On day one of Val d’Isère’s men’s tech series, Stifel U.S. Ski Team athletes River Radamus and Ryder Sarchett punched it into sixth and 10th place. The skiers notably had some of the fastest second runs of the day. 

“It's a privilege to race here,” said Radamus.  “You need to battle with this hill.”

On the first run, Radamus kicked out of the start first for the Americans and did not execute the way he knows he can, holding back a bit and settling for 21st. 

“The first run got the better of me," admitted Radamus.  

But make way for young star Ryder Sarchett. Sarchett, fresh off his first World Cup points at the Stifel Birds of Prey at Beaver Creek, was ready to send. From Bib 52, he skyrocketed to 23rd place in the first run. 

“It was a great day," said Sarchett. "This is the best ski race I think I have ever had."

It would come down to run two for the true test. But if the U.S. men know how to do anything, it’s win a second run. 

“I think the whole team is building some momentum," said Radadmus. "Too often with the U.S. team, we've just been taking part, but right now our motivation is that every time we're in the start, we want to put on a show and we want to risk it. It's not going to work every run, but I think we're starting to put some good runs together."

And then men did risk it. Sarchett took advantage of an early start and linked his turns flawlessly to sit in the leaderboard chair. Then Radamus, just a few skiers behind, annihilated the second run to not only move up 15 spots but also win the second run. Sarchett placed third on the second run. Radamus landed sixth overall and Sarchett took 10th, a career best result for the young skier. It was a truly magnificent performance by both men. 

The men’s team will now switch gears to slalom Sunday. 

RESULTS
Men's giant slalom 

On Saturday's downhill in St. Moritz, Switzerland Stifel U.S. Ski Team athlete Lindsey Vonn captured the magic once again with a second-place finish on the second downhill race. Teammate Breezy Johnson was close behind in fourth place and Bella Wright in 13th. 

“I think I skied pretty well. I was a little bit out of balance today,” said Vonn. “I'm pretty happy.”

It was another picture perfect day on the slope with full blue skies and sun shining. The crowd was brought to their feet to watch one of the best downhill skiers of all time rise to the occasion again after her incredible win the day prior. But first she would have to beat the heater run that Italian Sofia Goggia put down before her. 

Vonn was on the limit and looking for speed. Turn after turn she found the green but had a few wobbles that would cost her the win. Vonn came down in first but then was overtaken by German youngster Emma Aicher. Her result proved that her win in the first downhill in St. Moritz wasn't a fluke, and she'll be charging for a podium in every speed event throughout the season. 

“Hopefully tonight I can get a little bit recharged and ski better tomorrow,” said Vonn. “I was a little bit more hesitant.” 

Breezy Johnson also had a strong day in fourth place. Johnson, the downhill world champion, knew what she needed to do in order to be close to the top skiers and she performed. Johnson pushed her speed and ended up just shy of the podium. It was also an exciting day for Bella Wright who ended up in 13th - her best performance in two years. It was also Johnson's 100th World Cup start. 

“I feel good. I've been struggling a lot the last few days, and to get out of the start today and yesterday was a pretty big victory for me,” said Johnson. “I love the World Cup. I love racing. It's a gorgeous day. So it was a great day to hit 100 and keep going from here.” 

Finally, the depth of the team still held strong with six girls in the top 30. Jackie Wiles was 20th, Keely Cashman 21st, and Allison Mollin 22nd. Tricia Mangan and Haley Cutler were 32nd and 36th. Mollin also secured her second Stifel Bibbo Award in two days, attacking from bib 48. 

The weekend isn't over yet; the women continue with a super-G on Sunday. 

RESULTS
Women's downhill

The Stifel U.S. Freeski Team halfpipe skiers kicked off their season in style with their first stop in Secret Garden, China. It was a great event for the American men, with six in the top 10, and nine in the top 15, led by Hunter Hess in third place. 

