On Friday, March 1 in the first of two giant slaloms at the Stifel Aspen Winternational presented by United, River Radamus skied to an 11th place position. 

“I felt like I executed well today,” said Radamus. “Second run the approach was much better with a better touch on the snow.” 

The weather could not be more perfect with beautiful sunny skies and a fired-up Colorado crowd, but it was a bit of an unusual giant slalom on the results sheet with more than 25 skiers not making it to the bottom of the course. The hill was more aggressive and icy than many expected, coupled with a very tricky course set. Radamus was cooking the top splits on his first run until he got extremely late before the flat section, losing all his speed. He made another large mistake toward the middle, bumping him to a 15th place first run. 

“Today was a learning curve for everyone. It was icy up top and on those crucial turns they got pretty polished,” said Radamus. “I made some more mistakes in the second run but I was pushing really hard so I am happy with the second run for sure.” 

On the second run, the snow was still very aggressive and Radamus chose to switch up his equipment. He skied well the whole run, with the exception of a few mistakes, ultimately moving up four places to 11th overall for the day. 

Stifel U.S. Ski Team athletes George Steffey, Brian McLaughlin, Tommy Ford and Isaiah Nelson were all in top 30 contention on the first run but, like many of their competitors, got late and low, blowing out in the middle of the run. Patrick Kenney finished the first run in 37th, not good enough for a second run. 

“Our whole team has the speed right now. I think they wanted to put something down special and laid everything on the line and sometimes you go out. But they can do it,” said Radamus. 

The winner of the race was none other than Swiss phenom Marco Odermatt. He has won every single giant slalom of the season, with the Stifel Aspen Winternational presented by United being his eighth win in a row. Just last week Odermatt also clinched the overall Crystal Globe. Second place went to Swiss teammate Loic Meillard and third place was Norwegian Atle Lie McGrath. 

The men have another chance at the Aspen giant slalom Saturday followed up with a slalom on Sunday. 

RESULTS
Men's giant slalom

HOW TO WATCH (all times in ET)
March 2
12:00 p.m. - run 1, men's giant slalom - LIVE: CNBC, Peacock, Outside
2:00 p.m. - (delayed coverage) men’s slalom, Stifel Palisades Tahoe Cup - NBC
3:00 p.m. - run 2, men's giant slalom - LIVE: NBC, Peacock, Outside

March 3
11:00 a.m. - run 1, men's giant slalom - LIVE: CNBC, Peacock, Outside
2:00 p.m. - (delayed coverage) men’s slalom, Stifel Palisades Tahoe Cup - NBC
1:30 p.m. - run 2, men’s slalom - NBC coverage begins
2:00 p.m. - run 2, men's giant slalom - LIVE: NBC, Peacock, Outside

We had another great long weekend of racing at Beaver Creek, CO February 21-25 for the 2024 Denver Sports Lab FIS Masters Cup and Western Regional Championships! For the third year in a row, racers competing for FIS Masters Cup Globes and Western Regional Champion Jackets convened at Beaver Creek for the US stop on the FIS Masters Cup Tour. The event hosted 127 racers from 12 countries. The weather was fantastic - clear, sunny, and warm. The race hill was in great shape and the professional race crew at Beaver Creek always knocks it out of the park!  Many thanks to the organizers and sponsors who made this event possible, and congratulations to all the competitors.  Many USA and international racers continued on the Kimberley after the event for the 2024 FIS Masters World Criterium.

Full Race Results

FIS Masters Cup results on the FIS Website and usalpinemasters.org/2024/fismasters

Western Region Championship results posted at usalpinemasters.org/2024

Race Photos

Many thanks to Erika Krainz for shooting all 3 days of racing - all photos are free to download! She has posted photo galleries on her Schneehexe Photography site at https://erikakrainz.smugmug.com/Alpine-Ski-Racing/2024-Masters-Cup-Western-Regional-Championships-at-BC.

We also made an album of google photos from the Beaver Creek FMC race!

We Have Many People to Thank

Thank you to the Beaver Creek Race Department for providing a great race venue and racer experience!

Thank you to all the officials, course setters, and volunteers that helped to make it all possible! 

Thank you to our event sponsor Denver Sports Lab in Golden, CO for the financial support! Call them up and get your skis properly cared for and stored for summer!

Thank you to Phillips 66 for the financial support to have indoor space to put on boots and get ready in the morning!

