SVSEF XC Gold Team Members Sport National Team Colors on the World Stage
Jake Adicoff, Sammy Smith, and Peter Wolter have personal bests at the World Cup
Several members of the SVSEF XC Gold Team were far from home this weekend, competing amongst the best in the world. In the FIS Cross Country World Cup at Goms, Switzerland, Sammy Smith (USA), Peter Wolter (USA), and Bentley Walker-Broose (AUS) joined their respective national teams to battle the powerhouse teams from Scandinavia and Europe. The ParaNordic World Cup season kicked off at Toblach, Italy, where Jake Adicoff (USA) added to his extensive hardware collection bringing home three gold medals and one silver. Stateside, Mariah Bredal (USA) continued her quest on the US Ski & Snowboard SuperTour at Craftsbury, VT, where she grabbed a top-10 in the women’s 1.5km sprint event on Friday and a fourth in the 20km freestyle on Sunday.
“That was a special weekend for the team, to have three athletes racing in the World Cup and have Jake winning at the Para World Cup,” said Chris Mallory, SVSEF XC Gold Team Head Coach. “They’ve got momentum and it’s fun to see them reach some of their goals, but there’s still a lot of exciting racing to come.”
The women’s 1.5km Coop FIS Cross Country Freestyle Sprint Qualifier on Saturday saw Team Sweden take six of the top 10 qualifying spots. Sammy Smith (USA) had an exceptional qualifying round, finishing in 13th and earning a spot in the quarter finals up against 2023 Sprint Crystal Globe winner, Maja Dahlqvist (SWE). Alongside Team USA teammates Jessie Diggins and Rosie Brennan, Smith was one of thirty women to qualify for the quarter finals out of fifty-one competitors. Diggins and Brennan qualified ninth and 17th respectively.
Over the two-lap course, it was clear early on there would be key tactics to play out on the climbs and into one of the final corners where some grabby ruts were being quickly established. Commentators of the race commended Smith as she chose to make a pass on the outside up the climb, ultimately putting her alongside Dahlqvist 1:29.3 into the race. Just over two minutes into the race, Smith got caught up on a short climb, setting her back a bit. She rallied to regroup with the field only to slide out on the heels of another competitor on a final corner at 2:38.0. Dahlqvist won the quarter final heat in 3:05.4 and went on to take the silver medal in the final. Smith’s finishing time in the quarter final heats landed her in 21st place for the event.
“The races in Goms were a ton of fun,” said Smith. “There were a lot of spectators which made for a killer race atmosphere. Unfortunately during the relay our second leg skier passed out, (thankfully she’s okay though!) I was planning on anchoring the relay, but the U.S. ended up not finishing. It did enable me to go in fresher to the skate sprint, where I ended up qualifying 13th which is my best qualifier. I was in a strong position for most of the quarter final but got tangled up on the last climb, lost some spots, and then a skier fell in front of me on the last corner and I tripped over her pole. It definitely didn’t go the way I hoped, but I’m looking forward to World Juniors (Planica, Slovenia) and Minneapolis (World Cup)—hoping to be able to put some races together there!”
The men’s Sprint Qualifier directly followed the women. Peter Wolter (USA) finished in 58th, 14.25 seconds off the fastest time of 2:34.03 set by Lucas Chanavat (FRA) and 5.50 seconds of the final qualifying time of 30th place at 2:42.78. Bentley Walker-Broose (AUS) finished in 70th. Chavanet went on to win silver for France in the final.
“Sun Valley type weather in Goms this past weekend!” said Wolter. “The conditions were all time and the racing was fast. I jumped in the sprint and felt strong,didn’t qualify for heats, but overall happy with my first World Cup sprint. Sunday’s 20k skate mass start was fast and chaotic but I was happy to end in 49th, a personal best on the World Cup circuit. I look forward to beating that in the Canmore and Minneapolis World Cups.”
“The races in Goms were super hard!” said Walker-Broose. “Great fun though and fantastic to carry some harder racing experience into world U23’s coming up at the start of February in Slovenia.”
The 20km Mass Start Free was contested under bluebird skies on Sunday at Goms. For the women, Smith (USA) finished in 45th with a time of 49:20.9 and 3:54.6 back from teammate Jessie Diggins (USA) gold medal time of 45:26.3. Wolter (USA) crossed the line in 41:49.3 and 2:24.1 behind gold medal winner Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo (NOR), landing him in 49th and his personal best World Cup finish in his fifth World Cup start. Walker-Broose (AUS) finished in 74th with a time of 46:14.0.
