Featured Image: Elisabeth Bocock competing in the US Alpine Championships. Credit: Heather Black

The Toyota US Alpine Championships presented by Stifel was welcomed back to Sun Valley, Idaho for the second consecutive year. During the event, the men and women will compete in super-G, GS and slalom to close out the 2024 season on the National alpine racing circuit. 

Athletes skiing for national teams and racers looking to make their mark began competing on March 20th down the intense Greyhawk track. The event started with two men and women super-G days, the first day was a standard FIS race and the second was a part of the National Championships.  

On Greyhawk, athletes need to be strategic and follow the inspected line. During the Upper Greyhawk section, it is crucial for the athletes to keep their elevation because the hill attempts to push the racer lower. The lower line can continue to present more challenges through the later sections. The course is fast and steep, which can further give technically strong skiers an advantage. 

Ruby Christ, skiing for the Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation told Idaho 6 News, “The craftiest skiers are going to do the best here because it is not about just linking up all the turns,” She continued, “You need to stay online, especially on Upper Greyhawk, where you need to keep your elevation because the hill is just dragging you down.”

Day One- Men’s FIS Race

Right away, the technical demands of this track were apparent as the men took on the first challenging set of the Championships. They needed to maintain direction over a crucial null, but many could not hold onto the higher line, so half of the field (26 men) did not finish.

However, the athletes who were able to come across the finish line were filled with excitement and grasped the chance to move up on the leaderboard.

Stifel US Ski Team athletes Sam Morse and Kyle Negomir have been focusing on the World Cup Circuit this season, and they were the first two to ski the track on Wednesday morning. The snow conditions were top-notch for racing, which meant they could give it their all.

Unfortunately, it was hard out of the gate for both of them. Morse finished the day in 9th-place position, +2.56 behind the lead, and Kyle Negomir did not finish.

Only three out of the initial ten athletes reached the finish arena after tackling the course. Seven were pushed out of the course by a challenging gate coming over the null.

Nevertheless, the officials continued the race, and bib-11, Stifel US Ski Team athlete Jay Poulter, ripped down the course. He nailed the line with strategic skiing and pulled ahead of his teammate Jack Smith by over seven-tenths. They maintained the fastest times of the day, concluding the super-G on the first and second steps of the podium.

Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club athlete Ian Haupt rounded out the podium. Impressively, Haupt only competed in two other super-G races this season but threw down a strong run and moved up 33 spots to earn himself a podium finish.

Day One- Women’s FIS Race

The women ran after the men on the Greyhawk track for the FIS super-G race. The snow remained pristine, so the women were ready to kick it into gear for the fast, technical track.

First out of the start was Cheyenne Brown, skiing for Team Palisades Tahoe in Olympic Valley. She set the pace of 1:11.59 with a clean run.

However, bib-2, Tatum Grosdidier of the Stifel US Ski Team, came down and established a hefty lead. Her time gave her enough to maintain the lead, with a dominating time -0.61 ahead of the field.

Stifel US Ski Team athletes who have competed on the World Cup circuit this season, Tricia Mangan (+0.61) and Keely Cashman (+0.73), earned a 2nd and 3rd-place finish.

The initial attempt at the course is always a challenge for both fields. However, now that they are acquainted with the challenging sections, the steep pitches, and the technical aspects, they will be prepared to ignite on the opening day of the Alpine National Championships.

Day Two- Men’s US Alpine Championships

The men kicked off the second day of racing, where the stakes were higher as the athletes strived to earn a National Championship title.

Fresh from the World Cup Finals in Saalbach, Austria, River Radamus flew to Sun Valley, Idaho, for the last event of the winter. The Stifel US Ski Team athlete had a milestone season, the highlight being a podium finish in a World Cup giant slalom.

He was the first racer to push out of the start gate for the Championship super-G day. Without seeing the course the day before, he managed to ski the track confidently, attacking panel-to-panel. Radamus set the pace at 1:15.24.

After the World Cup Finals, he stated, “It’s been a great season, and I have made some strides towards where I want to be.”

The crowd watched as the athletes continued to race through the finish line, a positive change from the prior day. Kyle Negomir, wearing bib-3, earned 2nd-place position, +0.14 behind Radamus’s lead, and Isaiah Nelson finished in 3rd, +0.21 behind.

Last season, both Negomir and Nelson were on the super-G National Championship podium. Nelson achieved 3rd place, and Negomir clinched onto the super-G Championship title. Earning back-to-back National Championship podiums in super-G is a highlighted accomplishment for the two athletes.

Jay Poulter, who reigned victorious the day before, skied the hill strategically again. However, he came through just +0.38 off the podium, earning 4th place. Last year, he finished the super-G in 15th position, so this race was a stride forward for the young athlete.

The Stifel US Ski Team had eight athletes in the top 10. The other two athletes who skied into the top 10 were Raphael Lessard, achieving 5th place, and Tanner Graves, 7th. Lessard is a Canadian athlete competing for the University of Utah, and Graves skis for Waterville Valley BBTS. It was Graves first National Championship race of his career, so it was an outstanding accomplishment for the racer.

Day Two- Women’s US Alpine Championships

The super-G event concluded with a thrilling race where the women battled for the top. Stifel US Ski Team member Elisabeth Bocock dominated the field. She was gunning it from top to bottom and maintained a solid line throughout the course.

Last season, Bocock finished the National Championship super-G merely off the podium in 4th place. So, this season, Bocock strived for a podium finish and came out with a victory. This winter, the 18-year-old made her World Cup debut but will take this confidence into next year to earn points on the circuit.

Wearing bib-6, her teammate, Allison Mollin, ignited from the start. She maintained great speed from top to bottom and had the fastest last section of the track but could not make up the time needed to beat Bocock. She finished in 2nd place, +0.75 behind the lead. It marked Mollin’s fourth podium finish this season.

Tatum Grosdidier, the triumphant winner of the opening day, confidently secured her place on the final step of the podium, +0.83 behind. Grosdidier set her sights on reaching the podium at the US Alpine Championships this season, accomplishing her mission. The Stifel US Ski Development Team proved themselves on this challenging track.

The US World Cup racers Keely Cashman (4th) and Tricia Mangan (5th) finalized the top 5. The Stifel US Ski Team had an impressive performance by earning all the top 8 spots.

Concluding the race, the times were spread out, with a 4.18-second gap from 1st-place position to the 15th athlete. Further revealing the demand for this hill and the significance of maintaining a strong line throughout the course.

The Opening Ceremony will commence this evening before the men take on the giant slalom event tomorrow morning.

Women’s Full Results for the Super-G US Alpine Championships 

Men’s Full Results for the Super-G US Alpine Championships