It was a two-run, 14-man final on the men's side, with the two-run format making any mistake costly. Hess put down an epic second run to secure his podium result. Finishing with his signature misty 720 on his final hit, the judges rewarded him with an 86.25. He was joined on the podium by Kiwis Finley Melville-Ives and Luke Harrold in first and second, respectively. 

Hess was thrilled with the result, saying,

“I’m so happy to have been able to put a run down. It was a nerve racking few days but we made the most of it. Beyond blessed with this result! Everyone crushed it.”

Just off the podium, Birk Irving finished fourth. Matt Labaugh finished fifth, Nick Geiser sixth, Aaron Blunck eighth, Dylan Ladd ninth, Hunter Maytin 11th, David Wise 12th and Tristan Feinberg 13th.

Kate Gray was the top American finisher on the women's side, finishing 12th. No American women progressed through to finals. China's Eileen Gu finished first, with Great Britain's Zoe Atkin in second and Australia's Indra Brown in third.

RESULTS
Women
Men

The Stifel HERoic Cup is back for the 2025-26 season with an expanded version to highlight excellence in women’s skiing across multiple disciplines. For the 2025-26 season, a total of $60,000 will be awarded, with $10,000 granted to each winning athlete across six disciplines. 

Launched in the 2024-25 season, the Stifel HERoic Cup debuted as a groundbreaking award celebrating the top-performing female alpine skier on U.S. soil. Swiss standout Lara Gut-Behrami claimed the inaugural title after earning the most FIS World Cup points across North American FIS Alpine World Cups. For the 2025-26 season, the Stifel HERoic Cup turns its focus to all ski sports across the U.S. Ski & Snowboard domestic World Cup calendar, including cross country, freeski slopestyle/big air, freeski halfpipe, freestyle moguls and freestyle aerials. 

Created initially to recognize and reward elite performance in women’s skiing, the Stifel HERoic Cup reflects Stifel’s continued commitment to supporting athletes and growing the sport, as evidenced by its title sponsorship of the Stifel U.S. Ski Team. The prize is also a cornerstone of U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s HERoic initiative, which is dedicated to empowering women in skiing and snowboarding.

The 2025-26 Stifel HERoic Cup kicked off at the Stifel Copper Cup with Germany’s Lena Duerr coming home with the most World Cup points between both the slalom and giant slalom. Freeski slopestyle is up next, beginning competition at the Visa Big Air presented by Toyota in Steamboat on Saturday, Dec. 13. 

STIFEL HEROIC CUP-ELIGIBLE EVENTS

Alpine

• Stifel Copper Cup // Nov. 27-30
  • Giant Slalom // Nov. 29, 2025
  • Slalom // Nov. 30, 2025

Cross Country

• Stifel Lake Placid Finals // March 20-22, 2026
  • 10k Classic // March 20, 2026
  • Skate Sprint // March 21, 2026
  • 20k Skate // March 22, 2026

Freeski Slopestyle

• Visa Big Air at Steamboat // Dec. 13, 2025 – big air 
• Toyota U.S. Grand Prix at Aspen // Jan. 10, 2026 – slopestyle

Freeski Halfpipe

• Toyota U.S. Grand Prix at Copper Mountain // Dec. 20, 2025
• Toyota U.S. Grand Prix at Aspen // Jan. 9, 2026

Freestyle Aerials

• Stifel Lake Placid Freestyle Cup (Individual) // Jan. 11, 2026
• Intermountain Health Freestyle International presented by Stifel at Deer Valley // Jan. 18, 2026

Freestyle Moguls

• Intermountain Health Freestyle International presented by Stifel at Deer Valley
  • Moguls // Jan. 16, 2026
  • Dual Moguls // Jan. 17, 2026
     

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FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Courtney Harkins, Sr. Director, Marketing & Communications
U.S. Ski & Snowboard
[email protected]   

On day three of racing in Steinach am Brenner, Austria, Kelsey O’Driscoll put on a show, taking the top spot to earn her first career World Cup podium and first career win. Following her World Cup debut on Wednesday, where she finished fourth overall, O’Driscoll finished out the weekend with a bang. Andrew Kurka and Audrey Crowley also finished in the top 10, finishing fifth and seventh, respectively. 

