SVSEF athletes!” said Grigsby. “It was awesome to see our athletes' improvements all around but especially in our turn scores!”
Saturday was a huge success for SVSEF athletes, with six men and two women standing in top ten podium spots in the Saturday Singles Mogul competition. For the women, Tillie Babcock took first place and Isla Sundby stood in 10th place, while the men’s top ten included Nic Rubenstein (1st), Sylas Barrett (2nd), Drake Lovlien (7th), Will Hausmann (8th), Beau Forelli (9th), and Austin McMahan (10th).
“Not only did this weekend account for a handful of personal best runs, our team also had a lot of age class podiums,” said Grigsby. “Beau Forelli (M15) had a standout performance compared to the older age groups, while Sylas Barrett led the charge for the men’s team taking 4th overall in the Singles Mogul on Sunday. Tillie Babcock had particularly impressive results this weekend, taking first overall in Singles Mogul on Saturday, second in Singles Mogul on Sunday, and first in Duals on Sunday.
Next up, the Freestyle Travel team will head to Park City where they will compete at the Utah Olympic Park.
Saturday Moguls 1:
Women Overall
1st - Tillie Babcock
10th - Isla Sundby
Men Overall
1st - Nic Rubenstein
6th - Sylas Barrett
7th - Drake Lovlien
8th - Will Hausmann
9th - Beau Forelli
10th - Austin McMahan
Sunday Moguls 2:
Women Overall
2nd - Tillie Babcock
8th - Catherine Wells-Dolson
Men Overall
4th - Sylas Barrett
6th - Drake Lovlien
10th - Nic Rubenstein
SVSEF’s Ruby Smith and Tucker Reimund Claim Laura Flood Memorial Race Titles
The race community sharpened their edges for the 33rd annual Laura Flood Memorial Race held on Baldy Feb. 9-11. The Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation (SVSEF) welcomed more than 150 U16 ski racers from across the country to race for qualifying points towards the national championships. Racers gathered at Lower Warm Springs to compete in the giant slalom and slalom races during the three-day event.
Not only does this event present a competitive environment for the national U16 racing circuit, but it brings together a multitude of players in the local ski community. SVSEF Alpine Program Director Will Brandenburg said, “The Flood family, coaches, volunteers, families, athletes, and the Sun Valley Resort staff contributed their time and energy to make this a super fun event for all involved.”
The Laura Flood Memorial holds a special place in the heart of our local ski racing community. Flood passed away in a ski training accident at 19 while racing for the University of Colorado. Her kind-hearted nature and passion for skiing is remembered by her family and the greater Sun Valley ski community.
Laura’s sister, Heather Flood Daves, said, “Those who knew Laura would say that she was vivacious, kind, super determined, fun-loving, and always showed the epitome of sportsmanship. Races like this are one way we can honor people we’ve lost through our sport, and always remember incredible moments that over time unveil so many connections between past winners.”
The GS course stood as a proving ground for Day 1 and 2, with stiff competition coming in from Idaho’s neighboring states. Seven SVSEF athletes managed to stake their claim in the top ten on the first competition day, including Taylor Moe (1st), Ruby Smith (2nd), and Elliot Leahy (7th) for the women; and Tucker Reimund (2nd), Owen Lancaster (4th), Conway Selznick (5th), and Jay Blackburn (8th) for the men.
The second day of GS was an exciting feat for the SVSEF men, sweeping nine of the top ten finishes. These results are a rare sight to see and an incredible performance by the team as a whole. The top ten included Noah Horsch (1st), Sacha Stern-Pre (2nd), Cole Sanford (3rd), Ulrich Rossi (4th), Owen Lancaster (5th), Conway Selznick (6th), Max Meucci (8th), Tucker Reimund (9th). Meanwhile, Ruby Smith took fifth and Meredith Bromley took sixth for the women’s division.
While the GS races showcased fierce moments of strength, speed, and concentration, the slalom race on Sunday was a lively and energetic event, with snappy turns displaying immense agility and perseverance. The team stood strong and resilient despite a few challenging gates, with plenty of cheering from teammates to fuel the fire.
