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.
Molly Maybach Qualifies for 2024 Winter Youth Olympics & Jr. World Championships
Congratulations to Molly on an explosive season competing in the Junior Biatholon Trials! We look forward to watching her perform on the world stage with Team USA in the coming weeks. - SVSEF
The following press release was originally published in the Idaho Mountain Express on January 2, 2024. The report can be found on the IME website.
"A Hailey skier will get to represent the United States internationally in the biathlon after a strong performance in national trials over the weekend.
Molly Maybach, a 17-year-old, competed in the U.S. Biathlon Association’s junior and youth national trials, held Dec. 29-31 in Minnesota, and earned multiple podium finishes. As a result of her performance, the Biathlon Association announced in a pair of press releases on Jan. 1 that Maybach will compete for the U.S. national team at the Winter Youth Olympics in South Korea from Jan. 19-Feb. 1; and the 2024 Youth and Junior World Championships in Estonia from Feb. 23-Mar. 2.
Maybach began her performances at the national trials with a seventh-place finish out of 32 competitors in the junior women’s sprint event on Friday, Dec. 29.
Maybach picked up the pace on Saturday, Dec. 30, when she won the pursuit event with a time of 38:48. She had 8 misses out of 20 targets in four shooting range visits, and her time was 21.4 seconds faster than the next finisher.
She finished her run at the trials with a second-place finish on Sunday, Dec. 31, in the 6-km youth women’s sprint.
Maybach last competed internationally for the U.S. at the 2022 Youth World Championships, held in Soldier Hollow, Utah. She placed 54th individually (47th in sprint and 53rd in pursuit) at the event. "
SVSEF Athletes Impress at the Annual Sean Nurse Memorial
Taylor Moe swept the podium in all four events at the Sean Nurse Memorial in Jackson Hole, an impressive start to Moe's first season racing with the SVSEF U16 Alpine team
Several Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation (SVSEF) Alpine U16 athletes earned podium finishes at the annual Sean Nurse Memorial Race held in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, from Dec. 18-21.
SVSEF’s Taylor Moe placed first on both days (Dec. 18-19) in the giant slalom races for the women’s division. She also placed first in day two (Dec. 21) of the slalom race, after earning a second place finish in the same race the day before. Moe’s top finishes earned her first place overall for the race series.
The men’s division saw Ulrich Rossi, Huxley Flood and Tucker Reimund lead the way. Rossi placed first in the slalom day one race and second in the giant slalom day one race. Flood placed second in the giant slalom day two race and Reimund placed third in the slalom day two race.
“To see fast skiing already from this crew and the speed show from so many different athletes is rewarding to this group’s process,” said SVSEF Alpine Program Director Will Brandenburg. “The slow start to the season here in the valley and lack of snow really tested our programming philosophy. We don’t train as many days on snow as other clubs in the offseason, choosing to focus on holistic development and building the whole athlete. Can’t wait to watch this group continue through their journey this season.”
The team will compete again next year, when it heads to the Intermountain Cup U16 Qualifiers at Snowbird Resort in Utah from Jan. 4-6.
SVSEF Results:
Men’s GS 1
Ulrich Rossi (2nd)
Conway Selznick (13th)
Men’s GS 2
Huxley Flood (2nd)
Tucker Reimund (6th)
Conway Selznick (15th)
Women’s GS 1
Taylor Moe (1st)
Faith Enderle (13th)
Kennedy Kelly (14th)
Elliot Leahy (15th)
Alyssa Huntsman (20th)
Women’s GS 2
Taylor Moe (1st)
Faith Enderle (8th)
Kennedy Kelly (11th)
Men’s SL1
Ullrich Rossi (1st)
Huxley Flood (8th)
Men’s SL2
Tucker Reimund (3rd)
Conway Selznick (18th)
Women’s SL1
Taylor Moe (2nd)
Kennedy Kelly (10th)
Alyssa Huntsman (17th)
Women’s SL2
Taylor Moe (1st)
Faith Enderle (11th)
Elliot Leahy (13th) 
On the Eve of a First World Cup Start
While this letter was sent to Dasha Romanov in the days before her World Cup debut in Levi, Finland, we held sharing it until Dasha had the opportunity to read it herself and fully experience all that November 11-12 had to offer her, in her first push out of a World Cup start gate. We couldn't be more proud of you, Dasha and we're always cheering for you from Sun Valley!
Dear Dasha,
I hope this message finds you in the midst of excited preparation for your first World Cup race in Levi, Finland. This is a significant milestone, and I want you to know how incredibly proud I am of your hard work and dedication that has brought you to this point. Racing at the World Cup is a dream for many, and it's your time to live that dream.
Levi is a place close to my heart, with many fond memories including personal successes that I cherish. I believe you're going to create your own special moments there, and I'm excited to see you race on a hill that means so much to me.
I have some insights to share with you about the hill and your preparations that I hope will serve you well:
1. Hill Free Ski: Weather permitting, take advantage of the hill free ski. Be proactive and aim to be at the front of the queue; it can give you a strategic advantage to get more runs in. This session is about gaining confidence, so whether you wear your race suit or opt for full gear, choose what makes you feel ready and self-assured.
2. Ski Setup: Prepare your skis for the free ski with the same care and attention as you would on race day. This lets you test your equipment under the current snow conditions and gives you a preview of what to expect, which is invaluable for building race-day confidence.
3. Video Analysis: On the morning of the free ski, ask the team to show you videos from previous races in Levi. Pay attention to the set on the two rollers on the top flats; understanding how to use them to generate speed is critical for a strong first split.
4. Mimicking Sets: Use the hill free ski to practice the lines you’ve studied from the video, especially how to absorb the rollers and gain momentum off their backsides.
5. Transition into the Pitch: Confidence in the transition from the flats into the pitch can make the course much easier to handle. The race isn't won on the first section of the pitch, but getting it right from the top sets the tone for the entire run.
6. Lighting and Visibility: Levi's dark backdrop can be challenging, so adjust your goggles to ensure the best visibility for the race time conditions. Being able to see well lets you attack with more confidence.
Remember, while the World Cup environment is bustling and may seem intense, it’s the same as any race—only the surroundings are different. Ski as you’ve trained to, focusing on each turn, and let your skiing do the talking. You don't need perfect turns to qualify, just use your strength and your ability to adapt mid-course. Use your strength and athletic ability to get out of that gate fast and you NEED to really charge the first 6 gates!!!!
Most importantly, carry with you the knowledge that you're not alone in this journey. Our entire team believes in you, and there's no pressure that can weigh you down when you have a community of support like ours behind you. Whatever the outcome, it's a step forward in your career. And if you come out with points, we'll all be here to celebrate with you! We always have your back.
Ski free, charge hard, and above all, enjoy the journey—it's one many only dream of, but you are living it.
Best of luck, and get it!
Here is a vid from your old coach there……. #glorydays
Will Brandenburg
Alpine Program DirectorPhoto of Dasha Romanov by Heather Black. 2023 U.S. Alpine National Championships, Sun Valley.