“I’m of course beyond excited, but also feeling really grateful,” said O’Driscoll. “So many people have helped make this possible, from teammates and coaches, to my family and friends, and especially my medical team. I couldn’t do this without any of them.”

“My main goal for the rest of the season is to gain as much experience as possible on the World Cup circuit before the Games in March. I want to make mistakes and learn from them, and most importantly, to have as much fun as possible. I absolutely love to ski, and plan on enjoying every second of it!”

O’Driscoll is a rookie on the Stifel U.S. Ski Team, earning her nomination after a successful World Championships debut last season. After being named to the team this summer, O’Driscoll underwent surgery to get herself in the best shape possible in time for the season. 

“I had an Olympic dream in high school and college, which I wasn’t able to make a reality,” said O’Driscoll. “That was a really hard dream to let go of. Para ski racing has given me a second shot at making that dream come true, except at the Paralympics. Having given up an Olympic dream once, I wasn’t about to let a couple of surgeries get in the way of my second chance. I fought for an aggressive timeline that got me back on snow in November, and just put in as much work as possible over the summer/fall between surgeries. I’ve wanted to go to the Games since 2002, and I’m determined to make that dream a reality this year.” 

The entire Stifel U.S. Ski Team had great results on Friday. Outside of the three in the top 10, Patrick Halgren finished 11th, Jesse Keefe and Robert Enigl 15th, Matthew Brewer 16th, Ravi Drugan and Spencer Wood 17th, Andrew Haraghey 20th, Tyler McKenzie 21st and Noah Bury 25th. This rounds out a successful first World Cup of the season, with seven top 10 finishes across three days of racing. 

The Stifel U.S. Para Alpine Ski Team athletes are headed straight into their next World Cup event next week in Santa Caterina, Italy, for the first downhill races of the season, Dec. 16-17.

RESULTS
Women
Men

Stifel U.S. Ski Team racer Lindsey Vonn roared to the finish in St. Moritz, Switzerland to take her 83rd win and her first Audi FIS World Cup victory since her storied comeback began, proving that she is still the best downhiller in the world at age 41. It was her sixth win in St. Moritz throughout her career, dating back to 2010. 

“It's like a dream. It's more than a dream,” said Vonn. “I worked so hard this summer and we have such a great team and everything has really come together, but it almost doesn't feel real.” 

From bib 16, Vonn skied into the green with fast middle and lower splits to take a commanding lead by more than a second. It was her first World Cup win since March 2018, when she was 33 years old, and marks her as the oldest alpine World Cup winner in history. The previous record holder was Didier Cuche, who won a super-G in 2012 at 37 years old.

Vonn announced her comeback to the Stifel U.S. Ski Team in the fall of 2024 after retiring in 2019, and debuted in her first race one year ago in St. Moritz where she was 14th. She continued to drive to the top throughout the season and finally stepped onto the podium at the Stifel Sun Valley Finals at the end of the season, securing second place in the super-G. 

But she wasn’t done there, stating that she worked harder throughout the off-season than she ever has and has her eyes on more World Cup podiums and Olympic medals in Cortina. 2025-26 will be her final season.  

“I'm trying to enjoy every single moment because this is my last weekend racing in St. Moritz ever in my life,” said Vonn. “I’m not racing anymore after this year, so I'm trying to enjoy it, but it couldn't go any better than this. This is amazing. I'm so happy.” 

Vonn won the day by an astounding .98 seconds over Magdalena Egger of Austria. Austrian Mirjam Puchner was third. The emotions were high in the finish as Vonn was greeted by teammates, staff and more all congratulating her on the incredible victory. 

“Every single thing that I could do to be faster, I did,” said Vonn. “And now, now this is what happens. You get the reward.”