Para Nordic World Cup at Toblach, Italy
The Para Nordic World Cup season began in Toblach, Italy with a four-event line up. Up first were two 10km classic races, one interval start and one a mass start followed by a freestyle sprint and a freestyle 10km race to round out the week. Jake Adicoff (USA), Olympic gold medalist, continued his quest for gold, winning three of the four races and taking silver in the fourth.
On Wednesday, in the VI 10km classic Interval start race, Adicoff, along with guide Jake Brown, raced to gold with a time of 30:37, just edging out the Swedish team of Zebastian Modin and guide Emil Joensson who finished second with a time of 30:53. On Thursday, the USA vs. Sweden duel continued, with USA’s Adicoff and guide Brown taking the win with a dramatic sprint to the finish line to edge out the Swedish pair of Modin and Joensson once again, this time by only one second.
After a day off to recover and regroup, the races resumed on Saturday with a 1.2km freestyle sprint. Adicoff and guide Matt Seline finished second, just one second behind Germany’s Nico Messinger and three seconds ahead of Ukraine's Anatoliii Kovalesvskyl.
The triple crown, however, belonged to Adicoff who came back to win his third gold of the World Cup in the 10km freestyle on Sunday with guide Logan Moore, finishing the series with four medals in four events.
“Had an awesome week in Toblach,” said Adicoff. “I’m really happy with the racing and the results. I worked with three new guides in four races, and it was really cool to see the strength and support from American skiing. Also so cool to be watching Bentley, Sammy, and Peter crush it in Goms, as well as Mariah in Craftsbury. Inspired by the team as usual!”
US Ski & Snowboard SuperTour at Craftsbury, VT
Mariah Bredal, who competed in the Craftsbury Super Tour races over the weekend in Vermont, finished 10th in the Freestyle Sprint and fourth overall in the 25km Freestyle Mass Start event. This was a great showing for Bredal, who has qualified to compete in her first World Cup in Canmore, Alberta, Feb. 9-13.
Sandwiched in between the two Super Tour races in Vermont was the Craftsbury Freestyle 50km Marathon. Alumni Annika Landis won the marathon with a time of 2:23:48. This is a big race in the East, a part of a larger Marathon series that carries the same status as the Boulder Mountain Tour. Landis was three minutes ahead of the second place finisher, Green Racing Project alum Caitlin Patterson.
What’s next for the SVSEF XC Gold Team?
Former 2023 Boulder Mountain Tour Champion Peter Wolter will return home from the World Cup this week and decide if the timing is right to defend his title. He will be in between World Cup events with a focus on his next World Cup start in Canmore, Alberta, Feb 9-13. He will be joined in Canmore by teammate Mariah Bredal, who finds herself in the same conundrum.
Sammy Smith (USA) and Bentley Walker-Broose (AUS) are set to compete at the World Junior/U23 Championships in Planica, Slovenia Feb. 5-11. They will both be returning for a second time, having competed in 2023. Smith, who was also granted a start at the Canmore World Cup, declined that invitation to compete for the US at World Juniors with the goal of bettering her results from last year and maybe, it all goes her way, skiing onto the podium this time around.
Jake Adicoff will remain overseas for the next stop on the Para Nordic World Cup in Martello, Italy where he will compete in the classic sprint on January 31. He will stay in Europe to train for a few weeks before returning to the states to compete in the Slumberland American Birkebeiner on February 24.
For complete FIS Nordic Calendar and Results, visit: https://www.fis-ski.com/DB/cross-country/calendar-results.html?noselection=true
For complete ParaNordic Calendar and Results, visit: https://www.fis-ski.com/DB/para-snowsports/para-nordic/calendar-results.html?noselection=true
For complete US Ski & Snowboard SuperTour Calendar and Results, visit: https://usskiandsnowboard.org/supertour
For complete World Junior/U23 Championship Calendar and Results, visit:
https://www.planica.si/skoki/msp
SVSEF Cross Country Athletes are Toeing the Line Across The Globe
Bredal podiums at Lake Placid SuperTour, Maybach competes at Winter Youth Olympic Games
SVSEF Cross Country team athletes are lining up against the best in the country and the world. From high school-aged Comp Team athletes to post-grad XC Gold Team athletes, they are finding inspiration in training together and cheering each other on as they pursue both individual and team goals at every level.
“It’s such an exciting time for the SVSEF cross country program,” said Becky Flynn, SVSEF XC Program Director. “While our junior teams are training here at home and looking towards their next Junior National Qualifier at Soldier Hollow in Utah this weekend, they are able to cheer on other teammates who are competing across the globe at the International Junior and World Cup level.”