The slalom race results included two female athletes on the podium, with Ruby Smith in first and Madison Vieara-McCarthy in second, and five athletes in the top 10 for the men, including: Sacha Stern-Pre (1st), Bodin Lee (3rd), Cole Sanford (4th), Owen Lancaster (5th), and Tucker Reimund (8th).
After the long weekend, Flood Daves concluded, “Randy and I were excited to watch the talented and strong racers this weekend. Our family is honored to continue to celebrate our sister Laura and ski racing! The generations of extended ski families and friendships continue to inspire us and reaffirm our support of the young athletes that dedicate themselves to this sport.”
On Sunday, the Laura Flood Memorial perpetual trophy was presented to two U16 athletes with the best overall race results of the weekend. This year, two SVSEF athletes took home the trophy for men and women, including Tucker Reimund and Ruby Smith. This award marks another proud moment for the coaches, parents, and staff that support the kids on their progressive journey through ski racing.
SVSEF Athlete Results
GS Day 1 (Friday, Feb. 9)
Women:
1st - Taylor Moe
2nd - Ruby Smith
7th - Elliot Leahy
Men:
2nd - Tucker Reimund
4th - Owen Lancaster
5th - Conway Selznick
8th - Jay Blackburn
GS Day 2 (Saturday, Feb. 10)
Women:
4th - Ruby Smith
6th - Meredith Bromley
Men:
1st - Noah Horsch
2nd - Sacha Stern-Pre
3rd - Cole Sanford
4th - Ulrich Rossi
5th - Owen Lancaster
6th - Conway Selznick
8th - Max Meucci
9th - Tucker Reimund
Slalom (Sunday, Feb. 11)
Women:
1st - Ruby Smith
2nd - Madison Vieara-McCarthy
Men:
1st - Sacha Stern-Pre
3rd - Bodin Lee
4th - Cole Sanford
5th - Owen Lancaster
8th - Tucker Reimund
For a complete list of race results, please visit: https://www.imdalpine.org/alpine/races22/
Steel Hagenbuch Secures U23 World Championship Bronze Medal
(SVSEF Alum) John Steel Hagenbuch of the Stifel U.S. Cross Country Ski Team is taking home a bronze medal at the first race of the 2024 U23 FIS Ski World Championships, marking himself as the third-fastest U23 sprinter in the world today, Feb. 6.
On-site in Planica, Slovenia, Steel Hagenbuch is on one of the biggest podiums of his career. After only eight World Cup starts, with a career-best result in the Östersund 10k in 13th, he is setting the tone for the championships and adding his first U23 World Championships medal to his resume.
It was another warm day in Planica. On the same sprint course that the Junior World Championship athletes skied less than 24 hours earlier— where U.S. athlete Sammy Smith took home a silver medal— it was the U23’s chance. On the start list were several athletes who have consistently races on the World Cup circuit, many of them even racing through to the semifinals in sprints– the sprint field was strong in Planica.
During the qualification round, Steel Hagenbuch was sixth, behind his Stifel U.S. Ski Team teammate Brian Bushey who crossed the finish line in third. Alongside both Bushey and Steel Hagenbuch, was Walker Hall qualifying in 23rd, all punching their ticket to the sprint heats.
Into the quarterfinals, Steel Hagenbuch won his heat, .13 seconds ahead of Preben Horven on Norway, advancing through to the semifinal heat. Both Hall and Bushey did not advance out of the quarters but still added a top 30 to their U23 World Champs resume.
Into the quarters, Steel Hagenbuch was fourth, typically that would end an athlete's day as he did not finish in the top two or in the lucky loser position, but his heat was the fastest of the two semis, giving him the green light to race in a skate sprint final.
Into the final, he was the lone American up against the top juniors from Norway, France, Switzerland and Sweden. Off the start line, the Dartmouth Ski Team star turned on the gas and skied a smart race, crossing the finish line in third, snagging his first U23 World Championships medal and capping off one of the best races of his career.
“Considering that I was relieved to even make the heats, it was a really incredible day to go all the way to the final,” said Steel Hagenbuch. “It was not possible without a great support team, cracked skis, and a whole lot of luck. This is definitely my best sprint ever, so I’m grateful for such good timing! There were a lot of really strong competitors out there, and I was happy with how I executed my race plan of attacking on the second part of the course. It was easy to get nervous lining up with some really strong sprinters, but I was confident in my climbing and finishing speed after a solid qualifier. After today, the motivation is really high headed into my main focus - the 20km skate mass start on Thursday!”
