All photos provided by Darlene Nolting

While top-level global competition is reaching the height of its season, America’s next generation has quietly been notching unprecedented international results at the OPA Cup.

Six U16 racers from the Rocky Central Region qualified for the prestigious OPA Cup (formerly the Seven Nations Cup) in Germany from Jan. 28 – Feb. 6. Competing against a field of about 120 U16 athletes from key alpine racing countries, U.S. racers walked away with multiple podiums.

“These results for the U.S. are not common. It’s definitely the most we’ve had at the OPA Cup. For us to have five of six wins, nine of 18 podiums, is phenomenal,” said U.S. Ski Team Rocky Central Alpine Development Director Darlene Nolting, who managed the team in Germany.

The young champions include Logan Grosdidier, Abby Olson and Adrian Beauregard of Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club, Jevin Palmquist of Team Summit, Viktoria Zaytseva of Ski and Snowboard Club Vail and Caden Burns of Team Afton.

Podium Shots

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Unprecedented performances

Grosdidier won the OPA Cup women’s giant slalom, took second in the slalom and fifth in super-G. Olson won the slalom and took sixth in GS and eighth in SG. Beauregard landed two gold medals in men’s GS and SG. Palmquist took gold in men’s slalom and bronze in both GS and slalom. Zaytseva took bronze in women’s SG and eighth in GS. Burns took ninth in men’s slalom.

“Every athlete performed. Everybody had their moment,” Nolting said. “As a team, we celebrated every athlete’s accomplishments. Everybody felt a part of the team. They all just came together and supported each other.”

Broadly considered the top tier of international racing for 14 to 15-year-old athletes, the cornerstone nations in the OPA Cup bring 20 of their best racers while invited countries like the U.S. get to bring their top qualified three girls and three boys. The six Americans qualified during the regional U16 National Performance Series (NPS) at Burke Mountain last month.

Because all racers came from the Rocky Central Division, Nolting accompanied the team for the first time. She incorporated cultural and educational elements into the trip, including a trip to the freshly trodden Hahnenkamm World Cup course in Kitzbühel.

More group activities

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Developing a taste for Europe

“They learned a lot on the trip, about their country and the countries they were visiting, and also about each other,” Nolting said. “They had to come to dinner every night and tell me one thing they learned about Germany. We explored the Berchtesgaden area. It’s stunning. For most of the kids, it was their first trip to Europe.”

The U.S. Team also partnered and trained with the German team, which gave the American teens a glimpse of how their sport works overseas and a hunger to return for the next opportunity to compete.

“It’s always good to learn what other countries are doing and to build those bonds,” Nolting said. “I was just so proud of how hard the kids worked and how much they learned. We had some difficult training days. They took feedback really well and got better on every run. It was gratifying to work with this group of athletes. I enjoyed being a part of it.”