At the Coop FIS Cross Country World Cup in Oberhof, Germany, Peter Wolter raced to 55th in the Men’s 20km Mass Start Classic, just +3:34.8 back from Norway’s Erik Valnes and approximately four and a half minutes ahead of the last finisher for the men. Wolter’s next stop is the FIS Cross Country World Cup in Goms, Switzerland Jan 26-28. Sammy Smith took this weekend off to recover following the Tour de Ski and will race in Goms this weekend. Fellow SVSEF XC Gold Teammate Bentley Walker-Broose will also join Wolter and Smith to race for his homeland Australia at the Goms World Cup.
Following the race in Oberhof, Wolter said, “World Cup number three is in the books and oh boy was it a bit of a shock to the system. You always know it’s a different ball game over here but it doesn’t truly materialize until, well, it does and you’re redlining up one of the steeper hills you’ve ever raced on for the sixth time with German fans yelling and smoking cigarettes on the sidelines. It’s awesome to be back on the circuit and I’m hungry for better results this coming weekend. Stay tuned.”
Molly Maybach finished 71st in her first biathlon race against 98 competitors at the Winter Youth Olympic Games Saturday morning in Gangwon, South Korea. “It was so fun - the whole atmosphere is super great and I love being here!” said Maybach. “I felt like I skied well but can work on my shooting for the next event.” Up next for Maybach is the 6km Sprint where she’ll be wearing bib number 23 with a local start time of 9:37:40 p.m. tonight, Monday, Jan. 22.
Heading to the east coast, SVSEF XC Gold Team athlete Mariah Bredal continued her presence on the SuperTour podium this season finishing in fourth place in the Lake Placid SuperTour / Eastern Cup 10km Mass Start at Mt Van Hoevenberg on Sunday. Bredal finished in 00:29:51.7, just two tenths back from third place and 21 seconds off of the first place time of 00:29:30.2. The SuperTour awards prize money for the top six podium finishers in their races. In Saturday’s 1.3km Freestyle Sprint, Bredal qualified into the heats and finished 21st overall. Bredal will head to Craftsbury VT to compete Jan. 26-28, before heading back to Sun Valley to get ready for the 51st annual Zions Bank Boulder Mountain Tour (BMT) on Feb. 3. She finished fourth in last year’s BMT, just over one second out of first place.
Olympic and World Champion and SVSEF XC Gold Team athlete Jake Adicoff is set to compete at the Para Nordic World Cup in Toblach, Italy Jan. 24-28.
Wood River High School student and SVSEF Comp Team athlete Zach Quesnel is currently skiing as an exchange student with Sollefteå Ski Gymnasium in Sweden. Quesnel had the unique opportunity to race in the Nordic Nations Cup at Fallun, Sweden this weekend where he saw his best result in the 10km Classic Individual Start on Sunday placing 65th in the 17-18 age group. Unfortunately the races were canceled on Saturday due to frigidly cold temperatures. Up next for Quesnel, he’ll race with the Sollefteå Skidor team Feb 14-18 in Ulricehamn, Sweden.
Photo: Peter Wolter previews course in Oberhof, Germany
SVSEF U12 Travel Team Takes on Targhee North Series Giant Slalom
First away race of the season delivers experiences in teamwork and triumph
Junior ski racing athletes from across the Intermountain Division descended on Grand Targhee this weekend for the North Series GS races. At the end of two days of racing, Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation’s U12 Travel Team brought home four podium spots for the girls and seven for the boys.
One of the team’s favorite away races came complete with sunshine, fog, timing delays, crashes, lost skis, good skiing, fun in the pool, BBQ’s in the finish area, and most importantly a whole lot of fun as a team.
“The U12 Travel Team had so much fun this weekend at their first travel races of this season in Targhee,” said Adele Savaria, SVSEF U12 Travel Team Coach. “Many athletes learned how the weather can change at a moment's notice and how to be patient at races due to various potential delays. Many thanks to their parents for providing snacks and lunch at the tent for the athletes and coaches and also carrying their coats when needed. The kids all showed how to be great teammates by cheering each other on and also taking coats down for each other. I’d call it a success all-around for the whole team!”
On Saturday for the U10 Boys, Asa Sattler came in third and Walker Gove just behind in fourth. The U12 Boys saw Charlie Spengler take second and Theron Andra fourth. For the U12 Girls, Savannah Pringle won the race and teammate Jennings Fraser placed fourth.
On Sunday, Walker Gove moved up one spot to third in the U10 Boys race, while the U12 Boys took four of the five podium spots—Theron Andra (1st), Alex Grant (3rd), Charlie Spengler (4th) Brixen Ehleringer (5th). Savannah Pringle took another win for the weekend in the U12 Girls, with Brady Bloomfield racing to fourth place.