The rest of the Stifel U.S. Ski Team also had a banner day, putting seven into the top 30. Breezy Johnson was 15th. Bella Wright was 16th—her best result in two seasons. Jackie Wiles was 18th, Haley Cutler had a career best result in 20th, Keely Cashman 24th and Allison Mollin was 27th for her first career World Cup points.  

"I feel like I've been skiing at that level for a while, and it's good to just do it in the setting when it counts and when it matters, not only top 30, but huge team result for everyone," said Mollin. 

It was notably Wright's first race back after ending her season short in February of last year. Her result just outside the top 15 is a big stepping stone moving forward into the season. 

"I'm really grateful for today," said Wright. "I haven't raced since last February and this is like my third day of a full length course. It was somewhat nerve wracking, but also I was happy to make it down and have a pretty solid run with some mistakes to clean up for tomorrow." 

The women race downhill again on Saturday and super-G on Sunday.

RESULTS
Women’s downhill

The Stifel U.S. Para Alpine Ski Team is in Steinach am Brenner, Austria for the World Cup season opener, and rookie Kelsey O’Driscoll shone in her World Cup debut, finishing just off the podium in fourth place in alpine combined. 

Steinach is a familiar stop for these athletes as they have kicked off the World Cup season in Austria for the last three years. Alpine combined in composed of one run of super-G and one run of slalom with athletes’ times combined to get their final placement.

After run one of super-G, Andrew Kurka was sitting in first place in the men’s sitting classification and O’Driscoll was in third. Audrey Crowley, Andrew Haraghey and Robert Enigl did not finish run one. 

This season, Kurka, a known speed specialist, is also skiing slalom for the first time in years, with this event being his first World Cup attempt since 2019.  This event was an excellent start for the speedster, where he finished sixth overall after placing 10th in the slalom run. O’Driscoll finished sixth in run two, giving her a fourth place finish. Nine U.S. athletes made it through to the second run, including Jesse Keefe, who finished eighth overall, a great start to his season in the standing classification, followed by Patrick Halgren in 11th, and Spencer Wood in 17th. Ravi Drugan finished in 12th in the men’s sitting category.

Tomorrow, Thursday, Dec. 11th, the team will take on super-G, which is sure to excite following the run one placements in alpine combined. Tune in at 4:30 am ET on FIS. 

RESULTS
Women
Men

U.S. Ski & Snowboard and Honey Stinger are officially partners. Honey Stinger, a leader in sports fuel that produces energy waffles, will become an official partner through 2026. 

Exclusive to the “ready-to-eat energy waffles” and “stroopwaffles” category, Colorado-based Honey Stinger has been fueling athletes since 2001 and has extensive experience in the sports industry, having worked with more than 2,000 professional and collegiate teams. On the snow, Honey Stinger will officially be named an Associate Partner of the 2026 Visa Big Air presented by Toyota, Dec. 11-13 in Steamboat, CO and the FIS Para Snowboard World Cup at Steamboat, Feb. 8-9, with product activations at both events. The partnership will also support individual U.S. Ski & Snowboard athletes, including working with athlete influencer program Content Collective.

“We’re pleased to bring Honey Stinger on board,” said Sophie Goldschmidt, President & CEO. “Their products have long been part of many athletes’ training and competition routines, and this partnership strengthens that connection. As an Associate Partner at our domestic World Cups, Honey Stinger will play an even greater role in fueling and supporting our athletes’ success.”

“Elite athletes demand fuel they can trust, and that’s exactly why Honey Stinger was created. Partnering with the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Team allows us to support world-class competitors with world-class nutrition. It’s an honor to fuel these athletes as they prepare for the sport’s biggest challenges,” said John D’Alessandro, CEO of Honey Stinger.