Thank you to our Race Sponsors!
Feb 23 - SG1 - Harold Wescott Memorial sponsored by Bob Benson, Charlie Hauser, Lee Kaufman and Knute Reistad
Feb 23 - SG2 - JENSCO Cup sponsored by Jeanette Saylor
Feb 24 - GS1 - Minnesota Connection sponsored by Lilla Andrews, Bob Benson, Charlie Hauser, Tom Patterson and Jerry Sorensen
Feb 24 - GS2 - sponsored by Donald Shaffer 
Feb 25 - SL - Carol Rymer Davis Memorial SLsponsored by John Davis

Steve Zuckerman, the medical director of the Birds of Prey World Cup race in Beaver Creek, passed away on Friday, February 23 while on a backcountry rescue operation in the Vail area..

Steve, or “Zman,” was a dedicated paramedic, ski patroller and champion of medical safety. He has been an integral part of the Birds of Prey race for more than 20 years, as well as the head of the Beaver Creek Ski Patrol and member of the Eagle County Paramedic Services. Steve’s dedication to excellence in mountain safety was recognized internationally as he was invited to work with several host nations to establish their on-snow response protocols for World Championships and Olympic Games.  

Apart from the work he did with the World Cup in Beaver Creek, Steve also helped to shape on-hill care for our athletes as part of the required Medical Emergencies in Skiing and Snowboarding course for all U.S. Ski & Snowboard volunteer physicians, which teaches doctors to apply their medical knowledge in the mountain environment. Through this course, Steve led a group of Beaver Creek patrollers in teaching more than 70 physicians how to successfully manage trauma on hill. Steve recently supported U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s Sports Medicine Team in bringing the course to Park City, Utah in expectation of the upcoming 2034 Olympic Winter Games.   

U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s hearts go out to his two children, many friends and family. He will be missed.

The Stifel U.S. Ski Team is continuing the U.S. tour heading to Aspen, Colorado for the Stifel Aspen Winternational men’s World Cup on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, March 1-3 for two giant slaloms and one slalom. 

The entire World Cup men’s tech circuit is moving from the Stifel Palisades Tahoe Cup to Aspen as the two weeks of racing on domestic soil continue. It is sure to be an exciting few days of racing as Stifel U.S. Ski Team athletes come off extremely successful races just the week prior where River Radamus secured his first ever World Cup podium and Jett Seymour scored a season best result. 

All domestic races will be LIVE on Outside Watch (for free) and on demand (behind a paywall with an Outside+ subscription). CNBC will also feature these races live with Peacock simulcasting the race. Peacock will not have the race on demand. NBC will air the men's slalom live on Sunday as well. See full schedule below.

HOW TO WATCH (all times in ET)
March 1
12:00 p.m. - run 1, men's giant slalom - LIVE: Outside
3:00 p.m. - run 2, men's giant slalom - LIVE: Outside

March 2
12:00 p.m. - run 1, men's giant slalom - LIVE: CNBC, Peacock, Outside
2:00 p.m. - (delayed coverage) men’s slalom, Stifel Palisades Tahoe Cup - NBC
3:00 p.m. - run 2, men's giant slalom - LIVE: CNBC, Peacock, Outside

March 3
11:00 a.m. - run 1, men's giant slalom - LIVE: CNBC, Peacock, Outside
1:30 p.m. - run 2, men’s slalom - NBC coverage begins
2:00 p.m. - run 2, men's giant slalom - LIVE: NBC, Peacock, Outside

On the second day of the Stifel Palisades Tahoe Cup, Stifel U.S. Ski Team athlete Jett Seymour stole the show with a 15th place and secured the Stifel Bibbo Award moving from bib 39 to 15th place. 

“I felt good about my second run. I had a few mistakes but that’s ski racing and I’m happy with the day,” said Seymour. 

It was another picture perfect day in the Lake Tahoe region with sunny skies, loud crowds and perfect snow for the world’s best ski racers. The U.S. team had six men on the docket ready to take their crack at the Red Dog slope. Seymour was up first for the Stifel U.S. Ski Team, sending it down the hill without looking back to land himself a spot for the second run - the sole U.S. competitor to do so. 

The domestic crowd showed up for Seymour on the second run. The cheers were so loud that racers could hear clearly from the start. Seymour was cool under pressure on the tricky second run set and knifed his way into the finish. He ended up moving eight spots from his original first run to land in 15th position for his best finish of the year. 

“It does not get any better than this,” said Seymour. “Standing in the start, I can hear the crowd from the top. It elevates the nerves and energy and I just had to take that and use it to fuel my skiing.”

Seymour's result also secured him the Stifel Bibbo Award - a cash prize on top of his season-best finish.