“A big thank you to the coaching staff,” said Chuck Harris, SVSEF Junior Program Director. “I took a few opportunities over the weekend to step back and watch the coaching staff do their jobs and I am simply amazed at their knowledge, experience, and dedication to every child on our team. Most importantly I am impressed with their ability to relate, communicate, and teach every child on our team—we are all extremely lucky!”
SVSEF Athlete Results:
U10 Boys GS Jan. 20
- 3rd Asa Sattler
- 4th Walker Gove
U12 Boys GS Jan. 20
- 2nd Charlie Spengler
- 4th Theron Andra
U12 Girls GS Jan. 20
- 1st Savannah Pringle
- 4th Jennings Fraser
U10 Boys GS Jan. 21
- 3rd Walker Gove
U12 Boys GS Jan. 21
- 1st Theron Andra
- 3rd Alex Grant
- 4th Charlie Spangler
- 5th Brixen Ehleringer
U12 Girls GS Jan. 21
- 1st Savannah Pringle
- 4th Brady Bloomfield
For complete race results visit IMD Alpine North Series.
SVSEF Athletes Race Through Freezing Temperatures to First-Place Finishes
SVSEF XC Comp and Prep Teams Compete in Johnny Curtis Memorial 2024 IMD Junior National Qualifier Race Series in Wilson, WY
The SVSEF XC Comp and Prep Teams braved the wind and cold temperatures to compete in the Johnny Curtis Memorial 2024 IMD Junior National Qualifier, January 13-14 at Trail Creek in Wilson, WY. Due to the travel and extremely cold weather, the race organizers delayed the start time of Saturday's race to allow for teams to arrive safely and for the races to be during the warmest temperatures of the day. Throughout the weekend, the SVSEF teams found success across the board in all age groups.
Saturday brought below-freezing temperatures and strong winds to the 5km classic races. Galen Grohusky, David Shycon, and Otus Beason swept the podium in the men’s U20 race, finishing first, second, and third respectively. Dave Walters finished in 15th. In the women’s U20 race, Emma Singer finished a strong fifth followed by teammate Mia Schaffner in sixth place.
“It was great to see how brave our athletes were when trying out some new race tactics,” said Interim Head Comp Team Coach Bob Thompson. “It paid off in almost every instance, highlighted by the U20 men’s podium sweep and Cora Faye Scott winning both U18 races. This inspired many of the young racers throughout the weekend.”
Cora Faye Scott led a strong returning squad of U18 women, taking the win with a time of 18:56. Jodie Maguire followed closely in fourth, Berkeley Canfield in sixth and Mazzy Conners in 12th. Rounding out the girls race were Eden Keeney (22nd), Wren Hassman (25th), Elise Voorhees (35th), Lucy Carter (43rd) and Anna Gilman (49th).
Teddy Hobbs skied a tough race to finish 13th in the U18 boys category. Teammates Stratton Cunningham and Whit Brown followed in 24th and 26th respectively.
The U16 race saw Riley Siegel lead the team finishing in 20th followed by teammates Dylan Buck (35th), Cora Schrader Brozowski (36th) and Lauryn Stevens (38th). For the U16 boys, Charlie St. George came out strong in eighth place followed by teammates Nick Gardiner (10th), Cyrus Pott (12th), Tait Boschen (16th), Duncan Fryberger (28th), Townes Van Der Meulen (36th), Felix Wilson (37th), and Quinn Parmenter (38th).
The U14 team was full of energy and glitter all weekend long. In the 3km classic race, Stella St. George was SVSEF’s top finisher in 12th, with a huge pack of teammates right there with her including Sydney Nelson (13th), Tessa Dondero (14th), Josephine Renner (16th), and Satchel Swindley(20th). The boys were led by Owen Wellner (ninth), Cameron Gilman (13th), Thijs Lloyd (15th), Jake Jacoby (17th), and Angus Ramsay (20th).
Payton Daley-Scheingraber found her way to a third-place podium finish in the girls U12 3km classic race. For the boys, Cody Lloyd was seventh, Auguste Allaire eighth, and Jack Flynn finished out the day in ninth.
Day two came with sunny skies and temps hovering in the single digits. Athletes wore protective masks to keep their breath warm and coaches were bundled up to fight off the cold.
In the 10km freestyle mass start race, David Shycon found himself on the podium for a second time, finishing second overall in the U20 men’s race. Teammates Otus Beason and Galen Grohusky were close behind in sixth and seventh respectively, along with Dave Walters in 17th. Also skiing the 10km distance, Emma Singer was fifth and Mia Schaffner finished sixth in the U20 women’s race.