About U.S. Ski & Snowboard
U.S. Ski & Snowboard is the Olympic and Paralympic National Governing Body of ski and snowboard sports in the USA, based in Park City, Utah. Started in 1905, the organization now represents nearly 240 elite skiers and snowboarders competing on 10 teams, including the Stifel U.S. Ski Team: alpine, cross country, freestyle moguls, freestyle aerials, freeski, nordic combined, Para alpine and ski jumping, the Toyota U.S. Para Snowboard Team and Hydro Flask U.S. Snowboard Team. In addition to the elite teams, U.S. Ski & Snowboard also provides leadership and direction for tens of thousands of young skiers and snowboarders across the USA, encouraging and supporting them in achieving excellence. By empowering national teams, clubs, coaches, parents, officials, volunteers and fans, U.S. Ski & Snowboard is committed to the progression of its sports, athlete success and the value of team. For more information, visit www.usskiandsnowboard.org.

About Honey Stinger
Trusted by more than 2,000 professional and collegiate teams as well as countless fitness enthusiasts, Honey Stinger is dedicated to helping individuals achieve their active goals. Based in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, Honey Stinger has been fueling athletes since 2001 with its range of great-tasting sports fuel. From waffles and chews to gels and bars, Honey Stinger products are designed to help users prepare, perform, and refuel without sacrificing great taste.

The leader in protein-packed, whole grain products will stock the U.S. Ski & Snowboard USANA Center of Excellence powered by iFIT kitchen, support athlete nutrition and expand its presence across winter sports as athletes prepare for the 2026 Olympic & Paralympic Winter Games. 

Kodiak, the brand known for its high-protein, whole-grain breakfast and snack products, today announces its partnership with U.S Ski & Snowboard as they gear up for the 2026 Milano Cortino Olympic & Paralympic Winter Games in February and March.  

Through the partnership, Kodiak will broaden its presence in winter sports and add to its established network of athlete relationships in trail running, cycling, climbing and more. As part of the agreement, Kodiak will support upgrading the U.S. Ski and Snowboard kitchen at the USANA Center of Excellence powered by iFIT. This will help to ensure the athletes have access to whole-grain, protein-packed foods essential for sustaining the demanding training loads essential to world-class performance. 

"U.S. Ski & Snowboard embodies the drive, resilience and love of the outdoors that also inspires us and our commitment to feeding epic days and wilder lives," said Val Oswalt, Chief Executive Officer of Kodiak. “We are honored to stand behind these world-class athletes in our home of Park City and provide the fuel they need to secure their next podium win.”  

 “We are delighted to partner with our friends just down the road in Park City,” said Sophie Goldschmidt, President & CEO of U.S. Ski & Snowboard. “It’s a natural fit – their product is already a staple with our athletes, and their experience in the industry is a bonus. We’re also looking forward to revitalizing our newly named “Kodiak Kitchen” at our headquarters.” 

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 About U.S. Ski & Snowboard 
U.S. Ski & Snowboard is the Olympic and Paralympic National Governing Body of ski and snowboard sports in the USA, based in Park City, Utah. Started in 1905, the organization now represents nearly 240 elite skiers and snowboarders competing on 10 teams, including the Stifel U.S. Ski Team: alpine, cross country, freestyle moguls, freestyle aerials, freeski, nordic combined, Para alpine and ski jumping, the Toyota U.S. Para Snowboard Team and the Hydro Flask U.S. Snowboard Team. In addition to the elite teams, U.S. Ski & Snowboard also provides leadership and direction for tens of thousands of young skiers and snowboarders across the USA, encouraging and supporting them in achieving excellence. By empowering national teams, clubs, coaches, parents, officials, volunteers and fans, U.S. Ski & Snowboard is committed to the progression of its sports, athlete success and the value of team. For more information, visit www.usskiandsnowboard.org. 