At the end of the day, Steel Hagenbuch led the team in third, Hall in 18th, Bushey in 21st, Elijah Weenig in 45th. For the women, Haley Brewster of the Stifel U.S. Ski Team was the leading American in 13th, Anabel Needham 23r and, Nina Seemann 28th; Novie McCabe did not start.
Next up is the 20k mass start, scheduled for this coming Thursday, Feb. 8. Tomorrow, the World Champs Junior athletes will race the 20k.
Photo: Graeme Williams
SVSEF Freeski & Snowboard Teams Clutch Big USASA Wins on Home Turf
Naomi Gorringe (SVSEF) and Ace Emery (JHSC) Win 25th Annual Beverly Hay Snowboard Cup
The USASA Big Mountain West Series rolled into Sun Valley this weekend with a symphony of rain, sleet, slush, and snow to set the stage for an action-packed weekend at the Baldy Boardercross and Dollar Slopestyle events. This weekend included another standout success for the SVSEF Snowboard Breaker Girls who swept the podium at three of the eight events, taking full advantage of the home hills.
Over 30 athletes from the SVSEF Snowboard, AlpineX, and Freestyle teams showed up to Warm Springs to compete in the first-ever boardercross competition on Baldy. The coaches and mountain staff played a huge role in making sure the course was rideable for all athletes.
“This was a major effort by all the parties involved to get this track up and running with the conditions that we've had,” said SVSEF Snowboard Director Andy Gilbert. “I can't say enough about our partnership with Sun Valley Company and with the Big Mountain West Snowboard and Freeski Series.This took all the disciplines at SVSEF (Alpine, Freeski and Snowboard) all working in concert; a true team effort!”
While portions of the race inevitably became a fog-laden crash course, the athletes took this as an opportunity to have fun and get out of their comfort zones. “This weekend is very important to riders and skiers in the Series as it is the only cross event that can qualify kids to the national championships,” said Gilbert.
Come Saturday, the skies cleared to grace the Dollar slopestyle with moments of clarity. The course sequence included two rail sections sandwiching two jumps in the middle and an s-rail to polish off the bottom half. Athletes from all age brackets brought their A-game. The SVSEF teams leaned into their hometown advantage and layed down massive tricks with no shortage of style and technicality woven into big airs and rail lines.
This weekend marked a huge success for the SVSEF Snowboard Breaker Girls & Freeski Breaker Boys, sweeping podiums on Day 1 and Day 2 for their respective age categories. For the snowboard girls, Naomi Gorringe took the top spot, Vivian Smith in 2nd, and Camille Armeen in 3rd (with the same podium lineup on Day 1 and Day 2); and Emmett Crist in 1st, Barret Beyer in 2nd, and Leo Hayes in 3rd for the Freeski boys on Day 1.
While the entire team put on impressive performances, Callie Allen brought her quintessential seamless style and fluidity to the table, landing first on the podium on both competition days, and Rylan Olson stood out against stiff competition from Jackson in the Breaker category.
“On Saturday Rylan threw a Cab 540 and a back 360 as well as rail tricks that forced everyone to take notice! Rylan finished just off the top spot in 2nd in what we would call a Breakout result,” said Gilbert. “He’s a great kid and works super hard. This has been building for him and he deserves to enjoy it!
Day 2 set the stage for another exciting show, with bigger airs and consistent flow throughout course sequences. Five of the Freeski athletes took Top 3 spots on both comp days: Zeppelin Pilaro took 1st and Kai Van Bueren took 2nd in the Youth Men’s category, Finn Wolfrom in 1st and George Corkery in 2nd for Junior Men, and Anton Holter in 1st for Open Class Men. Crist and Beyer made their way to the podium for the second day for the Breaker Boys category, with Crist landing in 1st and Beyer taking 3rd.
Freeski Coach Gui Brown expressed his pride for the team, “I saw some superb runs and some serious progression! Our athletes are pushing themselves and folks are taking notice. Needless to say, the coaches are extremely proud of this squad and the direction they are headed.”