Next up was the U18 men and women, racing a 10km freestyle mass start and braving the cold temps. Cora Faye Scott won the day by an impressive 32 seconds in the girls race. Jodie Maguire was also consistent, finishing with another fourth place and Mazzy Conners skied to a strong ninth place. Teammates Wren Hassman and Lucy Carter finished 19th and 32nd respectively. Teddy Hobbs again led the way for SVSEF U18 boys finishing 20th overall, followed by Whit Brown (27th) and Stratton Cunningham (31st).
The U16’s raced a 5km freestyle mass start with times ranging from 16:03 to 19:50. Cyrus Pott led SVSEF in ninth place, followed closely by Tait Boschen (18th), Duncan Fryberger (21st), Townes Van Der Meulen (30th) and Felix Wilson (31st). Dylan Buck led the SVSEF girls in 29th, followed by Cora Schrader Brozowski( 33rd) and Vivian Cunningham (35th).
The races continued to get quicker, with the U14’s, and U12’s racing a 3km freestyle mass start.
In the girls U14 race, Stella St. George finished 11th with a pack of teammates just seconds behind. Josephine Renner finished 13th, followed by Sydney Nelson (15th), Tessa Dondero (17th), Satchel Swindley (19th) and Piper Gerald (20th). Owen Wellner led the boys in 10th, followed by Jake Jacoby (14th), Cameron Gilman (15th), and Angus Ramsay(18th).
Payton Daley Scheingraber took the top spot for the U12 girls, winning the 2k race with a time of 6:49. The U12 boys raced to strong finishes with Cody Lloyd in fifth, Auguste Allaire in eighth, and Jack Flynn in ninth.
“It was a great start to the season for the SVSEF XC Comp and Prep Teams, said Becky Flynn, SVSEF XC Program Director. The coaches were dialed in, the energy was high, and this set the stage for a great weekend of racing. The athletes showed their resilience by racing through some tough weather conditions and staying positive. As always, the community support was incredible. A huge thanks to Jackson Hole Ski Club for putting on a great event.”
Complete results from the Johnny Curtis Memorial 2024 IMD Junior National Qualifier can be found here. Johnny Curtis Memorial JNQ | Jackson Hole Ski & Snowboard Club
The next Junior National Qualifier (JNQ) will be Jan. 25-26 at Soldier Hollow, UT.
Telemark skiing to join SVSEF alpine curriculum
The Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation (SVSEF) and Sun Valley Tele are joining forces to expand SVSEF Alpine U16 and FIS programming to include a telemark curriculum. This new partnership is designed to introduce athletes to a new discipline that will build upon race techniques and redefine training standards. Telemark skiing serves as an invaluable teaching tool to help skiers understand body movement and technique as it relates to alternative disciplines.
The concept for a telemark program came to fruition after discussions of getting the kids off the race course and into the backcountry. “The ski experience outside of a competitive format is equally as important to our athletes’ growth as skiers and mountain athletes,” said Brian Eggleton, SVSEF Alpine Team technician. “Not only is it important to enrich the connection our athletes have to skiing, it’s important to connect the similarities in how our anatomy moves across various types of equipment in a variety of ski disciplines.”
With liability and expenses complicating the backcountry program, the concept of a telemark program came into play and offered the same opportunity for alternative training tactics that sparked the coaches’ initial discussion. “We believe that diversifying their skills and experiences on the mountain can be transformative,” said Will Brandenburg, SVSEF Alpine Program Director. “Not only will it add an exciting dimension to their skiing journey, but it will enhance their racing technique in a way that sets them apart.”
The programming is set to begin in Jan. 2024 at Rotarun Ski Area, where the high school athletes will have the opportunity to step out of their race gear and into telemark gear after practice sessions. The hope is to cut down on the redundancy and repetition of gate practice by incorporating novelty and self-discovery through a completely new sport.
Brandenburg hopes to strengthen the alpine community through this new partnership. “We hope the launch of this program sparks more interest in the coming months of practice. If the alpine community buys into this endeavor, we can continue to integrate tele sessions into the curriculum well into the future.”
This venture would not be possible without the generosity of the Sun Valley Telemark members who have offered to donate their time and expertise to the alpine teams. "After nearly 45 years hosting community races and events, Sun Valley Tele is thrilled to share the telemark turn with the next generation of mountain athletes in a formal setting,” said Julian Tyo of SV Tele. “Our team of 11 volunteer coaches consists of longstanding event participants and race organizers, all ready to help SVSEF's athletes add another arrow to their collective quivers.”
With equipment contributions and tuning services from Backwoods Mountain Sports, Sturtevants of Sun Valley, 22 Designs, and Scott Sports—SVSEF and SV Tele extend many thanks to local retailers for contributing their time, money, and resources to help make this exciting new initiative come to life.