Ben Ritchie, Jimmy Krupka and River Radamus did not finish the first run but are okay. Luke Winters and Isaiah Nelson did not qualify for a second run. 

The winner of the race was Austrian Manuel Feller, the current overall slalom standings leader. French Olympic gold medalist Clement Noel took second place with German Linus Strasser in third. 

The slalom and giant slalom crew will now continue the U.S. tour to Aspen for the Stifel Aspen Winternational races March 1-3. 

RESULTS
Men's slalom

In front of family, friends, teammates and thunderingly loud fans on home soil, Stifel U.S. Ski Team athlete River Radamus took his first career podium in the Stifel Palisades Tahoe Cup giant slalom at Palisades Tahoe, California. He finished third. 

"It's been a long time coming," said Radamus. "I've wanted to feel what this moment feels like for so long and I've just been working and working."

It was a picture perfect day to host a World Cup without a cloud in the sky and temperatures in the mid-40s. The U.S. fans swarmed in by the thousands to cheer on the best male ski racers in the world as they skied down the historic Red Dog trail. Swiss skier Marco Odermatt dominated the race from the beginning and Henrik Kristoffersen of Norway was not far off the mark in second. But Radamus made it interesting, running first for the Americans and skiing into third place. It was his best result in a first run in his career. 

But the pressure was on for Radamus in second run. While Radamus is a world champion in the team event, he had never before had an individual World Cup podium. Known for battling the curse of the wooden spoon award for years—the prize given to someone who gets fourth place—the pressure was on. But he remained calm and collected, arcing the course to ski onto his first career podium. He roared in the finish, pumping his fists and throwing his poles in celebration. 

"Doing it on home soil in front of friends and family and an amazing hometown crowd is so perfect," said Radamus. "I was in a better position than I ever had been after first run and I just kept telling myself you can't go easy." 

Ahead of Radamus, Odermatt won the race—his 10th World Cup giant slalom in a row—to clinch the overall Crystal Globe. Kristoffersen was second. 

Stifel U.S. Ski Team athlete Tommy Ford also threw it in the top 20, skiing consistently to keep racking up giant slalom points in 20th place. Ford was the last U.S. man to podium in a tech World Cup, when he was second in Santa Caterina, Italy in 2020. Patrick Kenney, wearing bib 51, blazed into the 24th position to secure his first World Cup points.

"I wasn't too clean the whole way down but I just kept putting the skis down the fall line I recovered my way down but it was a win of a day already to score my first points," said Kenney. 

George Steffey and Isaiah Nelson did not qualify for second run. Brian McLaughlin crashed first run, but skied down.

Lukas Feurstein took home the Stifel Bibbo Award, an award given to an alpine athlete who wears the highest bib number and finishes the highest in the final rankings. He started bib 56 and finished 10th.

Next up, the men race a slalom race on Sunday to wrap up the Stifel Palisades Tahoe Cup.  

RESULTS
Men’s giant slalom

HOW TO WATCH (all times in ET)
February 25 
1:00 p.m. - run 1, men's slalom - LIVE: CNBC, Peacock, Outside 
2:00 p.m. - (delayed coverage) men’s giant slalom - NBC 
3:00 p.m. - (same day delay) run 1, men’s slalom - CNBC 
4:00 p.m. - run 2, men's slalom - LIVE: CNBC, Peacock, Outside

*The article has been updated due to an inaccuracy where it was reported that Tommy Ford was the last American to podium in a tech World Cup in 2019 - Ford podiumed in 2020 in Santa Caterina where he was second in the giant slalom. 

The Stifel U.S. Ski Team is back in action on home soil for the Stifel Palisades Tahoe Cup at Saturday, February 24 and Sunday, February 25 for a giant slalom and slalom. 

This is the first time the men’s tech racers will race on home soil this season after a long few months in Europe. The races will be available to watch live and on demand.

All domestic races will be LIVE on Outside Watch (for free) and on demand (behind a paywall with an Outside+ subscription). CNBC will also feature these races live with Peacock simulcasting the race. Peacock will not have the race on demand. NBC will air the men's giant slalom on delay. See full schedule below.