About Kodiak  
On a mission to "Feed Epic Days and Wilder Lives," Kodiak inspires people to live wilder, wide-open lives by feeding epic days through real breakfasts. Mountain raised among the Wasatch Mountains of Park City, UT, Kodiak strives to make breakfast un-boring – outfitting everyone who is hungry to get out and expand the day's range with delicious, filling, whole grain greatness while nourishing the land, lives and wildlife that sustain us. For over 30 years, Kodiak has created real, protein-packed breakfasts with honest and carefully selected ingredients, with no artificial preservatives, flavors, or colors. For more information about Kodiak, please visit www.kodiakcakes.com or follow the adventure on Instagram @KodiakCakes. 

Kodiak Media Contact 
[email protected]

U.S. Ski & Snowboard Media Contact
Courtney Harkins
Sr. Director of Marketing & Communications 
​​​​​​​[email protected]

It was a standout day for the Stifel U.S. Freestyle Ski Team moguls athletes, with two on the podium, six in the top six, and now seven athletes ranked in the top 10 in the World Cup standings. In the second event at Ruka, Finland, Olivia Giaccio finished second, her second podium of the event and Jaelin Kauf bounced back from a tough crash on Sunday to finish on the podium in third place.

“I’m really thankful that I was able to lay down runs throughout the whole weekend,” said Giaccio. “It was so fun to be back in action and build on my performances round after round. I couldn’t have asked for a better comeback to World Cup.”

Kauf tried to keep the pressure low on Monday to ease back into things.

“Yeah tough start yesterday, but some good takeaways and learning moments from it,” said Kauf. “Today, I took a bit more of a mellow start to it and just tried to get a top-to-bottom under my belt. After getting that out of the way, I was able to just focus on skiing my run and having fun out there!” 

Eight Stifel U.S. Ski Team athletes advanced past the qualification round, two more than the day prior. Giaccio qualified in the top spot, followed by Tess Johnson in second, Kauf in fourth, Kasey Hogg in ninth and Alli Macuga in 16th. On the men’s side, Nick Page qualified fourth, Asher Michel ninth and Charlie Mickel 11th. Kylie Kariotis just barely missed the finals, finishing in 17th place. Landon Wendler finished 22nd. Liz Lemley and Dylan Walczyk did not finish but skied off ok. 

In finals round one, the U.S. women continued to show their dominance, with four athletes advancing in the top six to super finals. Macuga was just outside the bubble, finishing the day seventh. Page continued to lead the way for the men, finishing fourth in F1, followed by Mickel in fifth, the positions they would hold throughout the rest of the day. Michel ended the day 10th. 

There were nothing but clean runs put down in the women’s super finals, cementing the depth of talent in this women’s field. Kasey Hogg finished sixth, her sixth super finals finish. Current World Cup leader Johnson was just off the podium in fourth place, growing her lead in the overall World Cup standings. Giaccio and Kauf were joined on the podium by Jakara Anthony of Australia, the reigning Olympic moguls champion. 

“I’m so stoked for this team this weekend too,” said Kauf. “This was a gnarly course and took a lot of fight to put down runs, so I'm pretty impressed with this team for putting it down all weekend.”

“As always, this team is so special to be a part of,” echoed Giaccio. “It was awesome to share podiums with Tess and Jae throughout the weekend, and celebrate Nick and Charlie’s great results as well. Thanks x1000 to my whole crew — coaches, parents, friends, sports psych — for helping me get back to the starting gate this weekend. The process back from injury this summer was really tough, so it definitely wouldn’t have been possible without the U.S. Team staff and the people in my corner.”

This World Cup was also momentous due to the multiple successful comebacks made across the team. Giaccio, Lemley and Wendler all made their return to competition in Ruka and took steps in the right direction for the rest of the season.  

“I also want to shout out the numerous comebacks from major injury this weekend (Liz, Landon) — that was a huge milestone, and it was so cool to watch live,” remarked Giaccio. “I’m psyched for them.”

Next up, the team will stay in Ruka to train through the holidays before their next World Cup at the beginning of the year in Val St. Come, Canada, Jan. 9-10, 2026.

RESULTS
Women
Men