Pastry Cup Trains Young Racers for Competition on the Road
Home hill Pastry Cups serve as perfect training for upcoming races on the road
On Sunday Jan. 14, the SVSEF Alpine U12 Travel Team held their first of four Pastry Cups for the season, which featured a giant slalom race on Warm Springs at Sun Valley’s Bald Mountain. Thirty-nine athletes brought their skills and technique honed in training so far this season to test themselves in the gates as they gear up for an away race at Grand Targhee Jan. 20-21.
“What a perfect sunny day for a ski race!” said Adele Savaria, coach for the SVSEF Alpine U12 Travel Team. “The athletes showed that hard work and perseverance pays off. They did a great job out there today and are ready for the IMD North Series GS races in Targhee next week.”
The U12 Travel Team hosts four Pastry Cups during the season, each presenting a unique opportunity for the athletes to grow their racing skills.
Pastry Cup #2 is scheduled for Sunday, Jan. 28 as a Kombi. Kombi races are a true test of learning to adapt to changing environments within one course, because they provide a mix of Giant Slalom (GS), Panel Slalom (SL), Regular Slalom (SL) and stubbies all in one course.
Rotarun will host Pastry Cup #3 on Sunday, Feb. 18, which will be focused on slalom; and Pastry Cup #4 presents the athletes with a skills competition on Sunday, March 3 (venue TBD).
Pastry Cup #1 Top Three Results
Girls
- 1st Jennings Fraser
- 2nd Bria Smiley
- 3rd Ainsley Roth
Boys
- 1st Charlie Spengler
- 2nd Theron Andra
- 3rd Alex Grant
SVSEF XC Athletes Set to Compete on the World Stage
Sammy Smith, Peter Wolter, and Molly Maybach will toe the line across the world later this week
This week brings excitement and anticipation as three SVSEF XC athletes get ready to perform on the World Stage. Sammy Smith (US Development Team, SVSEF Gold Team) and Peter Wolter (SVSEF Gold Team) will be competing in Period 3 of the FIS Cross Country World Cup in Oberhof, Germany and Goms, Switzerland. Molly Maybach (SVSEF Comp Team) will be competing in the 2024 Youth Winter Olympics and Junior World Championships in South Korea.
Smith, who just competed in the grueling Tour De Ski will be back at it this weekend, competing in the Oberhof World Cup Jan. 19-21. Teammate Peter Wolter will be joining Smith for his first World Cup of the season and is slated to race in the 20km mass start classic race on Saturday, Jan. 20. Live results can be followed here.
SVSEF XC Comp Team member Molly Maybach will be competing in the 2024 Winter Youth Olympics and Junior World Championships in biathlon in South Korea. Maybach competed at the junior level in biathlon for the past few years, including the 2022 Junior World Championships at Soldier Hollow in Utah. Molly’s first race will be Saturday, Jan. 20. Follow along for the schedule and results here.
SVSEF XC Team Members Shine at 2024 US Cross Country Ski and Para National Championships
Peter Wolter and Jake Adicoff find their way to the podium and head to the World Cup stage
For the SVSEF XC teams that competed Jan. 1-7 at Soldier Hollow, UT in the 2024 U.S. Cross Country Ski National Championships, it was a week of blue skies, warm temperatures, great skis, and faster skiers. The race series consisted of four events—a 10km classic individual start distance race, a 10km and 20km skate mass start race, and two sprints—one classic and one skate.
Peter Wolter, SVSEF XC Gold Team, went into the Championships knowing that to get an invitation to ski on the World Cup, he would have to be on the podium. The odds were in his favor as Wolter skied to a second place U.S. podium finish in the 10km classic race on Tuesday. He followed that up with another second place in the 20km freestyle mass start race on Friday, where he finished in epic fashion moving into second place on the last uphill climb and ultimately taking the position across the finish.
After the race on Friday, Wolter said, “I was pretty nervous going into this race (20km Freestyle) as I knew the competition would be really strong with Johnny Hagenbuch (US Cross Country Ski Team, SVSEF Alumni, Dartmouth College), Joe Davies, and some other big dogs. Although mass starts are always chaotic, I felt like I stayed pretty calm and skied the race well. Ending fourth overall and second American was great. A bit bummed to have missed the overall podium, but there will always be more.”
Wolter, who is known for his strong distance racing, had solid sprint finishes as well, claiming ninth in the skate sprint on Thursday and 23rd in the classic sprint on Sunday.