To wrap up the weekend, the Beverly Hay Snowboard Cup was awarded to two top athletes for best overall performance - Naomi Gorringe of SVSEF for the women and Ace Emery of JHSC for the men.
Gilbert noted, “This is the 25th year the Beverly Hay Cup has been awarded and it's always a special moment for the snowboard community. Beverly was on hand this year to help award the trophy which went to Ace Emery from Jackson hole and repeating cup winner, Naomi Gorringe from SVSEF!”
Past winners of the cup include Olympic gold medalist Kaitlyn Farrington and two-time Olympian Graham Watanabe along with a host of riders who have gone on to notable careers in snowboarding. The cup is named for Beverly (Hay) DeChevrieux, a former SVSEF board member and constant supporter of the Snowboard Program at SVSEF.
Baldy Boardercross Snowboard Results:
Race 1:
Menehune Girls 11-12
3rd - Scout Bilbro
Breaker Girls 13-14
2nd - Vivian Smith
4th - Naomi Gorringe
5th - Camille Armeen
Breaker Boys 13-14
4th - Rylan Olson
8th - Bixby Swanger
Menehune Boys 11-12
2nd - Liam Romero
Youth Men 15-16
3rd- Uzzi Almaras
Race 2:
Menehune Girls 11-12
3rd - Scout Bilbro
Breaker Girls 13-14
1st - Naomi Gorringe
2nd - Camille Armeen
4th - Vivian Smith
Breaker Boys 13-14
5th - Rylan Olson
Youth Men 15-16
2nd - Uzzi Almaras
Race 3:
Menehune Girls 11-12
4th - Scout Bilbro
Breaker Girls 13-14
1st - Naomi Gorringe
3rd - Vivian Smith
5th - Camille Armeen
Breaker Boys 13-14
4th - Bixby Swanger
8th - Rylan Olson
Menehune Boys 11-12
2nd - Liam Romero
3rd - Bolden Enoch
4th - Quin Enoch
Youth Men 15-16
2nd - Uzzi Almaras
Race 4:
Menehune Girls 11-12
3rd - Scout Bilbro
Breaker Girls 13-14
1st- Naomi Gorringe
2nd - Vivian Smith
3rd- Camille Armeen
Breaker Boys 13-14
4th - Rylan Olson 4th
9th - Charlie Theobald
Menehune Boys 11-12
1st - Quin Enoch
2nd - Bolden Enoch
Youth Men 15-16
3rd - Uzzi Almaras
Dollar Mountain Slopestyle Results
Freeski Day 1:
Breaker Boys
1st - Emmett Crist
2nd - Barrett Beyer
3rd - Leo Hayes
Breaker Girls
2nd - Blue Allen
Junior Men
1st - Finn Wolfrom
2nd - George Corkery
Youth Men
1st - Zeppelin Pilaro
2nd - Kai Van Bueren
Open Class Men
1st - Anton Holter
Freeski Day 2:
Breaker Boys
1st - Emmett Crist
3rd - Leo Hayes
Youth Men
1st - Zeppelin Pilaro
2nd - Kai Van Bueren
Junior Men
1st - Finn Wolfrom
2nd - George Corkery
Open Class Men
1st - Anton Holter
Snowboard Day 1:
Menehune Boys 11-12
3rd - Liam Romero
4th - Bolden Enoch
Breaker Girls 13-14
1st - Naomi Gorringe
2nd - Vivian Smith
3rd - Camille Armeen
Breaker Boys 13-14
2nd - Rylan Olson
7th - Charlie Theobald
9th - Miles Hatzenbuehler
10th - Bixby Swanger
Youth Women 15-16
1st - Callie Allen
Youth Men 15-16
9th - Karsen Miller
Snowboard Day 2:
Menehune Boys 11-12
4th - Liam Romero
5th - Bolden Enoch
Breaker Girls 13-14
1st - Naomi Gorringe
2nd - Vivian Smith
3rd - Camille Armeen
Breaker Boys 13-14
4th - Rylan Olson
7th - Bixby Swanger
8th - Miles Hatzenbuehler
9th - Charlie Theobald
Youth Women 15-16
1st- Callie Allen
Youth Men 15-16
7th - Karsen Miller
You can find the full breakdown of results below or on the USASA Big Mountain West Series page.