Haley Cutler in the start of her first World Cup training run: GEPA pictures
Home Grown
Haley Cutler Makes Her World Cup Debut in Beaver Creek
In 2022, Haley Cutler was doing what most of the ski racing world was doing—watching the Beijing Winter Olympics. Among the competitors in the speed events were former peers, women she had either grown up racing with or encountered on the FIS circuit. She was overcome with a revelation: “We’ve all competed against each other before. Why can’t we do that again? Why can’t I be there with them?”
It turns out she can. On Dec. 14, on Beaver Creek’s Birds of Prey course, the 27-year-old Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation skier and Montana State University graduate will start her first World Cup race.
Cutler earned start rights to all the World Cup downhills this season by finishing second in the 2024 Nor-Am DH standings. Securing the spot was a two-year process after a lifetime of pursuing the sport with a natural love for speed.
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Round 1
As a youngster in Sun Valley, people referred to Haley as “Picabo Cutler,” a name she didn’t understand at the time. “Then I realized how cool that was,” says Cutler. She brought her gift of glide to the FIS circuit, where the Western competition included women like Isabella Wright, Keely Cashman, and Breezy Johnson.
Cutler went on to ski for the University of New Mexico, where she focused on technical events. When the UNM team lost funding, she moved to Montana State University for her junior and senior years, qualifying for the NCAA Championships in her junior year.
After graduating with a psychology degree, she figured her racing days were over. She needed something to do and a ski pass, so she moved back to Sun Valley and started coaching U12s for SVSEF. “Skiing became a lot of fun again,” says Cutler. Coaching and tuning back into World Cup racing lit a fire in her. She knew she had more in her and shared that revelation with SVSEF Director Will Brandenburg. He responded immediately:
“I’ve been waiting for you to come and say this.”
Round 2
Brandenburg threw his support behind Cutler, as did the entire Sun Valley community and the Western Region. That spring, she attended the American Downhiller camp as a coach/mentor in exchange for training. She joined the Western Region for off-season training in South America.
Her path to the World Cup depended on success in the Nor-Ams. However, with so few speed tracks and competitions in North America, she needed to gain miles and experience in Europe. Brandenburg and another of her former coaches, Andrew Keating—by then based in Europe with APEX 2100—were able to put some training and lodging together to help Cutler while she was in Europe. Cutler finished third in the Nor-Am DH standings at the end of her comeback season, narrowly missing a Continental Cup World Cup start spot. She thought, “I put this much work into this, might as well go for it again.”
She did just that, also switching to Atomic. With the help of Keating, she also found a tech for the season. Training as an independent is a challenge, and even more so for speed events, which are impossible to train solo. She took whatever opportunity came up with any team.
At the season’s end, she scored one Nor-Am win and two podiums to secure second place and the 2024-25 World Cup start.
Paying the Price
Cutler needed much more than she earned from her restaurant and coaching jobs to fund even the leanest program. Immediately, private donors stepped in to help this homegrown talent who, according to one local coach, “has the gift of bringing a smile to people’s faces.”
“The community in Sun Valley has been really great,” says Cutler. “I’ve been able to find a number of independent donors who want to support me.” This season, she’ll need to raise about $70,000. She also receives funding through World Cup Dreams and was thrilled to pick up support from the Clif Bar Family Foundation. “I’m so grateful and so happy to have that.”
Cutler is also grateful to the coaching community for creating opportunities at every step of her journey. Among them are SVSEF coaches Pat Savaria and Gladys Weidt, as well as Karen Harjo and Randy Pelkey. Pelkey, who coaches a Western Region PG team based in Europe this winter, will be with her at Birds of Prey and other World Cups. “He’s been really inspirational and helpful,” says Cutler.
Cutler plans to compete in all the World Cup downhills but will adapt as the season progresses. The Continental Cup World Cup spot has also opened up training opportunities with the U.S. Ski Team. “Since we are in the U.S. and Copper is kind of the home base for speed, they’re able to be more lenient about me being part of it. So that’s been really nice.” Cutler enjoyed a good training block with the U.S. Ski Team before Birds of Prey. She also performed well in the warm-up races at Copper leading into this weekend’s events, finishing comfortably in the pack of World Cup athletes.
The Approach
Cutler admits it will be intimidating to inspect with the likes of Sofia Goggia and Lindsey Vonn. “It might be fun to introduce myself to someone I’ve been looking up to for a while,” says Cutler. On race day, however, she plans to keep things simple and avoid overthinking. The plan does not involve holding back. “It’s hard to be super conservative because if I’m not sending it in my skiing and doing the best I can, then that’s when things get sketchy. So, maybe I won’t necessarily be looking for speed, but I’ll be driving to the front of my boot, finding how I can go fast out of turns. That’s something that I always try to remember in stressful and big situations.”
Goals at the Beav and Beyond
Concerning her goals for this season, Cutler says, “I just want to keep improving because that’s what’s been happening every season so far, and that’s what makes me keep going.” She admits that having the World Cup Finals in Sun Valley is extra motivation. “Getting some top 30s is a good goal and something that can happen.”
Cutler is excited to soak up the World Cup vibe at Beaver Creek. “The finish area of a World Cup race is so cool. There are so many people, and everyone’s cheering for you, especially in the U.S. I think what will put a smile on my face is just hearing cowbells ring and seeing my family and friends who are coming to support me because no matter my result, I know that they’ll be there cheering and having fun.”
Follow Haley @hay_cudi and support her at World Cup Dreams.
About the Author: Edie Thys Morgan