HOW TO WATCH (all times in ET)
February 24
1:00 p.m. - run 1, men's giant slalom - LIVE: CNBC, Peacock, Outside
4:00 p.m. - run 2, men's giant slalom - LIVE: CNBC, Peacock, Outside

February 25
1:00 p.m. - run 1, men's slalom - LIVE: CNBC, Peacock, Outside
2:00 p.m. - (delayed coverage) men’s giant slalom - NBC
3:00 p.m. - (same day delay) run 1, men’s slalom - CNBC
4:00 p.m. - run 2, men's slalom - LIVE: CNBC, Peacock, Outside

The U.S. Para Snowboard Team wrapped up their snowboard cross series today, Feb. 23, in Grasgehren, Germany, where Brenna Huckaby (LL1) and Noah Elliott (LL1) went back to back landing on top of the podium.

The wet, mushy snow from yesterday’s warm conditions froze overnight, creating a solid racing surface. However, as the storm rolled in around the course, it became covered it in snow that eventually turned to rain, creating interesting conditions for riders to overcome. 

"The weather was super unpredictable. The first race was super warm with almost slushy snow conditions," said Huckaby. "The second day, it was colder and a bit firmer, which was much better. I think a big part of the sport is being prepared for all conditions, so thankfully, the snow didn’t impact me too much."

While battling the mixed precipitation, Huckaby continued her reign on the circuit, winning her fourth straight snowboard cross World Cup. Right behind her was Kate Delson, who finished third. Delson is an up-and-coming Para snowboard athlete training with Team Utah Snowboarding, the same club Huckaby started her journey with back in 2013. Huckaby posted a photo of Delson on her Instagram story following the race, saying, “P.S. this girl crushes it! So excited for the future of our sport.” Another emerging athlete, Dennae Russell, finished fifth today to round out the U.S. women’s results. "I’m super proud of everyone for showing up and giving their all regardless of the conditions, and I’m excited to see how much the sport progresses this season," said Huckaby.

On the men’s side, Noah Elliott also took home his fourth win of the season. Elliott has won every World Cup event this season that he has started in, an impressive feat considering the depth of competition and transitions between snowboard cross and banked slalom. In the men’s LL2 classification, Keith Gabel landed on the podium for the second time this season in third. Zach Miller was just off the podium in fourth, followed by Evan Strong in sixth and Joe Pleban in ninth. Mike Minor made it to the final in the stacked men’s UL class but finished just off the podium in fourth. 

The team is now traveling to Colere, Italy for two banked slalom races and one snowboard cross event Feb. 28-Mar 3.

RESULTS
Women
Men

It was a victorious day for the U.S. Para Snowboard Team in Grasgehren, Germany as Noah Elliott (LL1) and Brenna Huckaby (LL1) both stood atop the podium for the third time this season. 

The warm, wet weather made for difficult conditions for riders across the board. Huckaby told FIS Para Snow Sports, “you have to be really light on your snowboard, which we don’t see very often. The riding was not what we’re typically used to, but everyone did amazing and gave it their all.”

The U.S. team didn’t seem phased by the conditions. Just behind Huckaby in the women’s LL1-LL2 classification was Kate Delson, who finished in second place, followed by Dennae Russell in fourth. 

On the men’s side, it was a battle in the LL2 event where Zach Miller led the way for the U.S., finishing third in his first snowboard cross World Cup event of the season, an impressive feat after missing the last event in Pyhä, Finland.

"It’s [finishing on the podium] a great feeling, and a huge relief," said Miller. "I had a lot of time between this and the last race I competed in, but I spent it training hard at home so I could hit the ground running once I got here, and I was able to do exactly that." When asked about his preference between snowboard cross (sbx) and banked slalom, Miller said, "I personally do best in banked slalom, however the tactics of SBX, and the sheer excitement of dropping into a race with three other athletes is just so incredible. SBX is so exciting, and today was a great showcase of that! Moving forward, it’s about building on this momentum and making days like this more consistent. Our team is becoming a well-oiled machine because we’ve put a lot of effort into creating a good system, and now it’s about trusting the process and improving every day. As long as we’re doing that, we’ll just keep getting faster"

Just off the podium was Keith Gabel in fifth, followed by Evan Strong in sixth and Joe Pleban in ninth. Rounding out the results was Mike Minor in the Men’s UL classification, finishing seventh. 

The team takes on another snowboard cross event in Grasgehren tomorrow, Feb. 23, before heading to Colere, Italy, for a mix of banked slalom and snowboard cross World Cup events Feb. 28-Mar. 3. 

This past weekend marked a historic moment in the world of ski racing as Minneapolis, Minnesota played host to the Stifel Loppet Cup, one of the most dynamic World Cup events in the history of cross country skiing. With more than 40,000 passionate fans lining the course over the weekend, the atmosphere was nothing short of electric for the first World Cup on U.S. soil since 2001.