“The SVSEF XC Gold Team came out with a stellar week of performances at US Nationals in Soldier Hollow,” said Head Coach Chris Mallory. “One of my most memorable days coaching came on the men’s 20km skate championship where current and former SVSEF athletes, (Hagenbuch, Wolter, and Weenig), filled the podium. It was a special day for the program. Other highlights from the week were Mariah Bredal skiing to fourth place in each of the US national distance races, Jake Adicoff taking home three Para national titles, and current SVSEF Post-Grad athlete Galen Grohusky skiing to a personal best 20th place in the junior 10km classic.”
BREAKING TODAY: Wolter’s results at US Nationals were enough to send him across the pond to compete in Period 3 World Cups in Oberhof, Germany Jan. 19-21 and Goms, Switzerland Jan. 26-28. He will join fellow SVSEF XC Gold Teammate Sammy Smith, who just finished 26th in the Tour de Ski and will stay in Europe to compete.
Teammate Mariah Bredal, SVSEF XC Gold Team was as close to the podium as you could get, taking the fourth US spot in both distance races. For Bredal, the highlight was the 20km freestyle. “I was mostly looking forward to this race for the week,” said Bredal. “I may have been a little too amped as I feel like I went a bit too fast too soon, but overall happy with ending up fifth (4th American) in the end. The first lap was pretty crazy with poles flying and people falling and I was lucky to not get too caught up in it—a fun day of racing!” Bredal also had some great results in the sprint events, with a ninth in the skate and 18th in the classic sprint.
Bentley Walker Broose, SVSEF XC Gold Team and Australian Continental Cup Team used the championship as a tune up for his next big event. He will be competing for his home country at the U23 Championships in Planica, Slovenia. Broose finished 77th in the 10km classic, 42nd in the skate sprint, 37th in the 20km skate, and 41st in the classic sprint.
Jake Adicoff, US Para Nordic Team and SVSEF XC Gold Team dominated the US Para cross country championships winning every event he competed in. Adicoff, who is a three-time Olympian and has numerous medals to his name, continues to improve and hone his technique. He won the 10km classic race by over seven minutes. Jake is off to Toblach, Italy for the Para World Cups Jan. 24-28.
SVSEF XC Gold Team Head Coach Chris Mallory reflected on the week. “The team had a great week of racing at Nationals. The crew at Soldier Hollow was able to put together a really challenging 3.3k man-made snow loop in this tough start to winter. Peter had two impressive silver medals in the distance events, and Mariah has been ‘oh so close’ taking fourth each day. Both athletes have put themselves into a great position for upcoming World Cup starts for the United States. Jake Adicoff has also added three Para National Championship wins to his impressive resume.
Other highlights of the week: Galen Grohusky, SVSEF XC Post-Grad Team, found his groove in the first classic race of the championships, finishing 20th overall for juniors. Otus Beason, SVSEF XC Post-Grad Team, skied through the heats to finish 12th in the junior skate sprint. David Shycon, SVSEF XC Post-Grad Team, raced his way through the first two events with his best finish in 53rd in the junior 10km skate race.
Molly Maybach, SVSEF XC Comp Team, who recently qualified to compete in the Biathlon Winter Youth Olympic Games in Gangeon, South Korea raced in the skate sprint at US Nationals to keep her fitness sharp. Also competing, SVSEF XC Comp teammate Cora Faye Scott who raced in all four events, with a top result in the 10km skate distance finishing 46th for the U18/20’s, along with Eden Keeney who finished 178th in the 10km classic and 195th in the skate sprint, finishing consistently in both events.
Up Next: Wolter will represent Team USA in Period 3 of the FIS Cross Country World Cup in Oberhof, Germany Jan. 19-21 and Goms, Switzerland Jan. 26-28. Bredal will head to the next Super Tour in Lake Placid, NY Jan. 20-21, and Adicoff will have a few weeks of training before traveling to Italy to compete in the Para Nordic World Cups Jan. 24-28 at Toblach. The SVSEF XC Comp Team heads to Jackson Hole, WY this weekend to compete in the first of three Junior National Qualifying race weekends.
For full results from 2024 US CROSS COUNTRY SKI NATIONALS: https://my.raceresult.com/groups/5747/
PC: Tobias Albrigtsen
SVSEF’s Sammy Smith competes in FIS Cross Country World Cup 23-24 Tour de Ski
Smith part of a successful finish for the U.S. Cross Country Ski Team Tour de Ski
After winning three of the four races at the first U.S. Super Tour in Anchorage, AK in mid-December, Sammy Smith (U.S. Cross Country Development Team, SVSEF XC Gold Team) was offered a spot to compete on the World Cup circuit, in the coveted FIS Cross Country World Cup Tour de Ski and she jumped at the chance.
“The first Super Tour series was a lot of fun!” said Sammy Smith. “Having some of the top Canadian skiers there definitely raised the level of competition and it was a great opportunity to be in such a competitive environment early in the season. I think it was a good start to the year, but I'm definitely hoping to build off the races and carry momentum into the rest of the season.”
