River Radamus Sölden 2021 PHOTO: GEPA

Three US men have nations’ quota start spots for the October 23rd World Cup GS race in Sölden, Austria. Tommy Ford, Mt. Bachelor Ski Education Foundation, River Radamus, Ski and Snowboard Club Vail, and Olympic medalist Ryan Cochran-Siegle of Cochran’s Ski Club: are among the top 60 on the GS World Cup Start List and that determines the number of nations’ quota spots.  

Five will compete for the basic quota start spot in Sölden

However, 61st on the WCSL is Brian McLaughlin from Green Mountain Valley School. Because of the lack of a single World Cup point, McLaughlin will have to qualify for the last start spot through a time trial that will include four other Americans. In addition to the three occupying the top 60 on GS World Cup Start List, the US has ten male athletes whose world rank allows them to utilize the basic quota spot. Of the ten, five have accepted their invitation to attempt to qualify through a time trial in Val Senales / Schnalstal, Italy, on Oct 18th.

Of the five competing, two are current and three are past members of the US Ski Team. One of the current USST members is Bridger Gile from Ski and Snowboard Club Vail. Gile has two previous starts in Sölden and 15 total World Cup GS starts. The other USST member attempting to qualify is Isiah Nelson, reigning Junior World Super-G Champion from Buck Hill. Nelson will be looking to qualify for his first-ever World Cup GS. Both of these USST members, although fully capable, have yet to score their first World Cup points.

Three Global Racing athletes will participate in the time trial for basic quota start spot

The other three US athletes attending the Sölden time trial are all current Global Racing members. All three have previous World Cup GS experience. As mentioned, Brian McLaughlin missed the top 60 WCSL last season by a single point. With only one more World Cup GS point, he would have created a fourth US men’s nations’ quota spot and would not have to qualify through the time trial. McLaughlin has competed in 19 World Cup GS races, including one in Sölden. He has three top 30 World Cup GS results.

George Steffey, Stratton Mountain School, is also a Global Racing athlete and Steffey’s career includes 13 World Cup GS starts, one in Sölden. If Steffey qualifies to race Sölden, he will look for his first ever World Cup points. The third Global Racing athlete competing for the Sölden start is Patrick Kenney, a Burke Mountain Academy graduate with three World Cup GS starts, one in Sölden. Like Steffey, Kenney is also looking for his first World Cup points.

Whoever qualifies for Sölden will have the full support of the other four. All of them will be hoping the athlete starting in Sölden will score World Cup points and move into the top 60 WCSL. By doing so, they will create another nation’s spot in GS. All five are capable of moving into the top 60 by the season’s end. Hopefully, next year for the 2023 edition of Sölden, the US men will have double the number of quota spots.

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Women’s team situation for Sölden

We will know on Sunday which women have accepted their USST invitation to the October 19th qualifier for the October 22nd Sölden WC race. Hopefully, by then, things will be more straightforward for the women. The US women have created four nations’ spots, two NorAm personal quotas, and the basic spot, in total seven possible start spots. AJ Hurt, who created a nations’ spot, is recovering from an injury. However, the US has 11 other athletes qualified to use the World Cup GS nation’s spots or basic spot. However two of those possess personal continental spots from the NorAms so they won’t have to qualify. It can be assumed that Mikaela Shiffrin, and Paula Moltzan will use their nations’ spots. The other two nations’ spots and the basic spot are not yet clear. There is also a question concerning two of the qualified athletes. Will recovering O’Brien and Resnick be ready for the Sölden race? Stay tuned.

We do have some excellent news from the women’s team. Allie Resnick, SSCV, and Nina O’Brien, BMA, are now medically cleared to return to snow. While Resnick was recently cleared, Alpine Director Patrick Riml reports that Nina O’Brien has been on snow for weeks, is skiing well, and is feeling recovered. We can hope to see both women in Sölden, however, patience is crucial when returning from injury so we will have to wait and see. We will have more to report on concerning the women’s Sölden qualifying situation soon.