Highlights included Gus Schumacher winning his first ever World Cup in the 10k freestyle, becoming the youngest American ever to win a World Cup and the first American male to win a distance event since 1983, and Olympic champion Jessie Diggins podiuming in the 10k freestyle.

"I am just so grateful for this team and for everyone being here and I just think this represents something so big for our team. This has been the best day ever!" said Gus, through tears. 

Diggins, a hometown hero who hails from just 30 minutes away from the venue, was equally as emotional about the event, having worked for years to get the World Cup to happen.

"I feel like this whole weekend has been huge for the growth of American skiing," said an emotional Diggins after the race. "Everyone finally got to see how much people love this sport and see how psyched everyone was. We've wanted this for so long." 

Athletes found themselves awestruck by the thunderous roar of the crowd, so deafening that they could hardly hear themselves breathe. The consensus: It was the biggest, loudest and most exciting World Cup event the world's best athletes had ever experienced. 

"This was something special!" said seven-time Olympic medalist Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo, one of the most successful cross country skiers in history. "What an amazing crowd and atmosphere it was. So much fun racing this weekend, goosebumps!"

World Cup winner Lucas Chanavat of France expressed a similar sentiment on Instagram. "Huge congrats to Gus Schumacher for making history and giving goosebumps to everyone watching the race. Thanks Jessie Diggins for making all of this possible, and the whole U.S. Ski Team for pushing cross country skiing to new levels and showing the world how every World Cup should look like."

Among the thousands of passionate fans, athletes and families, the energy of Wirth Park brought both U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey trailside, with Frey comparing the event to the Super Bowl in terms of its significance to the city. Similar to how the 2015 Fenway Big Air in Boston, Massachusetts and 2019 Visa Big Air in Atlanta, Georgia brought skiing and snowboarding to major metro areas, the Stifel Loppet Cup did the same, with fans coming from all 50 states to witness the magic in Minneapolis, just 20 minutes from the airport. All general admission tickets were provided free of charge by the Share Winter Foundation and Loppet Foundation, ensuring an opportunity for everyone to see the inspiration up close.

World Cup events are a multimillion-dollar investment and the Stifel Loppet Cup would not have been possible without the support of the Loppet Foundation, Share Winter Foundation, the International Ski & Snowboard Federation, volunteers, key sponsors and donors. U.S. Ski & Snowboard blue chip partners were also on-site, including Stifel Financial, Kappa, iFit and Textron Aviation.

The momentum from the weekend extended into the following Monday with unprecedented community engagement. With athletes scheduled to sign autographs for 60 minutes, more than nine Stifel U.S. Ski Team athletes, including Diggins and Schumacher, sat in the chilled Minnesota air for four hours to sign autographs for kids and adults alike. With the success of the first U.S. World Cup in more than two decades, the foundation has been set for what it takes to host a world-class cross country event in the states again.

"In the wake of the Stifel Loppet Cup's resounding success, it's evident that this event wasn’t just about the results—it's about inspiring the next generation of cross country skiing across America," said Sophie Goldschmidt, President and CEO of U.S. Ski & Snowboard. "This World Cup marks a pivotal moment in our nation's ski racing landscape, especially as we saw how many Americans were not only on the start list, but in the top 30 and on the podium. As we continue to replay this weekend in our minds, we’re reminded how important it is to bring this level of events to the U.S., knowing the impact it has not only on our athletes but the future. By investing in the infrastructure to bring World Cups to U.S. soil, we're not only showcasing our love for skiing but also laying the groundwork for a future where World Cup events include U.S. as a yearly stop on the calendar. I could not be more proud of what this team has accomplished this week right in our back yard."

The Stifel Loppet Cup is included in the slate of FIS World Cups in the United States, including four alpine, two freestyle, three snowboard/freeski and one ski jumping event. With a goal to bring more exposure to sports under U.S. Ski & Snowboard, Goldschmidt has continued to increase the amount of World Cups hosted in the states year after year.  

Now, the momentum stemming from the best season in history for the Stifel U.S. Cross Country Ski Team season continues, as the team heads back to Europe for races. Diggins is leading the overall World Cup standings and continuing to etch her name in history as the only American woman to win the overall World Cup Crystal Globe.

In the end, the Stifel Loppet Cup in Minneapolis just did exactly what it needed to do, leaving its legacy as one of the important ski races in the history of the sport, inspiring generations to come and providing a blueprint for the future of World Cups around the world. 

Relive the magic of the historic races by both Gus and Jessie.