And carrying momentum into the rest of the season is exactly what Sammy has done. Arriving in Toblach, Italy after some turbulent travels, Smith competed in the the Tour de Ski, a grueling race series that included seven races in nine days with competitions held in Switzerland and Italy. Inspired by the Tour de France of cycling, the event is held annually in Central Europe and typically has six to nine stages. The combined time (and bonus seconds) of the stages decides the winner of the tour.
Smith, one of six women competing for Team USA finished in 26th overall in one of the most competitive fields seen in recent history. Smith had a standout day on January 4, finishing 22nd overall in the skate sprint. The US women showed their depth with Jessie Diggins winning the overall title, Rosie Brennan and Sophia Laukli in 12th and 14th respectively, followed by Smith in 26th. Teammates Novie McCabe and Julia Kern stopped competing after the fifth stage.
“Sammy (Smith) continued her strong start to the season grinding her way through the Tour de Ski—culminating with the infamous Alpe Cermis Hill Climb to finish 26th overall’, said SVSEF XC Gold Team Head Coach, Chris Mallory. “We are super impressed with her determination and competitiveness to finish the tour and have some great races along the way.”
Sammy's results from the Tour de Ski were enough to extend her stay in Europe to compete in Period 3 of the FIS World Cups where she’ll be racing in Oberhof, Germany and Gones, Switzerland. Beyond this, Smith will look to the World Juniors in Planica, Slovenia Feb. 5-11 and the Stifel Loppet Cup Feb. 17-18 in Minneapolis, MN. The Stifel Loppet Cup is a COOP FIS Cross Country World Cup, featuring sprint and distance races. The Loppet Cup will bring the world’s best skiers to the United States for the first time in over 20 years.
Officially announced today, Smith will be joined by teammate Peter Wolter who was offered a spot to compete in the World Cups and will soon be headed to Europe.
For full results, visit: https://medias1.fis-ski.com/pdf/2024/CC/2267/2024CC2267TDS.pdf
PC: Mathias Bergeld
SVSEF Alpine Telemark Curriculum to Begin January 2024
Embracing new experiences and expanding technique with Sun Valley Tele
The Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation (SVSEF) and Sun Valley Tele are joining forces to expand SVSEF Alpine U16 and FIS programming to include a telemark curriculum. This new partnership is designed to introduce athletes to a new discipline that will build upon race techniques and redefine training standards. Telemark skiing serves as an invaluable teaching tool to help skiers understand body movement and technique as it relates to alternative disciplines.
The concept for a telemark program came to fruition after discussions of getting the kids off the race course and into the backcountry. “The ski experience outside of a competitive format is equally as important to our athletes’ growth as skiers and mountain athletes,” said Brian Eggleton, SVSEF Alpine Team technician. “Not only is it important to enrich the connection our athletes have to skiing, it’s important to connect the similarities in how our anatomy moves across various types of equipment in a variety of ski disciplines.”
With liability and expenses complicating the backcountry program, the concept of a telemark program came into play and offered the same opportunity for alternative training tactics that sparked the coaches’ initial discussion. “We believe that diversifying their skills and experiences on the mountain can be transformative,” said Will Brandenburg, SVSEF Alpine Program Director. “Not only will it add an exciting dimension to their skiing journey, but it will enhance their racing technique in a way that sets them apart.”
The programming is set to begin in Jan. 2024 at Rotarun Ski Area, where the high school athletes will have the opportunity to step out of their race gear and into telemark gear after practice sessions. The hope is to cut down on the redundancy and repetition of gate practice by incorporating novelty and self-discovery through a completely new sport.
Brandenburg hopes to strengthen the alpine community through this new partnership. “We hope the launch of this program sparks more interest in the coming months of practice. If the alpine community buys into this endeavor, we can continue to integrate tele sessions into the curriculum well into the future.”
This venture would not be possible without the generosity of the Sun Valley Telemark members who have offered to donate their time and expertise to the alpine teams. "After nearly 45 years hosting community races and events, Sun Valley Tele is thrilled to share the telemark turn with the next generation of mountain athletes in a formal setting,” said Julian Tyo of SV Tele. “Our team of 11 volunteer coaches consists of longstanding event participants and race organizers, all ready to help SVSEF's athletes add another arrow to their collective quivers.”
With equipment contributions and tuning services from Backwoods Mountain Sports, Sturtevants of Sun Valley, 22 Designs, and Scott Sports—SVSEF and SV Tele extend many thanks to local retailers for contributing their time, money, and resources to help make this exciting new initiative come to life.